Need to defrost the freezer? 2 methods to try and 1 to avoid

Our lives would be a lot more difficult without a freezer. A freezer allows us to stock up on food, keep leftovers and avoid waste. And we certainly quickly realize when the freezer is not working properly.

Although modern freezer models are now frost-free, older models can still become frost-bound. And even modern freezers can fail to produce ice when we need them to. So, what can be done? It is vital to act as soon as possible to get the appliance back into proper working order (thereby avoid high repair costs and increased power consumption).

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Before you start, make sure you can temporarily store all the food you currently have in the freezer: you may have another freezer or you may need to ask someone to store your food for you for a day (or less).

Another key precaution: unplug the freezer from the power socket. Check to see if you can keep the fridge going while the freezer is off. If not, you will need to take steps to store your fridge's contents safely too.

The final precaution: arrange old towels or tea towels all around the base of the freezer, since there will inevitably be some water which leaks out when defrosting. Also, make sure you wear non-slip shoes.

Defrosting methods

• A pot of hot water: this is the easiest method. Just take a pot and fill it with very hot water, insert it in the bottom of the freezer compartment, close the door and let the heat melt the bulk of the ice. In the meantime, you deal with any water that leaks out of the bottom (or the run-off pipe). You may need to use more than one pot of hot water to get the job done.
• Hairdryer: using a hairdryer is a slightly more risky method, given that it is an electrical appliance, but it can speed up ice removal. Point the dryer at the blocks of ice to be detached and try to detach them manually.

In any case, to finish removing the ice, you should never use sharp or metal objects - instead, use a wooden ladle. It takes a little patience but this does work. Salt is sometimes recommended to speed up defrosting, but this is risky because salt could corrode the internal surfaces.

Finally, take this opportunity to wash the freezer before restarting the appliance: use water with a little dish soap and a few drops of vinegar (or a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice), but always make sure you rinse and dry off properly.