yukky freezer disaster.......

spaghetti_monster

Hi guys,
this is pretty disgusting (those of nervous disposition should maybe stop reading....) but a bit of advice might be appreciated...

so the basic story is:

30th August; me and BF doing our usual pack-on-day-of-holiday runaround. When he suddenly announces - as we're away for 10 days we should switch off the fridge-freezer to save electricity and anyway, the fridge is nearly empty. So....I remind him of the all the portions of chilli/pasta sauce/soup I habitually store away (true old-stylee) plus frozen veg and bread. And that I was really not happy about chucking this all away. And would it really save money??????
So in the rush we thought to just turn the switch to zero in the fridge part, thinking that would just turn off the fridge part..... and I also put some milk, runner beans and chicory in the freezer so they'd keep as well......

11th Sept; BF returns home and I go straight on the road for work. And later get a phone call that of course the whole fridge-freezer was off - and the freezer is a putrid mess. BF immediately shuts door on freezer and switches everything on to freeze it.... (we definitely need a smiley, whistling with fingers in ears!!!!!)

TODAY:Just got back... So.... I've defrosted everything and o... my...god..:eek: :shocked: :shocked: :shocked: _pale_
even things in plastic boxes had mould in them and obviously some things were just sitting out and all of it in loads of mould and water. The smell was pretty disgusting.

Anyway, I've cleaned and scrubbed, but the bottom of the freezer remains yellow in patches. I've just soaked in bleach, but no result.

Is there any way to get the stains out???

And I think I might have to go out for a walk just to get the smell out of my nostrils (have probably poisoned myself as well!)

So, rant over, sorry it took so long!!!!

Alexx

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

Yep...my hubby did the same once...i filled the freezer with prawns, salmon, tuna, fillet etc (before i became frugal)...so that i wouldn't have to shop when we got back from jollies.... opened the front door.... OMG never smelt anything like it...

I didnt have any staining, but the only way to deal with the smell - i found was to wipe the insides with neat fabric softener... leave to dry, switch on an allow to freeze up befor sending BAD hubby to do the shop .... you will also find that the next time you WANT to defrost it, the ice comes away much quicker.... and i have never had the fabric softener smell taint any food either.... once its frozen the smell goes anyway....
Worth a try.... but don't know about the stains im afraid

lil_me

Firstly, check your contents insurance, see if you are covered for freezer being defrosted, mines covered up to £500 I think.

Stains, if bleach hasn't worked might be out of luck, http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=6 hints on getting rid of smelly fridges, might work on freezers.

jo1972

OMG poor you

Didn't the freezer defrost all over the floor then?

Dollytrollop

Bicarbonate of soda diluted in water should help! GOOD LUCK

sandy2_2

Been there, done that, know how awful it is!!! Will toothpaste help to clear the stain, even a solution of sterident, bicarb and vinegar, paste of bio detergent, cillit bang

angchris

this reminds me of my horrific experience 2 years ago _pale_ my other half turned my fridge/freezer off in the garage when we went away for 2/3 weeks in the summer, the fridge part was empty and he didn`t think to look in the freezer compartment :rolleyes: :mad: he took a quick peek saw the fridge was empty turned it off and opened the door to "air" it. anywayyy the freezer was rammed full of prime butchers pork n leek sausages and steak burgers ie real meat :eek: when we returned from our hols my whole garage was a seething mass of maggots crawling over everything and the smell omg rotting meat _pale_ i can honestly say i have never gagged so much in my life trying to clear that up...and my other half had the unenviable task of pulling all the maggots and rotten meat out of the freezer and cleaning it up... serves him right for turning the freezer off i say! :rotfl: if you want a job doing properly its so much easier doing it yourself without "help"!:p

spaghetti_monster

Hi there!

Thanks for all that! I think I've got bicarb and definitely toothpaste, so I'll give a few things a try!

Alexx

spaghetti_monster

Have to say I'm so glad there was no meat or fish in there....

as the door was shut I think there wasn't too much mess on the floor (at least BF cleared it up if there was!!!)

Clutterfree

Poor you!
Can't help with the stains, etc but you might want to try your insurance.
My Mum's freezer broke down while she was on hols and her insurance paid out. Worst bit was that she had to go through the manky contents as they wanted a list of EVERYTHING in her freezer and then she had to go to the supermarket to price it all up! It was just as well as she had underestimated the value by quite a lot.

chardonnay_2

It might be worth trying those magic erasers (flash). you can get them in poundland. we use aldi's version but they only have them now and again in their special offers. they are brilliant at removing marks so might be worth a try. could the yellow marks be from curry or other strong coloured foodlike pasta sauce? these types of sauces can quite often stain plastic tupperware.