Defrosting a freezer

[smurfchops]

I am in the process of defrosting my freezer. It takes ages to get all the ice off the top of the inside compartment, can you recommend a quick way of melting it? All my food is out in the garden at the moment, I am hoping it will stay quite frozen! Also any tips so my freezer doesn't get so much ice sticking to it in future. Apart from defrosting every three months, that is. I have heard smearing with vaseline will stop the ice sticking - is that right? I am putting bowls of hot water inside to melt it at the moment - What a messy job.

[dosset]

use a hairdryer

[smurfchops]

Thanks I'll give it a go. Any hints on how to stop the ice getting so bad again ? :)

[maggie01]

Maybe the thermostat is set too high

[smurfchops]

Last time I defrosted the top of the freezer was about a year ago, it took so long that I left it. I am paying for it now though! Nearly done now.

[WendyS]

I use a succession of saucepans full of boiling water which I keep reheating which work well, if a little slowly, and try to avoid the hair dryer route because somebody once told me that this kind of direct excessive heat could possibly damage or crack the inner plastic panels. When defrosting my large upright freezer (which is 25 years old and only seems to need doing every two years or so) I line one of those pop-up garden waste disposal bags with an old blanket, put the food in and pop in two or three of the frozen gel ice packs. Freezers frost up more quickly when they are not full so stuffing any empty spaces with an old blanket or something similar will make it run more economically & stop it frosting up. . Hope you're not like me and find some of the labels have come off. More than once; I've been making soup and poured in what looked like a block of chicken stock, only to find it was gooseberry purree! And don't tell me about all those "Cooked in 1998" home casseroles which suddenly make an unexpected appearance after so many years !! Never mind, you'll feel very satisfied tonight when the job is complete.

[smurfchops]

You won't believe it, my husband got a blow torch out and finished the job for me - and it took him over an hour sitting on the floor getting all the ice off. I was expecting an explosion but luckily we are still here .. I won't leave it as long next time, and thanks for all your help :)

[ipek]

To stop it icing up so much, try not to open it so often. It's the moisture in the incoming air that freezes.....

[Andy>>H]

Salt!

Works a treat. Just sprinkle as much salt as you can inside the freezer on the ice.

[thelewisgang]

this answer might be a bit late, still, it might help you next time. I use a wallpaper steamer which has a adaptor for defrosting the freezer - my large upright takes no longer than 20 mins to defrost with no hassle at all. As for the bit about how can you stop ice from forming, buy from a chemist or supermarket, a bottle of liquid glycerine and before you plug the freezer back in, wipe it over with this and it most definitely helps.