Defrosting Freezer

I'm getting ready to defrost my upright freezer. In the past I've boiled several pots of water and placed them in the freezer for approx.

10 minutes then reboiled the water again while loosening and scraping the ice. Does anyone have an easier or faster way. I've seen those little electrical devices and sprays that supposedly make it easier, but don't really want to waste money on something that may not work.

Thanks, Sherry

Reply to
szeiss
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A heat gun or even a hair dryer work great. Both are cheap if you don't already own one.

Reply to
Al Bundy
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In addition to the boiling water, a small fan sitting on a chair and blowing into the freezer helps speed things up. Besides circulating the heat from the boiling water, it also keeps a steady stream of room temperature air moving across the ice. A box fan is perfect if you have one.

Reply to
John~                         

In news: snipped-for-privacy@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com, szeiss spewed forth:

If you can move it outside, take it out and use a hose on it. That what I do with ours, takes about 15 minutes, then I dry it out with some towels and bring it back in

Reply to
ChairMan

I defrost my freezers infrequently enough so that its viable to only do it in the hot weather and just let it defrost without anything special except one of thos big plastic bins to collect the water.

Reply to
Rod Speed

Just pull the plug on it. When the bigger chunks fall off the sides, throw them in the sink. Spray the inside with Fabuloso, 409, or whatever you like. Take a few bath towels to mop up the excess water. That is certainly the easiest way. I think by trying to speed things up and make it faster, you create more work for yourself. Jane

Reply to
janerene

I always put metal pans of boiling water into the freezer after I unplug it. Between that and the open door, the freezer defrosts very quickly. Warning -- You should put a dishpan or something on the top shelf underneath the freezer, so ice won't go all over your floor.

Reply to
Jacki

I had one of those little electrical devices that you asked about, and it was very effective. When it finally "expired," I tried a hair dryer. It works almost as well, although you have to stand by and hold it (unlike the other device).

MaryL

Reply to
MaryL

When I used to defrost a freezer, I would simply empty it, blast it with a hair dryer (on an extension cord) and the ice would just separate from the freezer's walls in chunks. The whole process would take about half an hour, including emptying it.

Reply to
Stan Horwitz

A hair dryer does the trick

David

szeiss wrote:

Reply to
quietguy

Do not spay with water! It can get into the insulation and damage it.

Reply to
jimmy mac

I always use my leaf blower. Quick and Easy defrosting.

Bon

Reply to
Bonnie Dyson

It seems like this would also be a good way to introduce contaminants into your freezer -- possibly later destroyed by the freezing action, but I think it would be better not to risk it. Leaf blowers can pick up all sorts of problematic items, such as insecticides, fertilizer, etc.

MaryL

Reply to
MaryL

If you are in a hurry, don't have a hair dryer or hot air gun, why not try an electric skillet. I'd put it on low and make sure it was plugged into a GFCI plug.

Now, pard>>

Reply to
Ron Cliiborn

Yes, there is a reason to use a non-frost free freezer, but I ignored that when I bought my last one because it is just too much work to empty the freezer, get rid of the ice, and reload. The primary reason (aside from cost) is that food will last longer in the non-frost free type. I believe it has something to do with air circulation in frost free freezers. That is, they have more of a drying effect on food.

MaryL

Reply to
MaryL

I don't have an answer but do have a question. I have been seriously thinking about buying a small freezer and it would not be frost free. My question is .... when you defrost it does it have a place to attach a hose so that the water can be drained out through a hose to the outside? I would have to put it in the eatin kitchen which is next to laundry room and garage .... don't have room in laundry room and god forbid I take up space in husband's garage with "neccessary" tools etc.

MaryL wrote:

Reply to
Dottie

That's something you check before you buy because they are not all made alike. My last freezer had a small hole on the front, and I could never figure any way to attach a hose without leaking. I ended up placing papers under the freezer and then alternating pans to catch the water. It was

*very* awkward because the hole was so close to the ground (for drainage purposes, of course) that I could only slip a very narrow pie pan under it. That would only hold a small amount of water, so I did as much as possible to lift ice out and kept a mop on hand to mop up water from the *inside* of the freezer. It was a chest type, so that was hard on the back. The freezer my mother had years ago did have a drainage hole with an extension for connecting a hose. That helped a lot. I now have an upright frost-free freezer -- maybe not the most efficient, but *much* easier to locate things than a chest freezer, and no more struggling with cleanup.

MaryL

Reply to
MaryL

Hi Sherry

If you have or know of anyone who has a wallpaper stripper/steamer this speeds up the job tenfold

Rob

szeiss wrote:

Reply to
snafudesign

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