How to defrost your freezer
Freezing food has become a necessity in this day and age. It is a great way to save time and money. Cook up a large batch of something, eat half and then whack the rest in the freezer for another date when you just can’t be bothered to tie yourself to that blasted oven.
Be warned though: over time thick layers of icy frost can build up inside your freezer. ‘There is nothing wrong with that’ I hear you say, ‘it is a freezer, that’s what it does: it freezes stuff’ well you are wrong buddy. That build up of frosty mess can have detrimental effects on your freezer and eventually your life.
If you leave these icy deposits to sit there in all of their glory they make a mockery out of you by making your freezer less efficient; adding to your electricity bill; and they will make getting things in and out of your once trusty freezer a logistical nightmare.
So to keep on top of this you have to show your icy friend who is boss and defrost that bad boy. But don’t be afraid, it is much easier than you might think.
When defrosting your freezer you have to be prepared. Get some cool boxes ready so you don’t lose all of the contents of your freezer to thawing. Now onto stage one. Are you ready?
1. Switch off your freezer
This is pretty simple, I wont patronise you too much by going into detail. All you have to do here is switch it off and un-plug it from the power supply. See, it’s easy.
2. Empty your freezer
This part is pretty simple too. However, it is easy to lose some of your frozen treats if you don’t take care. So wrap each thing up in newspaper once you have removed it from the freezer and place it in the cool boxes you prepared earlier.
3. Remove all drawers
You must remove any separate compartments or drawers as you go. These pieces are integral to the functionality of the freezer so take care of them. They should all be removed and placed somewhere ready to be cleaned later.
4. Prevent a puddle
I should have mentioned this first but hey ho, it is a good idea to lay down an old towel or some newspaper to avoid the melting ice from getting your floor wet. Anything absorbent will do, but newspaper is great because it can fit beneath the freezer and soak up every single drop.
5. The thaw!
Get that kettle on. No it’s not tea time yet; that can wait, it is time for the all important thaw! Fill a plastic bowl up with hot water from the kettle and place it in the bottom of the freezer. The heat from the water will rise and help speed up the melting process. It is also a good idea to get a cloth and soak it in the hot water. After you have soaked the cloth just dab all of the icy bunches surrounding the interior of your freezer to help them melt faster.
6. Clean removed trays etc
Whilst you are waiting for the ice in your freezer to melt it may be tempting to go and watch some telly or eat some jelly, but why waste time? Get all of the trays and drawers you have removed from the freezer and give them a good clean in the kitchen sink. Get all of the ice and bits of food off them until they are nice and clean and then put them to one side to dry.
7. Clean the inside of the freezer
Check on the progress of the melting ice, knocking any loose pieces into the bowl and discarding of them as you see fit (not over the fence into next doors' garden, preferably down the sink). Then when it has all melted it is cleaning time. The crucial phase.
Get those Marigolds on and get scrubbing. That great combination of hot water and detergent is what I find best to get my freezer clean. Wipe away all remaining pieces of ice and make sure you give those seals a good wipe as they can get very dirty.
Use a metal scourer to get any persistent stains off and wipe over the metal pieces too. Once your freezer is clean give it a wipe over with a kitchen towel. You are nearly there.
8. Put everything you took out back in
Starting with the drawers and any other attachments, get that freezer back to its usual state and then switch it back on. Leave until it is back to freezing temperature and then put back all of you food and other frozen goodies.
Well, I hope this little snippet of advice has helped you or will help you in the future. Remember: It is easy to sit back and do nothing, but what kind of a person does that? Get stuck in! Don’t let the frost win.
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