How to defrost a freezer: answers to all your questions

Discover how to defrost a freezer easily and quickly with the best tips from experts. 

Since they’ve already performed over 90 freezer cleanings, our local cleaning helpers are in the perfect position to share all the tips and the mistakes to avoid, so you can defrost your freezer with complete peace of mind!

Why should you defrost your freezer?

Yes, it's a freezer, it makes frost, that's normal. So why bother defrosting it? 

Well, you probably know that frost buildup in a freezer can cause a lot of issues. 

I spoke some of the best cleaning experts available on Yoojo, who explained the 4 biggest problems you might face:

it’s recommended to do a “defrost operation” at least twice a year to avoid all the issues mentioned above.

Why is my freezer making frost?

Frost forms when air enters a cold, humid environment. 

Every time you open your freezer, air gets in and condenses due to the humidity and cold... creating frost.

This happens even more if your door seal isn’t working properly. To reduce frost, it’s important to do a few quick checks, which we’ll cover below.

How to prevent frost from forming in a freezer?

To avoid frost buildup, check that your freezer door closes properly and that the seals are doing their job. 

Check the seals for cracks, as this is often the number one cause of poor sealing. 

If everything seems fine, try placing a piece of paper between the seal and the door. If you can pull it out easily, your seal has an issue and may need replacing.

While you’re at it, make sure your freezer is set to the correct temperature (check your user manual) to prevent frost from forming.

Some frost will always accumulate in your freezer, but the best tip is to defrost and clean it regularly to prevent ice buildup.

The best methods to defrost a freezer

Ok, let’s dive into the different techniques for defrosting freezers. 

Small or large amounts of frost, upright freezers or fridge-freezer combos... here’s how to defrost quickly and efficiently. 

Classic defrosting: things you should know

before you start, avoid some common mistakes that could damage your freezer:

• never use sharp or pointed objects to remove ice

• never use harsh chemical products that could damage the interior of the freezer

• always turn off and unplug the appliance to avoid electrocution or slipping (there will be water everywhere)

• always use a mop to absorb the water (especially for drawer freezers)

Once you’ve defrosted your freezer, don’t forget to clean it. Bacteria can build up and give your entire freezer a bad smell. 

Instead of using chemicals, opt for a sponge with hot water and white vinegar. Don’t forget to thoroughly clean the seals, as they can be a breeding ground for germs.

Finish off with a wipe-down using a mixture of water and lemon for a fresh summer scent.

There you go, you’ve got everything you need to properly defrost your freezer. Let’s go through how to do it.

Defrosting a freezer quickly

Need to go fast? This is often the case when moving, and you’ve got better things to do than wait 6 hours for the freezer to defrost. 

No worries, we’ve asked our end-of-tenancy cleaning experts to share their best techniques!

In general, defrosting isn’t complicated—all you need is some hot water, a sponge, and a wooden scraper. take everything out of the freezer and follow these tips:

Check out all our freezer cleaning service

My freezer doesn’t have much frost

Lucky you, defrosting will be lightning fast!

Strategy number 1: take a bucket of hot water and scrape with a sponge. Wear gloves to avoid burns, and simply wipe hot water over the freezer walls. 

You’ll see the ice come off quickly, and you can finish by cleaning the walls and seals with white vinegar!

Strategy number 2: use a spray bottle with very hot water. This technique speeds up defrosting. Here, too, you can use a sponge to knock off melting ice... don’t forget the mop!

My freezer has a lot of frost

if you’ve got big ice chunks, it’s a bit more complicated. The spray bottle might take too long. 

To go faster, start by unplugging your appliance. While waiting, boil water in a pot that fits inside your freezer. The larger the pot, the quicker the process. 

Once the water is boiling, place the pot inside the freezer and close the door. The heat and steam will melt the ice in about 15 minutes. 

If that’s not enough, you can finish with the hot water spray bottle and a wooden spatula. 

Don’t forget the usual cleaning with hot water and white vinegar, and you’re done!

Defrosting a freezer without emptying it

If your freezer is always jam-packed, defrosting gets tricky. Especially if you don’t have a second freezer to store your food.

In this case, try to eat as much as possible before defrosting, and use insulated bags or a cooler while you defrost. 

Typically, you won’t need more than 15-20 minutes. Or you could leave them with your neighbours, if they’re nice!

Use the boiling water pot technique, leaving the pot in the freezer for 15 minutes to speed up the process, and finish by hand if there's still some ice left.

If you really can’t remove the food from the freezer, push everything to one side and use a hot water spray bottle and a spatula to remove large chunks of ice. 

But no more than 5 minutes at a time, as your freezer can’t stay open for too long.

How to defrost a fridge-freezer combo

The problem with fridge-freezer combos is that when you try to defrost them, you’ll get a flood of cold water dripping down onto your fridge food... not ideal.

The technique here is to remove all the food from the freezer compartment and place several towels inside. Put a small pot or bowl of boiling water on top of the towels to melt the ice. 

Close the door and place towels on the shelf above in the fridge. This way, you’ll ensure minimal water seepage into the fridge.

How to defrost an upright freezer

Upright freezers are much easier to defrost because you can remove the drawers. Start by boiling water in a pot that fits inside your upright freezer.

While waiting, take out all the food and place it in a cooler. Remove the drawers and rinse them with hot water to defrost them easily. 

Meanwhile, place the pot of boiling water in the freezer and let the heat do its job.

Don’t forget to put towels in and in front of the freezer.

❌ Can you defrost a freezer with a hairdryer?

This is a question that’s often asked online, and the answer is: NO!

Why: defrosting a freezer produces a lot of water and humidity. It’s important not to use electrical appliances during this process to avoid electrocution.