Here's how to do it:

1) Pull the refrigerator away from the wall, and unplug it. Or, if it's a built-in model, turn off its circuit breaker.

2) Remove the cover panel to reveal the coils. On most models, the kick plate or top trim plate simply lifts off. You may have to remove a few screws to remove a back cover.

3) With a long, narrow nozzle on your vacuum, clean out all of the dust and debris. (At an appliance parts store, you can buy a special long-handled brush that looks somewhat like a bottle brush for this job.)

4) Replace the cover, and then plug the electrical cord back in or turn the circuit back on.
As a rule, refrigerators are the most dependable of all large appliances. Even so, they do fail to do their jobs adequately on occasion, and when they do, the results can be disastrous because expensive food can spoil in a hurry.

Though most problems call for a repairperson, there are a few simple repairs you can handle yourself by checking the power, controls, condenser coils, and other parts outside of your refrigerator's sealed, hermetic system.

Remember that the best way to lengthen the life of a refrigerator is to clean the condenser coils once a year—or more frequently if they get dirty.

More about refrigerator and freezer problems and repairs:

• Refrigerator and Freezer Troubleshooting and Repairs
• How to Thaw an Icemaker
• Icemaker Doesn't Make Ice
• Refrigerator Cools Poorly or Runs Constantly
• Refrigerator Defrosts Improperly
• Refrigerator Doesn't Run
• Refrigerator Freezes Foods or Icemaker Doesn't Shut Off
• Refrigerator Light Stays On When Door Is Closed
• Refrigerator Rattles or Leaks
• Refrigerator Runs But Doesn't Cool