How to Get Rid of Frost & Ice Buildup in Your Freezer

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Fast ways to remove ice with & without defrosting your freezer
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A little bit of frost build-up in your freezer is normal, but it can become a problem when the buildup grows over ¼ inch (6 cm) thick. Too much frost can limit storage space, leave your food with freezer burn, and indicate a problem with your freezer. Luckily, there are simple ways to remove built-up frost. We spoke with several appliance technicians and cleaning specialists to learn the best ways to defrost your freezer and prevent frost buildup from happening in the first place. Read on to learn more!

The Best Way to Defrost a Freezer

Take out the food from your freezer and place it in a cooler. Then, unplug your freezer and place towels inside and around the appliance. Heat up several pans of water and set them inside the freezer. Replace the water when it starts to get cool until all the ice has melted, which can take 2+ hours.

Section 1 of 6:

Using Hot Water to Remove Frost Buildup

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  1. 1
    Remove all of the food and drawers, then turn off the freezer. Take out all of the contents inside your freezer and place them in a cooler or a secondary freezer. Then, take out all of the drawers and trays and place them in your sink. Once the freezer is empty, turn it off and unplug it from the wall. [1]
    • To help keep your food frozen in a cooler, mixologist Nathan Taylor recommends insulating the container with towels, sprinkling salt on the ice or ice packs, and wrapping the cooler in aluminum foil.
  2. 2
    Lay towels around the freezer and refrigerator. To protect your floor and other appliances from melting ice, lay towels on the bottom compartment of the freezer. If you’re defrosting a chest or standing freezer, place towels underneath and around the base of the appliance, too. If the freezer is connected to your refrigerator, lay towels under it. [2]
    • If your freezer or refrigerator has a drainage hose, disconnect it and place it in a bowl or container to catch water. The hose is usually located under the grill at the bottom of the appliance. Simply use a screwdriver to remove the grill and pull out the hose.
    • If you’re not sure if your appliance has a drainage hose, check the user’s manual.
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  3. 3
    Place pans of hot water in the freezer, replacing them when they cool. Fill up several shallow pans with hot water using your tap, a microwave, or an electric kettle. Just make sure the water is hot, not boiling. Then, set the pans of hot water on top of towels in the freezer to help melt the ice. [3]
    • Check on the water every 5 to 10 minutes. Once it starts to cool, dump it out and add fresh hot water.
    • How long it takes the ice to melt depends on the buildup you’re dealing with. Light buildup might take 1 to 2 hours, while heavy buildup may take longer.
    • To help speed up the defrosting process , use a plastic scraper or spatula to remove the softened ice.
    • Warning : Do not place boiling water in your freezer. The high temperatures can potentially melt and damage parts of your freezer, affecting its performance.
  4. 4
    Dry and clean out the freezer . Use a clean towel to dry off any leftover ice and water inside the freezer. Then, mix warm water and a few drops of dish soap in a bowl. Wet a sponge or rag in the soapy water and wipe down the freezer. Simply dry the freezer with a cloth when you’re done. [4]
    • Take a moment to wash the drawers and trays you removed from the freezer, too. House cleaning professional Chris Willatt says all you need is dish “soap, water, [and a] sponge to clean them.” Then, dry them off with a towel.
    • As an alternative, clean your freezer with baking soda. Mix 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda with 2 cups (473 ml) of warm water and wet a sponge or cloth with the solution.
  5. 5
    Turn on the freezer and add your food back inside. Plug your freezer back in and switch it on. Then, wait for your freezer to start running and cool back down to 0 °F (−18 °C). Once it’s cold inside, put your frozen items back in the freezer. [5]
    • It may take 1 to 2 hours for your freezer to get cold again.
    • If you removed the drainage hose, don’t forget to put it back inside the freezer or refrigerator. Hook the hose back inside the appliance and screw the grill back in place.
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Section 2 of 6:

Defrosting the Freezer

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Begin the defrosting process by taking every item out of your freezer. Simply put the items in a cooler, another freezer, or the fridge, if you’re in a pinch. Then, turn off the freezer and unplug it from the wall. [6]
    • If it is necessary to shut off the power to the refrigerator as well, you can leave the items inside it. Even with the fridge unplugged, it should stay cold for a few hours.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Take out all of the trays, shelves, or drawers from the freezer. Then, place towels in the bottom of the freezer to catch the melted ice. Put a few towels down underneath the freezer or refrigerator, too. [7]
    • If your freezer or refrigerator has a drainage hose, take it out and place it in a bowl to catch the ice as it melts.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Keep the door propped open to expose the freezer to the warm air in your home, which helps melt the ice more quickly. If you need to, place something, like a wedge, in the door to keep it open. [8]
    • To help speed up the defrosting process : [9]
      • Use a hair dryer to melt the ice. Hold it 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) away and move it back and forth across the ice. Just keep it out of direct contact with any water or ice.
      • Aim a fan at the freezer to blow warm air inside.
      • Put hot water in a spray bottle and spray it onto the ice.
    • Warning : Do not use a heat gun to melt the ice. Heat guns operate at high temperatures which can potentially damage and ruin your freezer.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Once all of the ice has melted, mix about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of dish soap with 4 cups (0.95 l) of water. Dip a sponge or clean rag into the solution and use it to wipe out the freezer. Then, use a towel to dry up any remaining water. [10]
    • As an alternative to soap and water, use baking soda and water or equal parts vinegar and water to clean your freezer. In addition to getting your freezer clean, both baking soda and vinegar help remove odors.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Plug in the freezer and turn it back on. Then, let it cool back down to 0 °F (−18 °C), which may take between 30 minutes and 2 hours. Once it’s cold, restock the freezer with your food and other items. [11]
    • Check the temperature on the thermostat, or put a thermometer in the freezer for 3 minutes before reading it.
    • Reattach the drainage hose if you unplugged it. Simply fasten the hose inside the appliance and screw the grill back into place.
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Section 3 of 6:

