1. FOOD ITEMS
Nathaly Vieira, founder of Inspire Clean advises, 'Do not store perishable foods on top of the refrigerator. The temperature on the refrigerator's exterior can fluctuate, potentially causing these items to spoil more quickly.
2. PLANTS
'The top of your refrigerator is not a good place to store plants,' recommends Ralph Abundo at Canberra Bond Cleaning. 'The heat from the refrigerator can damage the plants.' Storing kitchen plants on top of your refrigerator is also risky since if the potted plant falls it can cause a mess. Plus, you want to avoid debris from the plant falling into your refrigerator and contaminating your food.
3. FLAMMABLE ITEMS
'Keep flammable materials, such as paper towels or napkins, away from the fridge's top, where they might be exposed to the heat of the appliance's motor,' recommends Stellar Jackson, an electrical engineer at Portable Power Guides. Storing flammable items on top of your refrigerator can increase the risk of fire.
4. MEDICATIONS
'Medications should be kept in a cool, dry place, away from humidity and temperature fluctuations. Storing them on top of the refrigerator can compromise their effectiveness,' warns Janille Mangat, a cleaning specialist at VMAP. It's important when storing medication not to risk impacting its potency and shelf life, since this can be a costly error that may have repercussions on your health.
5. HEAVY ITEMS
You should never place heavy or bulky items on top of the refrigerator. The weight and size of these items can strain the appliance and potentially damage it over time. 'The top of your refrigerator is not designed to support heavy items,' says Ralph Abundo at Canberra Bond Cleaning. 'Storing heavy items on top of your refrigerator can cause it to tip over, which can be dangerous.'
6. WINE
Emma Parker says, 'The temperature on top of the refrigerator tends to fluctuate, which is not ideal for wine and liquor storage. To preserve the quality of your beverages, keep them in a dedicated wine rack or a cool, dark cabinet.' Wine is temperature sensitive, plus the vibrations can affect wine's sediments, altering its taste and aging process, which is why storing it on top of a refrigerator is never a good idea. There are plenty of creative and aesthetic ways to store wine, we've picked some of our favorites, below.
7. ANYTHING THAT CAN MELT
Rosie Elliott says, 'Avoid anything that could spoil or melt. One hot summer, I stored chocolates on top and came back to a gooey mess all over the fridge. Such a sticky situation!' The heat from the refrigerator's compressor and motor can also melt or damage candles and pose a safety risk. This can also cause plastic items such as food storage containers can warp or melt.
8. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
Emma Parker says, 'Electronics like radios or small appliances should not be stored on top of the fridge because the heat emitted from the refrigerator's coils can affect their performance and lifespan.' Furthermore, Ralph Abundo warns, 'The top of your refrigerator can be a fire hazard. Storing flammable items on top of your refrigerator can increase the fire risk.' You also don't want to risk any electrical appliances falling so they should certainly not be stored on top of your refrigerator.
9. ACCORDING FENG SHUI RULES, DON'T STORE ANYTHING ON TOP OF YOUR REFRIGERATOR
Storing items on top of your refrigerator is strictly against kitchen Feng Shui rules. 'Please don’t store anything at all on top of the refrigerator,' says our Feng Shui and Interiors Therapy expert Suzanne Roynon. 'That’s because anything stored above head height on top of a cupboard or refrigerator is symbolically pressing down on the people in the kitchen.