Prevention is very important if you want your refrigerator to smell fresh always. One good method of preventing bad smell in your refrigerator is to place food items where they can get the required coolness. Food that should be kept frozen should be place in the freezing compartment while fruits and vegetables are placed in the vegetable/fruits tray. And don't forget to remove food that are getting spoiled and be sure to clean spills right away.

Another thing is to clean your refrigerator using warm soapy water. Natural household items can be use to prevent your refrigerator from smelling bad like natural vanilla extract, lemon or lime, coffee, and yes, charcoal. If you are using lemon or lime, cut them into halve, remove the juicy parts from it and put the empty shells into a container and place them on the shelves.
When you are using vanilla extract, soak it int cotton wool and put in a small container and place on one of the shelve of the refrigerator. If you are using charcoal, was the pieces with ordinary water and place them inside the refrigerator.

There are a few tips that can help keep a refrigerator fresh, especially smelling fresh too! A simple trick I learnt from a particular cleaning program is that 'Vodka' is a very good, reliable and non-smelling bacterial germ killer killing 99.9% of germs including salmonella and even things like legionnaires, which means it is also great to use on ceiling fans and air vents too and works better than bleach, not just because it doesn't alter colors or burn the skin but it is safer to use, as long as it is not drunk. :) Vodka is made from fermented grapes, soy, beets, potatoes and/or corn and is considered a natural product.

Simply give the refrigerator a good clean and when it is dry, spray non-diluted vodka around the fridge and in the draws and leave a bowl of boiled water and fresh lemon or orange pieces on a shelf in the refrigerator until the vodka is 100% dried out.

Replace all the drawers and shelving back into the refrigerator and make sure the refrigerators cooling system is set on the appropriate number and you have taken care of step 1.

Any refrigerator needs to be cleaned regularly because even meat and vegetables are still considered living in microbiology as germs, bacteria and disease develop on dead material, as fish develop in water. A good clean every month is okay as long as food products are stored correctly and thrown away before they destroy other products or worse, contaminate good products.

Store meats, fish and vegetables separately and if you have the space, keep dairy based products separate too. Ensure that all products kept in the fridge are covered and sealed and refrigerator smell should not become an issue.