Other Ways to Remove Frost Buildup

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    This is one of the quickest ways to remove frost build-up. It is safest to use a plastic spatula or wooden spoon because they are less likely to hurt you or damage the freezer. Just gently dig underneath the ice with the tool to remove it and have a bucket nearby to collect the scrapings. [12]
    • Take out all of the food, drawers, and trays in the freezer before you begin.
    • Lay towels on the ground around the freezer to soak up any water as you're removing the ice.
    • With this method, you can keep the freezer running. However, this can waste a lot of energy, so it’s a good idea to turn off and unplug your freezer regardless.
    • This method works best when combined with another method, like melting the ice with hot water.
    • Warning : Do not use an ice pick, metal scraper, hammer, knife, or other sharp tool to scrape the ice. Hard tools can potentially puncture the freezer walls or damage the temperature elements, which could result in you needing to completely replace your freezer.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    To help melt the ice and make it easier to scrape off, dip a clean rag into boiling water with tongs. Then, pour rubbing alcohol onto the cloth over the sink. Simply use the tongs to place the rag on top of the frost. Then, use a dry cloth to soak up the melted ice. [13]
    • Alcohol lowers the freezing point of ice, which helps make it melt faster. [14]
    • This method typically works better when you’re removing thin layers of ice rather than large chunks.
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Section 4 of 6:

How Often to Defrost a Freezer

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  1. Defrost freezers every 6 months, or when there’s lots of frost buildup. Appliance repair specialist Gevorg Grigorian recommends defrosting your freezer chest, standing freezer, or refrigerator-freezer combination appliance about every 6 months. It’s also a good idea to remove frost buildup whenever you notice ice that’s ¼ inch (6 cm) thick. [15]
    • Grigorian notes that most newer freezers are “frost free” and don’t need regular defrosting. Frost free freezers have “a designated defrost cycle” that “will run between 6 to 8 hours.” He says “you might hear some sizzling coming from the freezer, which is normal because there's a heater there and it melts all that water off of the evaporator” to keep frost from forming.
    • If your freezer keeps forming frost buildup or your frost free freezer develops buildup, Grigorian recommends calling an appliance repair technician to look at it, as there might be an internal issue causing the problem.
Section 5 of 6:

Preventing Frost Buildup

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    If the thermostat is kept too high or too low, unwanted frost can build up. Set your freezer temperature to 0 °F (−18 °C) or slightly below. Then, check the thermostat once a week to make sure it is at the right temperature. [16]
    • If your freezer doesn’t have a thermometer, put a thermometer inside of it.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Appliance technician Trevor Storey says not to overfill your freezer and block the air vents, as this can create ice buildup. Also avoid placing your freezer directly up against the wall. Instead, leave about 1 foot (30 cm) of space so that the coils have room to cool your freezer well. [17]
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Avoid leaving the freezer door open when you’re cooking or moving around in the kitchen. This prevents excess moisture and heat from entering the freezer, which can cause frost buildup. Also, make sure the freezer door seals tightly. [18]
    • If your freezer door has trouble staying shut, install a freezer lock .
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Wait for hot items to cool down to room temperature before putting them into the freezer. The heat can potentially damage the freezer’s parts while the excess moisture from the heat can create frost and frost-bitten foods. [19]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Remove Built‐Up Frost from Your Freezer
    Don’t place the freezer near a heat source, such as an oven, water heater, or furnace. The heat can fluctuate the temperatures and cause the freezer to overwork itself, which can create frost. [20]
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Section 6 of 6:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    How long does it take a freezer to defrost? How long it takes to defrost a freezer depends on how much frost has built up. Lightly frosted freezers might take 2 to 4 hours, while heavily frosted freezers might take up to 24 hours.
    • Using hot water, a fan, or a hair dryer helps speed up the defrosting process. Using these methods may cut down the total defrosting process by 1 to 2 hours.
  2. 2
    Why does ice build up inside a freezer? Ice buildup is usually due to moisture and heat. Both humidity and temperature fluctuations can cause a freezer to overwork itself and produce more ice. This might happen if you live in a humid area, put warm or hot food in your freezer, or have a freezer door that doesn’t seal properly. [21]
    • Over or underfilling your freezer can lead to frost buildup, too. Too much food in your freezer can block the sensors and airflow, while too little food can lead to uneven temperatures.
    • In some cases, ice buildup might be caused by damaged sensors or other parts in your freezer.
  3. 3
    What should I avoid when defrosting a freezer? Avoid removing the ice with sharp tools, like an ice pick, hammer, knife, or metal spatula. Sharp tools can easily puncture the walls of the freezer or damage sensitive parts, which can prevent your freezer from working properly.
    • Avoid using high heat to defrost your freezer, too. Boiling water and tools like heat guns can damage the freezer’s walls, sensors, and cooling elements, too.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I remove food packages stuck on the freezer floor?
    Community Answer
    Try warm water. Use a paper towel or rag soaked in warm water and soak or dab the area around the package with it.
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  • Question
    How can I get frost out of a freezer?
    Community Answer
    Empty the freezer, unplug it and let it thaw out. Do not scrape the frost from the freezer with a knife or other sharp implement, as you can damage the freezer.
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  • Question
    My small deep freezer feels hot on the outside. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    The door gaskets on many units have a built-in heat strip to prevent frost buildup. If your freezer has a temperature control, you could try turning it down, which may in turn generate less heat.
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      Tips

