Will Paper Towels Affect the temperature?

by Ron
(Hamlet, NC, USA)

Alright so I need some help with a question here.

My wife keeps our refrigerator very clean and when she's done she leaves paper towels on the shelves.

Maybe that makes her feel like the refrigerator is still clean.

So here's my question: Is it OK to leave them on the shelves? Will they effect the temperature?


Answer:

In order to answer your question, you'll have to answer one yourself. What kind of shelves does your refrigerator have? Are they made of glass or wire?

1. Wire: Wire shelves might end up having a bit of a temperature issue more based on a lack of air circulation that is being caused by the paper towels.
   

   
   

2. Glass: I can't think of any reason why the paper towels would adjust the temperature within the refrigerator. Though you may want to let your wife know that by placing the food on a paper towel and not on the shelf itself it might not be cooling the food as well.
   

   
   The reason why is the temperature of cool glass is much lower than that of a cool paper towel. While we know that the majority of the cooling power of a refrigerator comes from the air circulating, heat transference helps as well.
   

   
   Basically the temperature of what an items sits on will draw heat or cold into or out of that item. If it sits on something colder than it will become colder.

Hope this helps.