To be frank: Are you fully aware of what’s stored in your freezer at this moment? Or do you struggle to retrieve items without either prying them loose due to frost buildup or triggering an avalanche of frozen vegetables? When your freezer appears ready to burst with icy encrustations coating every surface inside, it might just be necessary to defrost.

Indeed, owning a spacious and practical freezer is essential for those who make bulk purchases.

to save money when bought in large quantities

, but unless you limit the frost accumulation and use your ingredients promptly —before freezer burn and big ice crystals render even the sturdiest foods unpalatable—you could end up squandering more than you conserve. While there are certain advantages,

items you should avoid freezing

It’s the ideal spot for storing extra meat supplies.

fish

, smoothie fruit and

ice cream

. Plenty of ice cream.

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If cleaning your freezer feels more like excavating an archaeological site with tools such as a chisel and pick, or if persistent unpleasant smells have developed that won’t go away, then it’s high time to thoroughly cleanse your deep freeze. For those who own so-called “frost-free” models, regular decluttering and wiping down still prove beneficial.

Removing accumulated frost – and discarding frost-damaged foods that can no longer be eaten – will enhance your appliance’s energy efficiency, thereby reducing your energy costs, which is crucial.
energy rates on the rise in the US
According to the US Energy Information Administration.
recent Apkinistudy
found that nearly a third of surveyed US adults were relying on payment plans or borrowing to afford their energy bills, and you’d be stunned how much excess energy a fridge will pull if it’s constantly running because of a poor seal.

For more, we spoke with Trevor Craig, food safety expert at
Microbac Laboratories
Although excessive filling contributes to ice buildup in freezers, Craig points out that “they operate more efficiently when packed.” This could be encouraging for those preparing for end-times scenarios; however, multiple factors can lead to frosting issues within your freezer, with overcrowding potentially intensifying these problems.

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Craig explains that frost typically develops when moisture in the air gets trapped inside the freezer and then condenses and freezes. When the freezer is overly filled, it may not seal correctly, allowing dampness to seep in.

Although some frost accumulation is unavoidable, you can minimize it by limiting how often you open and shut the freezer door and ensuring that items intended for freezing have cooled down beforehand. Placing hot food directly into the freezer generates additional moisture. Additionally, older models tend to accumulate more frost compared to their modern counterparts.

Read more:


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Efficiency of Freezers and Food Safety

Ensuring your refrigerator operates efficiently benefits not only your electric bill but also your health. As Craig points out, heavily frosted freezers may overheat or be unable to maintain frozen temperatures, leading to spoilage of your food if it warms up excessively.
full shelf life
, and it could potentially pose a health risk if it isn’t kept sufficiently cold.”

Frost can result in unforeseen and unwelcome replacement expenses, which is far more serious than dealing with an increased electric bill. As Craig explains, “When thick layers of frost accumulate, your freezer might malfunction, leaving you no choice but to discard all the defrosted items.” Additionally, this may require purchasing a brand-new unit.

How to De-Ice Your Freezer

Luckily, thawing your freezer isn’t complicated at all, even though it might be daunting to face whatever has been hiding inside. All you really need is some preparation, particularly if your freezer tends to always be fully stocked.

Note

These instructions apply to refrigerators with freezer compartments, not standalone freezers. For defrosting a chest freezer, you should follow a somewhat different procedure.
To defrost a standalone chef freezer, follow these steps:
In just a few minutes. For upright deep freezers, adhere to these steps; however, instead of lowering the temperature, you may disconnect the power supply since there isn’t a refrigerator compartment with items needing to stay cool.

Step 1: Take out everything from the freezer

Ideally, you ought to defrost your freezer when it contains very few items so that you can refill it afterward,” Craig explains, noting that you can pack your frozen goods into an insulated cooler if necessary throughout this procedure. “By doing regular defrosting, the task won’t be overly time-consuming, allowing all of your food to stay frozen or chilled until they’re put back inside.

For college students and those unfortunate individuals tasked with de-icing the office refrigerator, should your small fridge have just one door covering both sections, you must take out everything stored within the refrigeration area and transfer them into a cooler. This is necessary because not only can we not sustain the proper temperature in the fridge part when the door remains open during step three, but the melting ice could trickle down and spoil all of your items if they remain inside.

Step 2: Adjust your freezer to defrost mode or set it to its lowest temperature setting.

With newer freezers, there’s usually an option specifically designed for defrosting; alternatively, you can turn the temperature control all the way down to its minimum level or completely off. However, avoid unplugging the whole unit since our aim is to maintain the coolness inside the fridge throughout this procedure.

Step 3: Allow it to remain undisturbed until all frost has thawed completely

Craig mentions that once all items are removed from the freezer and it’s either turned off or switched to defrost mode, the thawing time will typically be just a few hours if the ice buildup is minimal, otherwise around one full day for severe cases. He also notes that leaving the door ajar throughout could expedite things, provided the manual suggests doing so.

Step 4: Clean it up

After it’s fully thawed, clean out any pooling water and wipe down all surfaces before starting up again.

The refrigerator compartment should not be affected by the freezer’s defrost cycle; however, placing some towels on the edge of the fridge door or on the floor might ease your concerns regarding potential water leaks. Should you notice any leaking, this may indicate that the seals in either the freezer or fridge compartments are compromised.

Step 5: Adjust the knob back to your desired temperature.

After the freezer is dried out and turned back on, you can refill it with items for preservation.

Freezer maintenance and upkeep

After you’ve quickly removed the band-aid and thawed out your freezer, you can conserve both time (and maybe funds) down the line by keeping up with maintenance.

“Craig advises that you should thaw out approximately once each year, or when the frost accumulates to more than around one-quarter of an inch. This will improve your freezer’s efficiency, helping maintain lower temperatures for your food and reducing your electricity costs,” he explains.

Thawing your freezer goes beyond confronting those hidden treasures that might be covered in ice crystals so badly they can’t be salvaged or have been stored way past when they were meant to be eaten, which can feel quite embarrassing. “For me usually, there will be some forgotten popsicles or Girl Scout cookies,” explains Craig, “and these become my tasty treats as I tidy things up.”

You could additionally think about routinely
verifying the real temperature of your freezer
To make sure it isn’t leaking or losing its capacity to keep the right temperature. Or if it’s set too cold, which might prevent the automatic defrost from removing all the frost buildup.

Initially released on May 14, 2025 at 8:19 PM Pacific Time.