Need to know how to defrost a freezer? You’ll find several different methods to choose from in this guide.
Before you start, check the freezer manual for dos and don’ts. Some appliances have defrosting settings and all kinds of other handy features to help you out. You can also check our article about how to defrost a fridge freezer for further instructions.
Lost the manual? You can often download a new one from the brand’s website.
You will need:
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How to defrost a freezer easily
Before you learn how to defrost a freezer, find a place to store your frozen food while you work. Remember, some food can’t be refrozen after it’s been defrosted. Raw meat, for example, will need to be cooked or kept frozen.
- 1
Remove the contents
Take everything out of your freezer. You may well be surprised by what you find lurking in the back. Studies revealed that people forget about most of the food they store in their freezer.[1]. For instance, fish fingers have a habit of escaping their box and hiding behind other meals. Use this as an opportunity to bin any out-of-date food, or any food that you’re just not going to eat (we’re looking at you, three-year-old leftovers).
- 2
Prepare the freezer for defrosting
Turn off your freezer and unplug it from the mains. Secure the plug off the floor. You don’t want to risk it or the cord coming into contact with water as the ice melts. Prop the freezer door wide open. This will help to defrost the freezer quicker. Remove the freezer shelves and drawers and pop them in the sink to soak with some hot water and washing up liquid.
Finally, if you have a drainage hose, make sure it’s actually draining into something, like a tray or a bucket.
Tip: If the shelves are iced in place, just wait until the ice starts to melt and then take them out.
- 3
Grab some old towels
If there’s a lot of ice build up, there’s going to be a lot of water to deal with. Even a thin layer of frost can result in a surprising amount of water. So arrange old towels on the floor around the base of the freezer. Put another towel inside the freezer, along the bottom.
- 4
Let the ice melt
Wring the towels out when they’re wet and replace them with dry towels if you need to. If any chunks of ice fall off, dispose of them quickly before they stick to the freezer.
- 5
Clean the freezer
Once the ice is gone and the wet towels cleared away, it’s time to clean the freezer. It’s best to avoid disinfectants like bleach. Instead, just use a regular multipurpose spray, or washing up liquid and warm water. Give the shelves a good clean in the sink. You’ll find plenty of advice in our guide to cleaning fridge freezers.
Tip: Don’t forget to clean the door seal. An old toothbrush is handy for this, just don’t scrub too hard.
- 6
Dry the freezer
It’s really important to dry the inside of the freezer thoroughly once you’ve finished cleaning it. Otherwise, that water is just going to turn back to ice when you turn the freezer back on (which kind of defeats the purpose of the whole exercise). Use a tea towel or other cloth to dry with.
- 7
Bring your freezer back down to the right temperature
Replace the shelves and turn the freezer back on. It’s best to wait until it’s ice cold again before you put any fresh food in it. This can take a few hours.
Do check that the food you’re putting back in is still frozen. If you find any meat or fish that has started to defrost, cook it or throw it. There are ways to ensure that the food is still safe for refreezing.[2] However, the steps can be quite technical. So, the best option is to either cook or throw it away.
Now that you know how to defrost a freezer, you’ll soon be able to refill it. So why not check out our guide to freezing leftovers?
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How to defrost a freezer quickly
The safest way to defrost a freezer is to turn it off and wait for the ice to defrost naturally. If you really can’t wait that long, you can use a hairdryer or another method, but do take care!
As above, make sure that you turn the freezer off and pull the plug out from the wall before you start work.
Defrosting with a steam cleaner
If you have a handheld steam cleaner, you could try using it to defrost your freezer fast. Direct the steam at the ice, keeping it away from any mechanisms. (Wear rubber gloves and take care not to scald yourself in the process.) The ice should melt pretty quickly, so you’ll need plenty of old towels to catch the drips. To hurry it along, alternate steaming with scraping, see below.
Scraping the ice off
It’s easier than you might think to puncture the wall of the freezer. Not only will that invalidate your warranty, it’ll also stop the freezer from working. So be really careful if you decide to scrape the ice off.
Use a blunt instrument, like a spatula. Never use a knife or other sharp implement to scrape at the ice. Direct the spatula parallel to the wall of the freezer rather than stabbing at the ice with it.
Defrosting a freezer with hot water
You may have read that you can defrost a freezer quickly by putting a bowl of very hot water in the bottom of it. The steam can indeed help to melt the ice. However, hot water actually freezes quite quickly. So, if you do try this, make sure you keep an eye on it and replace the water every few minutes. Otherwise, the steam could cool to ice and make the problem worse.
You’ll also want to put a tea towel underneath the bowl, as direct heat could damage the shelf.
To speed things up, you could place a bowl of hot water on each shelf.
Using hot cloths to defrost your freezer
Fill a bowl with very hot water. Soak a cloth in the water and (wearing rubber gloves) hold it against the ice to help it to melt. Wring it out, scrape at the ice and repeat. You might need to refill the water several times, as the ice will cool the cloth.
When learning how to defrost a freezer, don’t pour hot water onto the ice. This could damage the freezer and the water could actually end up freezing over the ice, making the problem worse.
Defrosting a freezer with a hairdryer
Water and electricity are not a good combination, so we don’t recommend you try this. After all, there are 400,000 electricity-related accidents in the UK annually.[3] If you’ve made your mind up to take the risk anyway, make sure that you keep the hairdryer, cord and plug well away from the ice and water. Don’t set the hairdryer down on the floor at any point as it could easily get wet.
