You can keep a sourdough starter in the fridge and feed it roughly once a week in most normal home-baking situations.

Quick Scoop

  • For a typical home baker, feeding a refrigerated starter every 7 days keeps it healthy and easy to revive.
  • Many experienced bakers stretch that to 2–4 weeks between feeds if they are not baking often, then give it several room‑temperature feedings to wake it up before baking.
  • After each feeding, let the starter sit at room temperature for a few hours so fermentation kicks in, then return it to the fridge.

Simple schedule (fridge starter)

  1. If you bake weekly
    • Keep starter in the fridge.
    • Once a week: discard down to a small amount, feed with fresh flour and water, leave out a few hours, then refrigerate.
 * The day before baking, give 1–2 room‑temperature feeds to get it very active.
  1. If you bake rarely (every few weeks or months)
    • You can let a stiff fridge starter sit 2–8 weeks without feeding, though performance will drop and it may develop hooch.
 * To revive: do several 12‑hour room‑temp feedings (for example 2–3 in a row) until it doubles reliably again.
  1. If you bake very often (several times a week)
    • Consider keeping it at room temperature and feeding daily or twice daily instead of storing in the fridge.

Mini FAQ

  • Can I skip a week?
    Yes; many people skip to 2 weeks or more, but you’ll likely need more “wake‑up” feeds before baking.
  • What if there’s hooch (liquid on top)?
    That just means it’s hungry; stir it in or pour off, then feed a couple of times at room temperature.
  • Best rule of thumb
    Feed your fridge starter at least once a week if you want it to stay strong and easy to use on short notice.

TL;DR: Keep your sourdough starter in the fridge, feed it about once a week , and give it a few room‑temperature feeds before baking for the best rise and flavor.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.