Paula,

I have not accessioned any refrigerators, however I did work for an appliance dealer for eight  years.  To remove the refrigerant, you should have it done by a reputable appliance technician. They used Freon then which is no longer used because it is believed to contribute to the destruction of the Ozone layer. So in order to have it removed, you need someone with the proper recovery equipment. This will prevent the Freon from escaping into the atmosphere. As for storage, you need to make sure the refrigerator is absolutely clean.  There is nothing funkier than an unplugged refrigerator.  Since food and beverages are stored and spilled in a fridge, mold, mildew and a host of other nasty things will grow when it reaches room temperature.  Take everything out (shelves, meat and crisper draw etc.) and clean all items with a cleanser containing bleach, like Chlorox. Then wipe everything dry and leave the fridge open to air out for several days. Keep in mind that older refrigerators have a latch that can only be opened from the outside, this poses a safety issue for children and  many local authorities require the removal of the doors from old refrigerators when they are disposed of to prevent children from locking themselves inside. I hoped this helps.

Good Luck

Grant Gerlich

Curator

Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial

Pittsburgh, PA

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