      • Don’t fill your freezer too much or leave it too empty. Keeping it appropriately stocked for the space helps keep the temperature regulated properly.
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      • Clean the freezer seal (gasket) with warm water and soap once a month. If you see mold, clean it with a diluted bleach solution.
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      Warnings

      • Do not use sharp, hard, or metal items to remove built-up frost, like an ice pick. These tools can damage your freezer beyond repair.
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      • Do not use deicer or heat guns to defrost your freezer. The chemicals and heat are too harsh for your freezer and might destroy your freezer.
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      • Never place boiling water in your freezer, as the high temperatures can warp and melt the walls and electrical parts.
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      • Call an appliance repair professional if you notice a thick sheet of ice on the back panel of your freezer. The sheet of ice may be indicative of a bigger problem.
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      • Solid ice at the base of a drawer may be a sign of a leak in your freezer.
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      Things You'll Need

      Using Hot Water to Remove Frost Buildup

      • Towels
      • Hot water
      • Pans
      • Plastic scraper or spatula, optional
      • Dish soap

      Scraping Off Frost Buildup

      • Plastic scraper or spatula, or wooden spoon
      • Rubbing alcohol
      • Towels
      • Metal spatula

      Defrosting the Freezer

      • Towels
      • Hair dryer or fan
      • Dish soap

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/kitchen-cleaning/how-to-defrost-a-freezer-quickly.html
      2. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/kitchen-cleaning/how-to-defrost-a-freezer-quickly.html
      3. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a672323/the-best-way-to-defrost-your-freezer/
      4. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/kitchen-cleaning/how-to-defrost-a-freezer-quickly.html
      5. ↑ ​​ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a672323/the-best-way-to-defrost-your-freezer/
      6. ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-to-defrost-a-freezer
      7. ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-to-defrost-a-freezer
      8. ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-to-defrost-a-freezer
      9. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/kitchen-cleaning/how-to-defrost-a-freezer-quickly.html
      1. ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-to-defrost-a-freezer
      2. ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-to-defrost-a-freezer
      3. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/kitchen-cleaning/how-to-defrost-a-freezer-quickly.html
      4. ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/kitchen-cleaning/how-to-defrost-a-freezer-quickly.html
      5. ↑ https://www.sciencing.com/substances-affect-rate-melting-ice-7464647/
      6. ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a672323/the-best-way-to-defrost-your-freezer/
      7. ↑ https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/refrigerator-freezer-use-and-temperature-tips
      8. ↑ https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/refrigerator-freezer-use-and-temperature-tips
      9. ↑ https://www.cnet.com/how-to/three-common-refrigerator-problems-you-can-easily-fix-yourself/
      10. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/frost-in-freezer/
      11. ↑ https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/purchasing-and-maintaining-refrigerators-and-freezers
      12. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/frost-in-freezer/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you’ve got built-up frost in your freezer, you'll want to remove it to improve your freezer's efficiency. Try scraping off the frost with a plastic spatula or wooden spoon. Hold a bucket or trash can underneath the freezer door to collect the scrapings. You can also dip a rag in boiling water, then pour rubbing alcohol onto the cloth and use tongs to place it on top of the frost. The heat and alcohol will melt the frost quickly. If you have a lot of frost build-up, it’ll probably be easier to defrost your freezer. To do this, turn it off, remove the shelves, and lay towels underneath it. Leave the freezer for 2 to 4 hours, then mop up the water and clean it with warm, soapy water. For more tips from our Cleaning co-author, including how to prevent frost build-up, read on!

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