This Brilliant and Unusual Trick for Eliminating Fridge Smudges Also Makes Your Kitchen Look Gorgeous

If you have dogs or young kids in your home, you understand the struggle of keeping the exterior of your stainless steel fridge clean. Whether it’s your pup pawing at the door to reach those homemade dog treats, or your little one practicing finger painting, keeping this kitchen appliance smudge-free can be tricky. 

Sure, you can purchase reliable surface cleaners that won’t leave streaks on your refrigerator, but that still means you could be cleaning it every day. And Megan McKean, an author, illustrator, and designer who owns a colorful Malmö home, was experiencing the same struggles with her fridge. 

“Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t get the stainless steel to look clean and smudge-free (and with a puppy in the house, it was never lick-free either!),” McKean wrote. So, to minimize the fridge smudges, McKean got creative. 

When McKean and her husband, Joshua, moved into their new apartment in 2021, they made a few renovations to the kitchen. They removed upper cabinets to make DIY open shelves, and used Swedish paint brand Beckers Paints to repaint the walls in “Krita 501” and the crown molding in “Emalj 819.”

When aiming to solve the fridge smudge conundrum, McKean reached out to a car detailer for a roll of olive green vinyl (similar to the crown molding color) to wrap her refrigerator in — spending only around $100 on it. They wrapped the fridge themselves, keeping costs low for what looks like an entirely new appliance. “Now, we have a totally new-looking fridge that is infinitely easier to clean,” McKean shared. 

If you’re tired of wiping down your refrigerator daily, consider contacting your local car detailer. Even if you don’t have a stainless steel refrigerator, this is a great, budget-friendly trick for adding a pop of color into any kitchen. This hack isn’t the only amazing aspect of McKean’s Swedish apartment — check out the full house tour on Apartment Therapy to learn more.