How to defrost a fridge freezer

Are you looking for how to defrost a fridge freezer? If so, you’re on the right page! We’ve got it covered for you. In addition, you’ll also know about:

• How to tackle the frosting issue in a freezer?
• How to clean the freezer while defrosting?
• How often should you defrost the freezer?
• How to freeze food properly?

There are a variety of ways to defrost the freezer in a fridge. Check the user’s manual of the appliance as it usually mentions the process of defrosting for the given model. Most of the time it will involve unplugging the freezer and removing all the food.

Let’s further look into the article to understand the process!

What causes frosting in a freezer?

The build-up of frost in a freezer can lead to a foul odor in your fridge. In addition, it takes up the storage space of the freezer and also causes freezer burn. Freezer burn occurs when the food faces dry and cold air that leads to the loss of moisture of the outer layer. A frozen burned food doesn’t taste good, although it’s safe to eat.

Frost builds up in a freezer when the moisture comes in touch with the evaporator coils inside the freezer. Here are some of the most common causes of frost build-up:

• Worn out or damaged door seal: A freezer door, also called a gasket, keeps cold air. It also keeps the warm air out. If there is damage, it can crack the seal. Thus, allowing the moisture to enter the freezer.
• Open door freezer: When the door is not closed correctly, warm air enters, and the cold air escapes.
• Problem with defrost heater: Frosting in a freezer also occurs due to faulty defrost heaters. A malfunctioning defrost heater can halt the melting of frost in the evaporator coils. It will lead to the build-up of ice.
• Problem with defrost thermostat: A thermostat’s role is to track the freezer’s temperature and evaporator coil. It signals when to turn on and off the defrost heater. If there is a faulty defrost thermostat, it could stop defrosting, which leads to frost build-up.

Steps to defrost freezer in a fridge

It’s essential to defrost your freezer once or twice a year. In addition, you should also check the user manual before you proceed. Usually, in the user manual, it’s given how to defrost for the particular model. This way, it helps you to do it correctly. 

However, if it’s not mentioned in the user manual, you can follow the steps below:

Unplugging the fridge

The first step is to switch off the fridge for safety measures. In addition, you must keep the freezer door open to let the warm air in. It will fasten up the defrosting process.

Emptying the food from the freezer

The next step is to remove the food item from the freezer. You can keep the frozen food intact in cool bags. Also, ice blocks will help to keep the food cold. If you don’t have cool bags, try to keep the food in a cold place. 

Taking out shelves and drawer

It would be best to remove shelves and drawers from the freezer to speed up the defrosting process. In addition, it would be a great time to clean the drawers.

Towels or cloths around the bottom of the freezer

Here it’s vital to keep a towel or cloth at the bottom of the fridge freezer. During the melting process, it can lead to the draining of water. Hence keeping the towel will absorb the water and keep it dry.

Melting the ice

Now to melt the ice can take some time. Most of us want to speed the melting process. The simple way is to let the ice melt by itself while mopping or soak up the drain water with a towel. Another way is to put a fan near the freezer. Open the door of the freezer and place the fan that allows air circulation into the freezer. The room temperature of the air will fasten the defrosting process.

Cleaning the fridge freezer 

Once the ice is melted, you can clean the freezer. With everything out, it will be easier to clean and fry the freezer without any hassle.

Switching on the fridge freezer

Now that the entire process is done, you can switch on the freezer. It’s time to put the food back into the freezer. It would also be an excellent time to get rid of food that isn’t required. Also, some raw meat or food products say not to refreeze. Hence. It’s advisable to use it at the earliest.

The proper way of freezing a food

When freezing food, it’s essential to do packaging well. It should be packed tightly in freezer bags or airtight containers. If it’s not tightly sealed, the food will become dry. Also, ensure that you leave some space in the container or bag before closing in case the food expands.

In addition, when the food is not packed correctly, it can lead to freezer burn. When there is a freezer burn, the food becomes pale and dry. Fortunately, you can still have the food despite losing the original flavor. In addition, it also gives off a foul odor. Hence, it would be best to seal off the food correctly while keeping it in a freezer. You can also learn more about frozen food safety.

Conclusion

With proper care, you can avoid frosting in a freezer. For instance, it’s vital to close the door of the freezer. Also, organize the food in the freezer so that you can reach it easily. In that way, you don’t have to keep the freezer’s door open for long and avoid warm air.

In addition, you should avoid putting hot food in a freezer. Let it cool first for a few minutes before you put it in. Placing hot food in the freezer causes humidity that might lead to the frosting.