Beware the Office Refrigerator!

[Dakota]

Today, I cleaned out our office refrigerator and let me tell you what... I am going to have nightmares tonight about it. It was so bad that the maintenance worker requested he wheel it outside for me to clean and that was after a large trash bag cleared away all the rotten and expired food. Now I certainly could have delegated this duty since I am the boss of my office but I’ve always had a theory that I should never delegate a duty I would never want delegated to me. AND, my staff has enough to do.

Anyway, our refrigerator is one of those old avocado green ones that are not self-defrosting and the frost was so bad that you could not have even fit a weight-watcher’s meal in the freezer portion. Once I cleared the frost out, I found ice cream sandwich bars and some sort of meat surprise in a plastic bag (I think) under all the frosting. Trust me, that was the least of my gross sightings today, because our refrigerator was a gold mine for forgotten food.

So... I have to wonder, what is your office policy on your refrigerator?

AND, what is the nastiest thing you've ever found in your office fridge?

Or how about the nastiest notes you've ever found on or inside your office fridge?

AND I'd be willing to bet that I have the oldest office refrigerator on the forums. (It is 43 years old)

 

[somdfunguy]

We buy a new to us fridge every year and delegate the old one to the warehouse. The warehouse one goes up for sale.

 

[acommondisaster]

I’ve always had a theory that I should never delegate a duty I would never want delegated to me. AND, my staff has enough to do.

Who exactly left their nasty food in there in the first place?

The best policy I've ever seen was one where everything (other than condiments) had to be out of the fridge after lunch on Friday, unless they left a note on it saying they were taking it home. Then someone spent 10 or 15 minutes throwing out anything still in there at the end of the day. Containers and all, nothing was sacred. I know it sounds extreme, but everyone knew the deal and no one could complain that it stunk or was unsanitary.

 

[withrespect]

Today, I cleaned out our office refrigerator and let me tell you what... I am going to have nightmares tonight about it. It was so bad that the maintenance worker requested he wheel it outside for me to clean and that was after a large trash bag cleared away all the rotten and expired food. Now I certainly could have delegated this duty since I am the boss of my office but I’ve always had a theory that I should never delegate a duty I would never want delegated to me. AND, my staff has enough to do.

Anyway, our refrigerator is one of those old avocado green ones that are not self-defrosting and the frost was so bad that you could not have even fit a weight-watcher’s meal in the freezer portion. Once I cleared the frost out, I found ice cream sandwich bars and some sort of meat surprise in a plastic bag (I think) under all the frosting. Trust me, that was the least of my gross sightings today, because our refrigerator was a gold mine for forgotten food.

So... I have to wonder, what is your office policy on your refrigerator?

AND, what is the nastiest thing you've ever found in your office fridge?

Or how about the nastiest notes you've ever found on or inside your office fridge?

AND I'd be willing to bet that I have the oldest office refrigerator on the forums. (It is 43 years old)

I am pretty sure our policy is 'No growing science projects in the community fridge."


No one obeys that policy and our fridge always smells like bad meat... .... or good cheese... can't really tell.

 

[Kris10]

Ew



We have our own mini fridge in our office, it's for me and another chick to share. So far, no science projects

 

[Chasey_Lane]

We don't have a policy, but me and another girl usually clean it out. We do this at least 2-3 times a month because neither of us can stand the sight or smell of rotten food.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Oh, and if you leave food in a nice storage container for too long and it starts to grow legs, your storage container ends up in the trash. I refuse to clean them.

 

[ICit]

OMG.... my old job there were some science projects growing in some containers, they put left over bread in the freezer and when they thawed it out it was just as hard as when it was frozen...but room temp


my new job.... so from what I have seen the fidge stays clean, no scary stuff stays in there, and no one steals your lunch.
Its like I work with grown adults here

 

[Dakota]

We buy a new to us fridge every year and delegate the old one to the warehouse. The warehouse one goes up for sale.

How nice is that?

I was told yesterday that no matter how much I scrub this fridge, it was still going to look green. Like I didn't already know that...

AND... although it is running, it does frost up pretty fast... some of the molding is in bad shape.

Here is an office fight about a ham sandwich that resulted in these girls getting fired. They accidently sent these emails to "all users."

snopes.com: Ham Sandwich Fight

So I guess that is why my staffers just leave nasty grams on sticky notes for others to see.

I learned people are mean when it comes to food.

 

[Dakota]

Who exactly left their nasty food in there in the first place?

The best policy I've ever seen was one where everything (other than condiments) had to be out of the fridge after lunch on Friday, unless they left a note on it saying they were taking it home. Then someone spent 10 or 15 minutes throwing out anything still in there at the end of the day. Containers and all, nothing was sacred. I know it sounds extreme, but everyone knew the deal and no one could complain that it stunk or was unsanitary.

Do you know how often I heard... "Wasn’t me.." yesterday?

I don't even use the office fridge but I think the best way to deal with this is on Friday, everything gets tossed except for condiments.

 

[vraiblonde]

When I was at Ch10 our office manager cleaned out the fridge every Friday at COB. Threw EVERYTHING away, including Tupperware containers. I don't understand why anyone would need to have food in an office fridge longer than one day.

 

[slotpuppy]

I stay away from our office fridge, I think things live in there.

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

Oh, and if you leave food in a nice storage container for too long and it starts to grow legs,

or a face

your storage container ends up in the trash. I refuse to clean them.

What about the one's that say 'Close thee door" a la Marcel Marceau?

 

[Dakota]

I stay away from our office fridge, I think things live in there.

I think some in my office think THEY live here.

 

[slotpuppy]

I think some in my office think THEY live here.

They must be related to my boss.

 

[belvak]

There are multiple "pantry" units on each floor of our building. All refrigerators are cleaned out the last Friday of every month. Everything goes, and they are wiped down. Unfortunately, I've been one who has forgotten to take their relish, mayo, and salad dressing home before.

 

[Roman]

Our office fridge gets cleared out every Friday. My old office, things would only get tossed if it was growing hair. This was a Hospital too!!

 

[withrespect]

In my old office, there was salad dressing that expired in 2006.

 

[ICit]

In my old office, there was salad dressing that expired in 2006.

when I cleaned out my desk before i left my old job... I found microwave popcorn that expired in 2006

 

[FancyBelle]

We had a picnic today so I sent out an email last week for everyone to "check" the fridge for any food they may have forgotten about. Well, let me tell ya, I went in that badboy this morning and pitched everything that was in there. And I wiped off the counter top and table, and had to rinse the dishrag 3 times it got so nasty. I just dare anyone to ask me about their containers...I mean it, just dare them! What the hell do their kitchens look like at home?!? Nasty!!