Defrost a Freezer
Over time a thick layer of ice can build up on the inside of freezers. This reduces the efficiency of the appliance, adds to your electricity bill and also makes it tricky to get things in and out. Follow this article to learn how to defrost a freezer as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Steps
- Turn off the freezer. Turning off the freezer will prevent the freezer from using too much power while the process is going. Keeping the cold food together and in an insulated area should keep everything frozen, so long as you pay attention to your task and get it done quickly.
- Empty the freezer as much as possible. Remove as much of the food from the freezer as you are able to. To prevent items from thawing, wrap them in towels and place them in a cooler bag or insulated box. Store this in the coldest area of your house, away from direct sunlight.
- Take out drawers, trays, and shelves when possible. Set these aside for cleaning. Do not force them out if they are covered in ice. You might break them.
- Look for a drainage hose. Some freezers will have a drain at the bottom which leads to a hose. This hose usually comes out below the freezer. See if you can locate this hose. If you do, pull it forward and connect it to a longer hose or otherwise guide the water away from the freezer.
- You also might want to place shims under the front feet of the fridge to help encourage the water towards the drain.
- Prevent a puddle. Put old newspapers around the base of the freezer, this will soak up the water as the ice melts. Old newspapers are ideal for this job as they can slide under the freezer and are extremely absorbent. Place shop towels on top of these to catch the majority of the water.
- Choose a defrosting method. There are a few different ways to defrost a freezer, each with benefits and downsides. Your options include:
- Waiting for the ice to melt. Just allowing time to take its course is the traditional way of defrosting a freezer. This can be slow, especially if you live in a cold area, but this is the safest way to get the job done.
- Use a hairdryer. It is perfectly safe to use a hair dryer to defrost a freezer, so long as you practice some basic safety precautions. Make sure to stand clear of the water puddle and keep the cord and hairdryer away from any water or ice. You should also not get the end of the dryer too close to the coils or sides of the freezer, since the high heat can damage the unit. The high heat can also damage the plastic inside your freezer. Focus on one small area at a time
- Use a fan. Using a basic fan can help circulate warmer air into freezer, but this only works if it's decently warm in your home to begin with.
- Setting bowls or pans of hot water on the shelves. A common method to speed up the process is to place bowls or pans of boiling water on the shelf or shelves and closing the door. The steam should loosen the ice, letting you remove all of the ice by hand after about 20 minutes, if you defrost regularly. However, this method may cause damage to the shelves. To reduce the chance of causing damage, put a thickly folded towel under the pot on the shelf.
- Use a hot spatula. Get a metal spatula and heat it up by holding it over a fire. You'll probably want to be wearing an oven mitt. Then, simply press the spatula into the ice to break it up.
- Use a hot cloth. You can use a rag dipped in very hot water to loosen some of the ice. Focus on small chunks at the edges, grabbing and wiping at the ice to remove it.
- Remove ice as you go. Speed up the process by removing the ice with your hand, a cloth, or a spatula as it begins to soften up. Do not use a sharp object such as a pick or knife to loosen chunks of ice. This can damage your freezer or even cause a gas leak.
- Mop up all the water. Use shop towels to wipe up any water as you go. Keep the soaked towels in a bucket or sink to keep the water from getting everywhere.
- Clean the freezer. You should take this opportunity to clean the freezer if you have not cleaned it recently.
- Dry the freezer before turning it back on. You should use a hairdryer or towels to get the freezer as dry as possible before turning it back on. This will keep ice from immediately building back up.
- Check the seal. Take the opportunity to check the seal on the freezer. A poor seal is usually what leads to serious build-up of frost. You may want to replace yours if it seems like it's not getting the job done, or is damaged in some way.
- Apply oil to the rubber seal of the fridge and freezer doors, making sure all the grooves are oiled. This prevents the rubber seal drying out in the years to come and helps to maintain a strong suction seal when the door closes. After a fresh application there will be stains on the fridge where the door meets but a few wipe downs and the oil itself will eventually be absorbed by the rubber seal itself. Using a thicker oil like olive oil prevents oil from dripping too much.
- Defrost more often. Don't wait so long to defrost your freezer in the future. Defrosting when there is only 1/4" (6 mm) or less of ice will make the process much faster and keep your food from spoiling.
Tips
- Put a desk fan on a chair or other suitable stand and set it to full power blowing into the freezer. You can defrost a very heavily iced up freezer in about 45 mins this way, no boiling water, no risk of electrocution from the hair dryer. It gets the cold air in the freezer out and replaces it with warmer air far more efficiently than relying on convection alone.
- Many of the more modern freezers do not need defrosting, or require little defrosting, as they come with a mechanism for defrosting already built in. If you have an older model requiring defrosting, try to do it regularly to keep the freezer running efficiently.
- Add a dab of vanilla extract (essence) to the baking soda and water solution for added freshness and a delightful odor.
- If you do the defrosting in the winter when it is cold enough then you could simply put the drawers of food directly outside and cover with a sheet to keep clean and keep any animals out while you defrost the freezer.
- A wet/dry shop vacuum works really well to speed the removal of both water and ice.
- To avoid another ice build-up in your freezer: after cleaning, dip a paper towel in some vegetable oil, and rub the entire inside of your freezer with a light coat of the oil. This will slow or even stop the build up of ice in your freezer.
- Using a paste of baking soda and water is another excellent cleaning solution. The baking soda cleans and freshens the odors in the fridge.
- If you have a steam cleaner or steam wallpaper remover, that cuts through ice like a knife.
- Use a steam cleaner and spray the ice with the steam. The ice melts immediately. Make sure you use different attachments to get behind the pipes.
Warnings
- When using a hairdryer, be aware of the risks: electricity and water don't mix.
- Being careful not to get electrocuted.
Things You'll Need
- Rubber gloves
- Old newspapers
- Hot water
- Cloth
- Household sponge
- Metal scourer
- Washing up detergent
- Tub or sink
- Water spray
- Paper towels
- Cool bag
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