My grandfather used to joke when eating spicy food that it would “make you wish you’d put your toilet paper in the freezer.”

I wonder what he would make of people actually putting their toilet paper in the fridge?

Well first off, he would be disappointed to know it doesn’t have anything to do with what you ate for dinner the night before.

Ruiz Asri, editor of Honest Food Talks, says people are doing it because of its supposed ability to absorb odors.

“Moisture in the refrigerator often contributes to mildew and unpleasant odor. The toilet paper absorbs excess moisture, along with foul smells.”

People have been talking about it for awhile, but thanks to TikTok, it’s really become a fad recently.

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But, does it work?

The answer is yes, but only to a point. It’s a temporary fix, since toilet paper’s absorbency does have a limit.

There are some tried and true options for combatting moisture and smells in your fridge, however.

First up, baking soda.

This caught on in the 970s, and by 1994, it was reported that “more refrigerators are likely to have baking soda than working light bulbs.”

Baking soda is a handy base to have around the house. It neutralizes acids, which is why it works on odors, cutting off smell at the source.

It also needs to be replaced every three months or so, and no, you can’t go on to use that particular box in baking.

Some people, like biologist practitioner Corinne Segura, turn to black cumin seed oil.

“It has a deodorizing effect, to clean up the smell.”

She says this is due to the oil’s ability to deodorize methyl mercaptan, which produces a rotten scent.

“I mixed five drops of black cumin essential oil with 1 tablespoon of dish soap and applied it in a thick layer to all the plastic components inside the fridge. I let it sit for two hours before washing it off. This worked well to get rid of foul odors in the fridge.”

Activated charcoal will also capture the particles that cause bad smells. It’s available as a powder, or in pre-cut filters or fabric.

You’ll swap it out every month or so to keep it effective.

If you want to replace those bad smells with good ones, a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract will leave your fridge “smelling like a bakery,” according to Asri.

Alexander Hill, a sales rep for Appliance Depot, says modern appliances come equipped with high-tech solutions as well.

“Ultraviolet light can destroy bacteria, molds, and other pathogens. Some fridge purifiers use UV light to sanitize the air and surfaces inside the fridge, thus reducing the source of many odors.”

If something has spoiled in your fridge and you want to attempt a deep clean, the cheapest way to go about it is crumpled newspaper.

Replace it every few days for a week or so and your problem will be solved.

And you won’t have to buy extra toilet paper that month.

If you liked that story, check out this video from a former Chipotle employee who reveals how the company cheats customers out of food.