Is it your turn to clean the fridge? Did your parents urge you to defrost the freezer before you can go out for the weekend?

Importance of Defrosting The Freezer

Defrosting a refrigerator is an essential process to eliminate odors and discourage bacteria from staying in the freezer. As large chunks of ice melt, the freezer will have more space for new and fresh food. Defrosting is also an efficient way to unclog condensation drains to prevent leaks.

Steps To Defrost Your Fridge 

Here are simple steps to help you defrost your refrigerator. 

Check the appliance manual 

Refrigerator models may require similar ways in defrosting their freezer. However, checking your appliance manual can give you more information to properly take care of your device. It contains information such as how often you should defrost and other ways to avoid it while defrosting it. The user manual will confirm any doubts and unconfirmed expectations to properly take care of your device and increase its longevity. 

Prepare the necessary cleaning materials

Preparing materials to help you defrost your freezer can help you concentrate on the task and save time. For this task, you will need the following: a large bowl, a clean cloth, several towels or cloths, ice boxes and buckets where you can store your food while defrosting, a cleaning liquid, and antibacterial surface spray. 

Unplug the power source

Prioritize your safety before starting the task. Make sure to turn off the power source and unplug it to prevent accidents and electrocution. Then, you are now ready to open your fridge doors to warm the inside faster. Turning off the power source for eight hours is the best length of time to ensure that all ice has melted. 

Clean the fridge of all contents

When you remove the contents of your fridge, you may get surprised to find food items that you have ignored for quite some time now. This is when you can decide which things you still want to keep or get rid of. 

Meanwhile, you may wish to prepare cool bags, ice blocks and ice buckets to protect the contents while removing them from the fridge. Keeping them at a cool temperature preserves their flavor and freshness. Keep in mind that some food items such as chicken meat may lose their freshness once thawed. Thus, consuming some foods in advance may be a good idea before starting to defrost. 

Remove the refrigerator’s shelves and drawers

Taking the shelves and drawers from the fridge will make you spot dirt and stains hiding in inconspicuous spaces in your refrigerator. After taking them out, make sure to wash these shelves and drawers with water and suitable washing liquid. Using an antibacterial spray and a clean cloth is also a good cleaning option. 

Gather towels and pieces of cloth at the bottom of the freezer to prevent water leaks

As the ice melts, you should expect water to come out from the fridge. Thus, it is essential to protect your floor and the area around your freezer with towels and cloths to act as a buffer and prevent further messing up your kitchen. 

Wait for the ice to melt

Melting the ice takes lots of time. If you are in a hurry, we can give you several tips to make the ice melt faster. 

Alternative Ways To Melt The Ice Faster 

• Go back to your room and pick up your hairdryer. Yes, that’s right! You can use your hairdryer to melt small bits of ice as long as your refrigerator does not have Styrofoam insulation. While targeting these small bits, try using a soft, plastic spatula to remove the ice from the surface. Remember, avoid using sharp metal objects to remove the ice. 
• You may also want to use a fan and place it near the open refrigerator. Increasing the airflow will raise the surrounding temperature and speed up ice melting. 
• Placing a bowl of water inside the freezer may also speed up the melting. 

Thoroughly cleanse the freezer from food leftovers

Then comes the time to clean the fridge freezer. You may need an all-natural cleaning solution to deodorize the fridge. You can also use a damp cloth to remove stains and spills. 

Check the food items you want to return to the fridge

You’re almost at the end of the process! The fridge is already clean and free from chunks of ice. Before returning the food items, double-check if they are still frozen. Remember, raw meat and other products may not taste good anymore when you refreeze them. Thus, you may consider consuming them as soon as possible. Also, you may want to organize and rearrange the contents so they will look neat and clean. 

Defrosting a refrigerator is something that you cannot learn in school. However, with this guide, you can now help your parents with this chore without any difficulty.