I skipped a celebration a couple of days ago that really needs no date, nor should it be relegated to just one day per year. By decree of Whirlpool Appliances, November 15, 2025 marks the 26th anniversary of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. There are several logical reasons for this celebration.
First, we are a mere 10 days away from Thanksgiving, 12 days from the Ohio State vs. TTUN game*, 37 days till Christmas Eve, 38 days till Christmas, 45 days till New Year’s Eve, and 46 days until we get on the scales and say, “Uh, oh!” All of these celebrations are feasting celebrations. This doesn’t include all the holiday and game day parties, after parties, and a ton of leftovers. No wonder we need to clean the ‘fridge!
Second, most refrigerators have unintended science experiments in progress, complete with mold or bacteria samples growing at accelerated rates. While the fruit might be getting fuzzy, there are more serious issues going on: Salmonella and E.coli. Nothing ruins a Thanksgiving dinner quite like food poisoning. After the abdominal cramping, explosive diarrhea, and fever have subsided (4-7 days!), you’re not exactly thrilled to receive an invitation to the same place for Christmas dinner, are you.
National Day Calendar gives some good suggestions as to how to get the refrigerator ready for all the festivities ahead and we have plenty of time to do it.
- Empty each shelf.
- Completely wipe down the inside of the refrigerator.
- Wash drawers and underneath the drawers.
- Throw away all expired food.
- Throw away any moldy food.
- Get rid of anything that you do not use.
- Vacuum condenser coils.
- Vacuum out under the refrigerator.
- Restock shelves and drawers with good food.
- Enjoy your nice, clean, organized refrigerator.1
Vile contaminants not only hideout in the coldness of our refrigerators, they also find their way into the coldness of our hearts. This is why we frequently need to examine ourselves. What we serve from our lives could sicken others very quickly.
There is the contamination of bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 warns, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”
Poisoned tongues full of gossip, backbiting, talebearing, and nitpicking are another item needing purged from our hearts. James 3:8 reminds us, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
Lukewarmness nauseates the Lord and it should nauseate us as well. Revelation 3:15-16 says, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things that are an “abomination” to the Lord. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Dictionary says that the word means “a disgusting thing…1a) in ritual sense (of unclean food…” Take special note of the seven things listed. “These six things 
doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: (17) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (18) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, (19) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”
Not only do we need to deep clean our refrigerators, we also need to deep clean our lives. Let’s make both a priority. While the refrigerator might last another day or two, our lives need this deep clean now. Do it quickly before we defile others and further defile ourselves.
“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)
1https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-clean-out-your-refrigerator-day-november-15
*TTUN means That team up north.
Images are taken from https://pixabay.com/, https://www.pexels.com/, or https://unsplash.com/images or created in Windows Copilot. According to the websites, they are Royalty Free and free to be used for our purposes.
