In another of our “How to” series, this time we will show you how to defrost your freezer quickly and easily.
It is important to defrost your freezer. Opening the door causes ice on the walls and the ceiling of the freezer. It means you have less storage space. The ice formation means that the freezer no longer works in the best possible way and it consumes more energy. So defrost your (fridge) freezer 4x a year.
On this page you learn how to defrost a freezer fast and easy in 7 steps.
1. Collect everything you need to defrost the fridge freezer
The freezer is best defrosted with the right equipment. You need the following to defrost your freezer:
- Drip tray
- Wooden spatula or ice scraper from the car
- Towel, tea towel
- Pan, hairdryer or fan
- HG freezer de-icer
- Bucket
- Soda or HG hygienic fridge cleaner
2. Switch the freezer off
Switch your freezer off first. Most freezers are switched off by pulling the plug from the socket. Some have an on-off button, which is often at the top of the fridge or freezer. By switching off your freezer you prevent the water from refreezing.
3. Empty the freezer completely
Empty the freezer completely. If you have a fridge freezer, empty the fridge part too. When you empty the fridge, keep an eye on the sell-by date of the foodstuffs. Throw away food that is past its sell-by date or that has gone off. The rest of your foodstuffs you store temporarily in cool boxes or cool bags with cooling elements.
4. Defrost the freezer
Wait until the ice in the freezer melts. Melting ice water will find its way out via the run-off. This is a pipe or rubber hose at the bottom of the freezer. Capture the ice water from the run-off with the drip tray. Put a towel in front of the freezer to absorb any extra water. This prevents water damage to the floor. If you are defrosting the freezer compartment of the fridge, put the towel in the freezer compartment. It prevents the melted ice water from ending up in the rest of the fridge.
5. Defrost freezer quickly
Do you need to defrost the freezer fast? It is easy to remove large chunks of ice with a wooden spatula or the plastic ice scraper from your car. Never use iron, because this causes damages in the inside of your freezer. Do you need to defrost the freezer fast? Use one of the following tips:
- Put a pan or tray with boiling hot water at the bottom of the freezer or the freezer compartment. Put a trivet or towel under the hot pan or tray. This prevents damage to your freezer. Close the door and wait fifteen minutes. The ice will melt quicker. Repeat the process until the freezer has defrosted.
- Use your hairdryer at its highest setting. Blow the ice until all the ice has melted.
- Fill a plant spray with hot water and spray the thick layer of ice.
- Use a fan and put it opposite the fridge freezer or freezer. Open the door of the appliance and check the air flows inside.
- Use a special ice defroster for freezers, such as HG freezer de-icer. Spray the ice. Leave to work for 5-10 minutes and repeat if necessary. Remove the ice and dry the walls.
6. Clean the freezer
Once you have defrosted the freezer completely, wipe up the puddles of water in the freezer. Now clean the freezer with warm water and soda. Then dry the freezer with a tea towel.
7. Switch the fridge or freezer back on
Put all the foodstuffs back into the fridge or freezer. Switch the button on or put the plug in the socket. You repeat this 7-step plan once every 3 months, to make sure your freezer works in the best possible way.
We hope the above makes the onerous task of defrosting the freezer a bit easier, keep reading for a few further tips regarding your freezer.
3 tips to reduce ice formation in your freezer
Ice formation in your freezer is caused by damp air that ends up in your freezer. This is normal, and cannot be prevented completely. This is how you reduce ice formation in your freezer:
1. Close the door properly and only open the freezer when you need something.
Keeping the door open for a long time produces more damp air in the freezer. Always check that you closed the door properly. Any doubt? Stick a piece of paper between the door and the freezer and try to pull it out. If the paper comes out, the door does not close properly. You may need to replace the rubber seals.
2. Let leftovers cool down completely.
If you put leftovers in the freezer too soon, you get ice around the product. It also deteriorates the quality of your leftovers. How do I cool down leftovers quickly? Put the container or the pan in a bit of water. Do not leave it outside the fridge or freezer for more than 2 hours.
3. Freeze food in small portions.
Small portions freeze faster. This causes less condensation or ice in the freezer.
Thanks to HG for the use of their copy. Original article can be found here