11 Things You Should Never Store on Top of Your Refrigerator

Did you know that there are quite a few items that are commonly stored above our refrigerators, although some say it is a really bad idea? I was today years old when I learned that putting cereal boxes up there, for example, was not advisable. I mean, I've seen people do that for YEARS.

If you've ever lived in a small apartment or older home, using every square inch of kitchen space probably felt like second nature. The top of the refrigerator often becomes an unofficial shelf simply because it's there. Unfortunately, convenience doesn't always equal safety, especially when heat and airflow are involved.

Why So Many of Us Use the Top of the Refrigerator

When I was growing up near Austin, Texas, my parents put some of these things on top of the fridge back in the day. And thankfully, nothing heinous happened as a result. When I got a little bit older and moved out of my parents' house into my first tiny apartment in Tyler, Texas, and then into a series of other small apartments or dwellings, space was at a premium.

And so, that flat space above the refrigerator seemed like the PERFECT place to put things that had nowhere else to live in my kitchen. After all, the pantry space in some of these places wasn't 'ample,' either, but hey — we do what we must.

Until we find out, we shouldn't. Ugh. So many 'should n'ts' aren't there? But once you go through these items, I think it's easy to see why this matters.

Why Experts Say That Space Isn't as Safe as It Looks

I mean, it's not like those aforementioned boxes of Lucky Charms are going to explode or anything. But if you like your cereal fresh and not filled with weird critters, it's not the best plan. And because placing items there can mess with the fridge's ventilation setup, or vice versa, it can easily dry out or otherwise negatively affect those items. Some of the reasons are just out-and-out safety hazards.

Storing some of the items above the fridge could create serious problems that harm your health. Let's take a look at the 11 items that, according to a story by Ally Childress and shared by Readers' Digest, we should NEVER put on top of the fridge.

In her story, Childress quotes several experts, including Capt. James "Jay" Flynn of the Denver, North Carolina, Fire Department, and Rebecca Edwards, a security expert with SafeWise.

These 11 Everyday Items Don't Belong Above Your Fridge