When is it time to defrost my freezer?

Even if you have an auto-defrost freezer, we recommend that you defrost your freezers on an annual basis at least.

You should also consider defrosting your freezers if ice builds up to more than a quarter of an inch (half a centimetre) thick or if you are emptying your freezers to move or dispose of them.

If you can retrieve or download a copy of your freezer's owner's manual, you should find instructions for defrosting your unit. If you can't find these instructions, here is a generic guide to how to defrost a freezer.

How to defrost a freezer: step-by-step

Before you start, get together everything you are going to need. We recommend the following:

• A large bin liner or some protective sheeting
• Several towels (beach towels are ideal) and/or rags
• Shallow pan or bowl (if your freezer has a drainage hose)
• Shims (if your freezer has a drainage hose, optional)
• Cooler bags or similar
• A plastic spatula or scraper
• A hairdryer or electric fan (optional)
• Mild soap or baking soda

1. Turn off your freezer at the mains or isolate it using your circuit breaker. Unplug the power lead and secure this somewhere above ground level.

2. Empty your freezer and either use, store or dispose of food items as appropriate. Any food that has escaped its packaging should probably be binned. Consider using food that has passed its ideal shelf life. This won't be spoiled, but the longer it remains frozen, the more flavour and nutrients it will lose.

Important. Food must be stored at 4ºC or below and must be refrozen within 48 hours. Check your industry's latest health and safety guidelines for the most up-to-date advice.

Prop the freezer door open as wide as possible to speed up the defrosting process. Remove any internal drawers, shelves and baskets if you can. If they are iced in place, you may need to wait until the defrosting process has started before freeing them. Once they have been removed, you can wash them using standard hot water and washing-up liquid.

3. Place a large bin bag or protective sheeting underneath your fridge. Ask someone to help you if your freezer is large or heavy. Push towels around the base of your freezer, and stuff the bottom of your freezer with more towels and/or rags.

4. If your freezer comes with a drainage hose, connect one end to its port on the freezer and put the other into a shallow bowl or pan. You can use shims under your freezer's legs to tilt it for faster drainage.

5. Wait for all of the ice to melt. This will take several hours.

How to defrost a freezer quickly

If you want to accelerate the process, you can position a fan near to the freezer or use a hairdryer on its lowest setting. Make sure any equipment is kept at a safe distance from the freezer to prevent it from getting wet or damaging the freezer.

6. Towards the end of the defrosting process, use towels or rags to soak up any residual water, and remove any remaining ice with a plastic spatula or scraper. Never use sharp or metal implements because they might damage the unit.

7. Clean the inside of the fridge (walls, rails and doors) using either mild soap and water or a solution made from one part baking soda to four parts water. This will remove any dirt or odours.

8. Dry the inside of the freezer with towels. Any residual water will freeze to create more ice, so be thorough.

9. Remove all towels, rags and protective sheets, plug in your freezer and restore the power.

10. Leave for several hours for the temperature to reach its operating level. Restock with the safely stored food.

Is a faulty gasket to blame for your iced up freezer?

Knowing how to defrost a freezer is one thing, but why is your freezer icing up in the first place?

While it is normal to experience ice build-up over time, especially with older freezers, a frequent need to defrost can be caused by several factors:

If you are using your freezer inefficiently, constantly opening and shutting the door or leaving it open for long periods, you will inevitably allow more moisture into the unit which will freeze.

A damaged, degraded or dirty door seal (gasket) is another common frosting culprit. Check our other articles to find out how to clean and check your gasket.

Faulty temperature gauges and other parts can also be to blame, but be aware that an iced up fridge can itself impair these components, so don't be too quick to get the repair team in.