Defrosting a freezer

[Deleted User]

Hi has anyone got a good recipe for defrosting my idle daughters f/freezer. I am about to go round this afternoon and hack my way through inches of ice.I used to be able to buy a spray that i sprayed on the ice and it just helped to melt it.She has a f/freezer that has no seperate switches so if I unplug it then the fridge will go off as well and as it is very hot today then her food in the fridge will spoil as well.
This fridge freezer came built in with the kitchen of the house and god knows where it even plugs in.
She can't even get the drawers open as they are frozen solid.
Help
any ideas you clever folk
jackie

ooo000ooo

Buy one of those steamer/wallpaper stripper things. I used it to totally de iceberg our last fridge freezer in about an hour. It's probably not good for them but it's quick.

telly-addict

Is there another socket nearby that you could use for a hairdrier to heat up the ice?

Jockthearab

I tend to go for the 'hairdryer' method to,although speaking to a refrigeration engineer once, he tried to explain how this wasn't a good method to use . To prevent the food 'thawing' I tend to put them into carrier bags, then wrap them inside a duvet. As it only usually takes an hour or so (depending how bad the ice build up is!) it usually keep sthe food ok.

Remember and have a basin to hand & plenty towels to put at the base of the freezer to collect the dripping water.

Good Luck...you've just reminded me of another job I'll have to add to my 'to do list' before moving from this house in 3 weeks!

rchddap1

Stick a bowl of boiling / hot water in the freezer. it will help to melt the ice.

DSR

Use a bowl of boiling hot water. Place bowl into freezer and close the door.
The ice will melt and you should be able to remove large slabs of ice.
I use this method and can defrost my frezer in approx 1/2 hour.

Str4berr3

Have a look at this, its on the fifth column, its no help for now but will be helpful for future!! :j

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=57404&page=13&pp=10

trisha

I use a hairdryer to soften it ,then it comes off easily.

robowen

Can't believe the hairdryer respones here :eek:
One drop of water...and ....boom !!!!!!..not good advice :think: water and electric don't mix !
plus..how much does it cost to run a hairdryer :eek:

If you can't find the plug you'll have to trip the fuse on the board to turn the electric off.
If in the kitchen..I can't think of anything else that needs electric permanently

rob

trisha

I don't put the hairdryer right inside the freezer, that would be stupid of me, but mine is a chest freezer and I just hold it at the top, it soon melts,it just loosens it so that I can prise it off by putting something behind it, please *don't* anyone put it inside where any water could drip on it, as Rob says water and electric do not mix .

damski_2

i'm definitley on the hairdryer band wagon here

use it every time

no probs

and also agree with wrapping all the food in a duvet, stops everything defrosting nicely