Tips needed to defrost a freezer

Hi all,

I have been living with my OH for 2 years and we need to defrost the freezer for the first time and neither of us know how to do it!!!

Can we do it without having to turn it off and ruin all the food?? Would love to know any tips you have to help me out.

Thanks

Ah - I think you need to turn it off but you can put bowls of hot water in to speed up the process.

you need to eat all the food or store it with a neighbour or friend or a really big cool box, unless it is a new fangled thing with its own life then just switch it off leave the door open and have bowls and buckets and towels to mop up, i find a hairdryer can speed up the process and with careful aim then you can carve chunks off, just be careful not to blow out the hairdryer

I used to haul mine to the back door and let it drip outside... can't do that now though... doon stairs neighbour would go mental

Well i'd better get OH to eat the contents of the freezer

Will try with bowls of boiling water cos i dont actually own a hairdryer I might put that on my christmas list lol

The bowls of hot water usually get the ice soft enough that you can chip it off. I use a fish slice to try and get bigger pieces off. I tried a chisel once and pierced the gas pipe and ruined it. Had to buy another one so don't use anything sharp

I use a wooden spatula

Yes I learned the hard way

Was gonna use a hammer Might not now

Wooden spatula and a hand held steamer works best...get's it done in no time but you must turn the freezer off. Hairdryers are dangerous for defrosting freezers no matter what Kim and Aggie say....