DIY guideFridge
Defrost a freezer
Thick frost takes up space and makes a freezer work harder. Empty it into coolers, unplug it, let the frost melt onto towels, then dry it and restart.
- 1 hr to 4 hr
- 8 steps
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Pack the food into coolers with ice packs, or into the fridge, and keep the lids shut.
Pull the plug, or switch it off at its own control, and leave the door open.
Use dry hands, and hold the plug, not the cord.Lay towels on the floor in front and on the bottom shelf. A chest freezer may have a drain plug at the front: set a pan under it.
Leave the door open and let the frost melt. A bowl of hot water inside, with the door shut, speeds it up.
Never chip at the ice with a knife or a hammer: it can pierce the cooling tubes.Once it lets go, lift the slabs out with a plastic scraper and wring out the towels.
Wash the inside with warm water and a little baking soda, then dry every surface right through.
Plug it back in and close the door. Put the food back once it's cold again.
Frost that comes back fast, a door that won't seal, or a freezer that won't get cold: ask Handyman for an appliance repair pro.
What you need
- Coolers and ice packs
- Towels and a shallow pan
- A plastic scraper
- Baking soda and a cloth
Call a pro if
- Thick frost comes back fast
- The door won't seal
- It won't get cold again
Handyman says: Frosts fast? I'll find an appliance pro.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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