Defrosting the freezer

Pink.

Hi jollyjojo,

There's an earlier thread with lots of tips on defrosting a freezer that should help so I'll add your thread to it to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

shogs

I use a wall paper steamer. Really fast - just pull out all drawers once steamer has heated up and blast away - then put drawers back in. Apparently if you coat with gylcerine afterwards it is even quicker the next time.

peb

Having read this thread from start to finish it appears i am the only Oser (trainee!) who uses a hammer. One hard hit at the sheet of ice falls off.

NB must obviously defrost more often and MUST MUST do an inventory; I did say I would do one months ago when Mrs Tine did hers.

Aeshna

Hi everyone - I had a search through the forum but couldn't seen anything on this specifically, so apologies if this question is a rehash.

I inherited my fridge/freezer secondhand from my cousin 5 years ago, so it doesn't have any fancy defrost/frost free settings. The freezer desperately needs to be defrosted and I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about it. I'm not sure it'll be completely empty when I get around to it, but I guess if there's no quick and easy way to do it, I can 'borrow' a freezer drawer from my mum! My OH defrosted it last time round, but he's not in the country at the moment and I have no idea how he went about it.

Suggestions will be gratefully received!

Aeshna x

Penelope_Penguin

Aeshna wrote: »

Hi everyone - I had a search through the forum but couldn't seen anything on this specifically, so apologies if this question is a rehash.

I inherited my fridge/freezer secondhand from my cousin 5 years ago, so it doesn't have any fancy defrost/frost free settings. The freezer desperately needs to be defrosted and I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about it. I'm not sure it'll be completely empty when I get around to it, but I guess if there's no quick and easy way to do it, I can 'borrow' a freezer drawer from my mum! My OH defrosted it last time round, but he's not in the country at the moment and I have no idea how he went about it.

Suggestions will be gratefully received!

Aeshna x

You have to fully empty it I put any food that's left into crates in the bath, and cover with duvets to keep them cold I then leave the freezer open for the ice to start to melt, then chip carefully with a plastic spatula. Mop up all the water that's lft in there, and refill :j

I'll add this to the exisitng thread to give you more ideas.

Penny. x

*moggins*

I tend to abuse my freezers with a hairdryer and a kitchen knife

Aeshna

How on earth did I not manage to find this thread?? :eek: Thanks for your help!!

Aeshna x

foreversomeday

Hello, I hope someone can help!

Came down this morning and noticed the freezer door was ajar. So everything has partially defrosted! Have thrown away most of it, put some stuff out to defrost that we can eat in the next couple of days, or I can cook and re-freeze. And there are about 5 items which were in the fast-freeze section which are still frozen, and caked in ice.

It looks like the reason the door wasn't shut properly is because it needs defrosting so badly there is a chunk of ice behind one of the drawers, so I've decided I might as well defrost it today. Which gives me 2 problems:

1. Where do I store the food which I have saved which is still frozen? It seems a bit early to go knocking on neighbours' doors. My MIL lives nearby and she is dropping her teenage daughter off at mine today, so I could ask her but I don't know whether she will be up yet and I think it's rude to phone too early. Would it be ok wrapped in newspaper outside?

2. It's a fridge-freezer. All the instructions online say I need to unplug it - but this will make my fridge go warm as well! Do I really? Can I use the boiling water method or will this be dangerous if it's plugged in?

Thanks in advance

tabitha67

Wrap food in newspaper and blankets, and put in insulated cool box (picnic box ) if you have one. Call MIL - it's 8 o'clock!

You can refreeze stuff if you cook it first.

I move freezer outside to defrost and use the hot water method - it actually only takes half an hour or so, and your fridge contents won't come to any harm.

foreversomeday

I don't think I could get it out the door! We don't have a cool box. But it is quite cold today