How to Defrost a Fridge Freezer

When was the last time you defrosted your fridge freezer? If the drawers are sticking and the ice is threatening to take over, it’s probably way overdue. So what’s the most effective way to go about it? How often will it need doing? And how long is it likely to take?

Don’t put it off any longer. In this article, we’ll give you several good reasons why that built-up ice needs to go, as well as a step-by-step guide to defrosting your fridge freezer – without too much effort or mess. We’ll cover:

• Before you begin: check your manual
• Why you should defrost your fridge freezer
• How long does it take to defrost a fridge freezer?
• Things you’ll need to defrost your fridge freezer
• The process of defrosting a fridge freezer
• Next steps
  
  

Before you begin: check your manual

We always recommend checking the user manual before defrosting your appliance – and if you don’t have it any more, you should be able to find it available to download from the manufacturer’s website. Even though the same process applies to most models, it’s still a good idea to check you’re not going against any of the guidance.

The manual should also tell you how often you need to defrost your fridge freezer – usually once or twice a year.

Even if your fridge freezer has an auto defrost function, ice will still build up – it’s pretty much unavoidable. Over time, the ice can make it difficult to open the drawers, take up space that could be used to store food and even prevent the door from closing properly, forcing the appliance to work even harder. It may also mean food goes off quicker than it should.

Emptying and defrosting your fridge freezer is a great opportunity to give it a clean, as well as do a quick stock take of what you’ve got in there, what needs eating and what should probably be thrown away.

Of course, that will vary depending on the model of fridge freezer you have, how much ice there is and whether you simply turn the appliance off and wait for the ice to melt or use another method to speed things up. A quick Google will give you a whole range of answers – everything from 15 minutes to a more leisurely 24 hours.

The most time-consuming part of the job is waiting for the ice to melt. While you can read about all sorts of hacks for getting this done quicker, be very cautious about what you try. You don’t want to damage your fridge freezer or cause an accident just to save waiting an hour or two.

Things you’ll need to defrost your fridge freezer

You don’t need any special equipment or products to defrost your fridge freezer, just everyday items you’ll already have at home. You’ll need:

• A clean cloth to wipe down the inside surfaces and leave everything clean and fresh.
• Some old towels or rags to soak up the water and avoid a giant puddle in your kitchen. You may need a few.
• Cool bags or boxes – plus some blocks of ice – to store your food while the fridge freezer is turned off. If you happen to have a second freezer with some extra room, even better!
• Washing up liquid and antibacterial cleaning spray to clean freezer drawers and inside walls and remove any unpleasant smells.

You may also like to have:

• A large bowl you can fit on a freezer shelf or in a drawer.
• A pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands from chilly ice and hot water.
• A plastic ice scraper or spatula to help gently remove melting ice.
• Baking soda can be used in place of kitchen or multi-surface spray. As well as being antibacterial, it’s also great for getting rid of lingering odours.
  
  
  

The process of defrosting a fridge freezer

Defrosting the fridge freezer is never going to be the most exciting item on your to-do list. But at least it’s not difficult – just follow our simple step-by-step guide.

1. Unplug the fridge freezer

Step one: turn off your appliance and unplug it from the mains. If the plug is on the floor, pick it up and tape it out of the way so it doesn’t get wet as the ice melts. If your fridge freezer has a drainage hose, put the end into a washing-up bowl or bucket.

2. Remove all of the contents

Next, you’ll need to take all your food out of the freezer (this is the part where you discover you have six half-empty boxes of fish fingers).

If you have the luxury of a second freezer you can put the food in there. If not, the best approach is to pop it into a couple of cooler bags or boxes along with plenty of ice cubes. Or, if it’s winter, you could put it in carrier bags outside. If you don’t have any of these options, try to store the food in a cool place. Remember some foods can’t be refrozen once they’ve thawed, so get meal planning and try to use those up before you begin.

3. Take shelves and drawers out

Take out the freezer shelves and drawers. If ice is getting in the way or they’re stuck, you may need to wait a little while first. If they’ll fit, put the shelves and drawers in a sink of warm water with some washing up liquid. If not, you can spray them with antibacterial cleaner and wipe them down with a clean cloth, or use dry bicarbonate of soda sprinkled on a damp cloth and then rinse.

Get ready for the next step – melting the ice – by having plenty of old towels, cloths or rags to hand. We recommend laying a couple on the floor around the freezer and more to up the water as you go.

4. Melt the ice

This is the part that you don’t want to rush, despite some of the advice you’ll find online.

The best way to defrost a fridge freezer is to empty it, leave the door open and let it defrost naturally over a few hours. In reality that’s not always practical, especially if you don’t have anywhere cold to store your food. So what can you do, and what shouldn’t you try?

One good method is to fill a bowl with boiling water and stand it on a towel inside the freezer. Replace the water a few times to keep it hot. You could also try using a fan to push warm air from the rest of the room into the freezer compartment. One method we don’t recommend is using a hairdryer to melt the ice. It may be effective, but using an electrical item that close to water is just too dangerous.

Aside from using heat to melt the ice, you can also use a plastic scraper or spatula to gently remove any large lumps of ice as they come away. Don’t use a knife or anything sharp to chip at the ice – you may puncture the walls and destroy the fridge freezer.

5. Clean the fridge freezer

Now your fridge freezer is empty and free from ice, it’s time to give it a little freshen up.

Avoid disinfectants like bleach and stick to a regular antibacterial spray, or simply use dry bicarbonate of soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. Rinse well afterwards and don’t forget to clean the door seal – try using an old toothbrush to remove hard-to-reach crumbs and dirt.

Once your fridge freezer is sparkling clean and smelling fresh, dry it with a tea towel and replace the clean shelves and drawers. All done!

6. Replace the food and turn the freezer back on

Turn the fridge freezer back on and start to replace your food, checking that it’s still frozen. If you find any meat or fish that has started to defrost, either cook it (you can refreeze most meat after cooking) or throw it away.

Next steps

It may be the sort of task you put off for way too long. But defrosting your fridge freezer is a straightforward job that’s well worth doing. Not only do you get the satisfaction of a cleaner, more efficient fridge freezer, it’ll also give you the push you need to audit and organise the contents. You may even find a meal or two you’d completely forgotten about.

If, however, your fridge freezer is advancing in years and you think it could be time to invest in a newer, more energy-efficient model, you can take a look at our fridge freezer buying guide or view our current range of fridge freezers.

If you need help choosing, we’re just a phone call away. Get in touch.