Gently heat the ice with the hairdryer using the medium heat setting. Make sure you keep the heat away from the cooling mechanism.
Hold the hairdryer so it’s directing the heat at the back of the ice where it joins to the freezer wall, rather than the front. You’re trying to dislodge the ice, rather than melt the whole thing.
To help any large chunks dislodge from the sides of the freezer, you might want to scrape at them with a spatula or other blunt utensil.
Using a vacuum cleaner instead of a hairdryer
Some vacuum cleaners let you detach the hose attachment at the base and reattach it to the exhaust, so the machine blows out warm air. However, it’s really not a good idea to try defrosting a freezer in this way, as you could easily damage your vacuum cleaner or electrocute yourself.
How to defrost a freezer quickly with alcohol
If you’ve only got a thin layer of ice to deal with, rather than large chunks, you could try defrosting it with rubbing alcohol. Soak a cloth in the hot water first, then pour a small amount of the alcohol onto it. Rub the ice with the cloth,
The growing popularity and use of freezers
According to a 2022 study by Euromonitor International, about 98% of UK homes own a fridge freezer.[4] Moreover, there has been steady growth in the frozen food market. Here are some key data from the 2021 Frozen Food Report from the British Frozen Food Federation[5]:
- ✦
The frozen food market has seen over 400,000 more consumers in the past few years.
- ✦
Since 2019, the frozen food market has reached a 9.2% volume growth and 13.5% value growth.
- ✦
Within two years, frozen fish sales grew by £141.2 million.
- ✦
Plant-based product sales increased by 16.8%, while savoury frozen food purchases grew by 19.8%.
By looking at the data, we can see that consumers find practical use in their freezers.
Your defrosting questions answered
How can I keep the food frozen?
If you’re planning to defrost a freezer fast, you can probably get away with just keeping the food in a cool box with some ice blocks while you work. If you’re going with the easier, slower defrosting option, or moving house, why not see if a friend or neighbour has space in their freezer that you could ‘borrow’ for a couple of days?
How long does it take to defrost a freezer?
It depends what method you choose. If there’s a lot of ice and you want to completely defrost the freezer, it could take several hours. We recommend allowing a full day, just in case. If there isn’t much ice though, it might only take a couple of hours ,
What is the quickest way to defrost a freezer?
Need to know how to defrost a freezer quickly? If you’re focusing on hands-on time, the best option is to just let the ice melt naturally. That involves minimal effort. If, however, you want to get it done in the shortest amount of time, your best option is probably a handheld steam cleaner or hairdryer. Both options can be dangerous, so do scroll up the page to see our safety precautions.
Is there a spray to defrost freezers?
You can indeed buy a spray to defrost freezers. They do smell pretty strong however, and are a bit pricey when you consider that you can do the job for free. There are a few brands to choose from and reviews are pretty mixed, so you might want to read up on them before you buy.
How often should I defrost my freezer?
Most freezers will only need defrosting occasionally. (Just try not to leave the door ajar...) It’s a good idea to get into the habit of cleaning and organising your fridge-freezer regularly though. You might find our kitchen cleaning checklist helpful.
Why does frost build up in a freezer?
Various factors can cause freezer frosting. Some of the reasons behind this problem include air drafts, temperature fluctuations, and humidity levels. During the summer season, freezer frosting tends to happen. Whenever you open your freezer, moist air comes in and turns into cold water droplets. Eventually, these water droplets freeze as they reach the freezer’s shelves and walls.
How do I prevent freezer buildup?
You can start by following our tips in this article and learning how to defrost a freezer. However, the process will be a lot easier if you prevent buildup in the first place. For instance, you should avoid leaving the freezer open for a long time. When you’re not accessing it, keep it closed. Moreover, make sure that the door closes completely.
Another action you can take is letting the food cool down before storing it in your freezer. Also, you should set the freezer to the right temperature.
Why is it important to defrost a freezer?
Defrosting a freezer is crucial for several reasons. Over time, ice and frost accumulate on the walls and components of the freezer, reducing its efficiency and storage capacity. The build-up of ice can hinder proper airflow and cooling, leading to increased energy consumption and decreased cooling performance.
Additionally, excessive ice formation can cause the freezer door to seal poorly, allowing warm air to enter and compromising the preservation of frozen food. Regular defrosting helps maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels while preventing freezer burn on food items. Moreover, you can prolong the lifespan of the appliance and ensure efficient operation, saving energy and reducing costs.[4]
References:
1. Davenport, M., Qi, D., & Roe, B. E. (2019). Food-related routines, product characteristics, and household food waste in the United States: A refrigerator-based pilot study. Resources Conservation and Recycling, 150, 104440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104440
2. Moir, C. (2015, December 30). You CAN thaw and refreeze meat but DON’T rely on the sniff test. Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3377571/You-thaw-refreeze-meat-DON-T-rely-sniff-test-Expert-busts-common-safety-myths-help-avoid-food-poisoning.html
3. Barrett, M. L., O’Connell, K., Sung, C., & Stokes, G. (2010). Analysis of electrical accidents in UK domestic properties. Building Services Engineering Research and Technology, 31(3), 237–249. https://doi.org/10.1177/0143624410364785
4. Knabben, F. T., & Melo, C. (2016). An Experimental Study on the Effect of a new Defrosting Strategy on the Energy Consumption of Household Refrigerators. International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2579&context=iracc
