How to Keep Your RV Refrigerator Door Closed While Traveling | What to Do

Imagine cruising down the highway, excited for your next RV stop. The horizon stretches before you, a promise of adventure. But upon arriving, you discover your refrigerator door swung open, and now your freshly packed goods are scattered on the floor. Yikes!

Ensuring your RV fridge door stays closed during your travels is crucial. It’s a blend of safety, proper food storage, and avoiding the mess of spillage.

But how do you keep your fridge door closed while you’re driving? There are a few methods that can help including a refrigerator door latch, child safety locks, velcro straps, and more.

However, you heve to select the proper tools according to the situation you’re facing with your RV refrigerator. Ready to take the journey of discovery on ensuring your fridge remains firmly shut? Seat belts on, here we go!

Top Tips to Ensure the Door Stays Shut

1. Use Child Safety Locks

Child safety locks aren’t just for baby-proofing homes. These devices are specifically designed to keep doors and drawers from being easily opened, making them perfect for an RV fridge. They’re simple to install and can be removed when not needed.

How-to:

• Clean the surface area of your fridge where you intend to place the locks.
• Adhere one end of the lock to the fridge door and the other to the fridge body.
• Adjust the length based on your fridge’s design to ensure it’s tight enough to prevent the door from swinging open.

2. Bungee Cord Solution

A bungee cord can act as a secondary safeguard, ensuring that even if the latch malfunctions, the door remains shut.

How-to:

• Attach hooks or loops to either side of your fridge or use existing handles.
• Stretch a bungee cord across the fridge door, ensuring it’s taut.
• Ensure the bungee cord isn’t blocking any air vents or controls.

3. Fridge Bars

These adjustable bars act as tension rods that can be placed vertically or horizontally inside the fridge to prevent items from pushing against the door.

How-to:

• Measure the inside width of your fridge to choose the right size.
• Adjust the bar to the required width.
• Place it firmly against your items.

4. Upgrade Your Fridge Latch

Some latches on RV fridges might not be sturdy enough, especially in older models. Upgrading to a stronger latch can offer more resistance.

How-to:

• Purchase a durable latch that’s compatible with your fridge model.
• Unscrew and remove the old latch.
• Fit the new latch in place, ensuring it clicks or locks properly.

5. Velcro Straps

These can act as an additional seal to your fridge door, preventing accidental openings.

How-to:

• Clean the area where you’ll attach the Velcro (Hook and Loop) to ensure good adhesion.
• Attach one strip on the body of the fridge and the matching strip on the door.
• Before traveling, press the two strips together to secure the door.

6. Regular Maintenance

Ensuring that the hinges, seals, and latches of your fridge are in good condition can prevent unexpected door openings.

How-to:

• Regularly inspect the door seal for cracks or damage and clean it to maintain a good suction.
• Tighten any loose screws on the hinges or handle.
• Lubricate the hinges occasionally to ensure the door doesn’t get misaligned.

7. Add Friction to Shelves

Sometimes, items sliding inside can push against the door, causing it to open. Adding non-slip mats can help prevent this.

How-to:

• Measure your fridge shelves.
• Cut non-slip mats to fit these measurements.
• Lay them on each shelf before placing items on top.

Why It Matters

First things first, let’s dive into the why. Keeping the refrigerator door closed prevents:

• Food spillage: No one wants to clean up spilled milk or pick up countless groceries from the floor.
• Power drain: An open fridge door can lead to a loss of cooling, causing the fridge to work overtime and drain power.
• Spoilage: Food safety is paramount. Keeping the door closed ensures your food remains chilled and safe to consume.

Wrap Up

Ensuring your RV refrigerator door remains firmly closed while traveling can save you from unforeseen hassles, potential food wastage, and additional clean-ups. With these tips, you can ensure that the only thing moving in your RV during your trips is the spirit of adventure. If you have any other questions to ask regarding this topic, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks