How to Defrost a Stand Up Deep Freezer

Many freezers sold now are self-defrosting, but many older models need to be manually defrosted a few times a year (sometimes even once every two months when they are near the end of their life span). If these are not defrosted, the ice will build up, reducing both the space and efficiency of the freezer. Manually defrosting your stand-up deep freezer takes at least an hour.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Towels
• Leather gloves
• Ice scraper or ice pick (or knife)
• Sponges
• Bucket
• Dish soap
• Water
• Vinegar

How to Defrost a Stand Up Deep Freezer

1. Unplug the freezer to avoid the chance of electric shock.

2. Place towels all around the base of the refrigerator to catch dripping water as the ice melts.

3. Remove all the food from the freezer. Place these items in another freezer.

4. Put on leather gloves to protect your hands. When some of the ice has melted, you can speed up the process by carefully chipping at the remaining ice with an ice scraper or a knife.

5. Leave the freezer door open until all the ice has melted. Clean the freezer with dish soap and warm water mixed in a small bucket. Wet a sponge in the mix and scrub the freezer with the sponge. Rinse soap residue off with a damp, clean towel.

6. Pour white vinegar onto a sponge. Wipe down all the interior walls, shelves and trays with the white vinegar. This additional step will freshen the whole unit. Wipe down the interior with a clean, dry towel.

Tips & Warnings

• To speed up the defrosting process, fill a plastic bottle with very warm or hot water and spray it on the frost buildup. Alternatively, you can wet cloths with warm or hot water and wipe these over icy shelves and walls.
• Always unplug a freezer from the outlet before cleaning, defrosting or doing any maintenance. Don't touch metal in the freezer with damp, bare hands, or your skin may stick to the metal. Don't store frozen foods---especially meat---in an ice chest (portable cooler) with ice during the defrosting. Frozen food needs to be kept frozen or it poses a health risk; it is difficult to keep foods frozen in an ice chest.

References

• More About Defrosting a Freezer