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I have some frost on the back wall of my old GE side by side. I've attached two pictures. Is a hair dryer the best method of removal for this case? Thank you.Picture: frost inside freezer ; Picture: Old GE side by side

frost

Y. Eman
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    Switch off and allow to defrost. – Solar Mike Dec 18 '20 at 06:10
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    Damage on right to surface - unhygenic so consider replacing. – Solar Mike Dec 18 '20 at 06:11
  • In what way is that damage unhygenic, @SolarMike? I've not heard that advice before... – FreeMan Dec 18 '20 at 14:02
  • Whatever you do, **do not** use a screwdriver (unless you like the smell of refrigerant, then have at it). – Z4-tier Dec 18 '20 at 14:30
  • Short term expense, long term savings: Buy new, efficient fridge. Move food into it. Unplug and have old inefficient fridge properly disposed of. I dread to think what that dinosaur costs to run each day/month. My new fridge uses about 0.7 kWh per day... – Ecnerwal Dec 18 '20 at 15:14
  • The corner seal may be buckled because of ice. I don’t know if I would call that unhealthy many fridges have small gaps at the corners. – Ed Beal Dec 18 '20 at 17:09

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Remove all the food, then turn off or unplug the freezer, and prop the door open. This will allow it to warm up and all the ice will melt all by itself.

Every modern fridge/freezer I've ever seen (modern as in 1970s or newer) has a drain hole at the bottom of the compartment and a hose that runs to the drip pan that's behind the trim plate at the bottom of the fridge. Generally a good tug will remove the trim plate, though if yours doesn't come off easily you may want to look for screws.

Remove the trim plate and you'll see the drip pan under there for catching any drips that go down the drains in either compartment. Keep an eye on this catch pan to ensure it doesn't overflow. Soak the water out with some towels that you can ring out over the tub, or scoop it out with a small cup if there's enough room. It's possible that the water will evaporate out nearly as fast as it melts in if your room is warm enough.

Once all the ice is melted out, plug in/turn on the unit, let it get cold, put the food back in.

FreeMan
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  • Unplugging and letting it defrost is really the best things, after the ice is gone wipe any moisture down with a towel. – Ed Beal Dec 18 '20 at 17:07
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A steamer such as this one:

Poulan Steamer

Is a commonly used tool since the steam output quickly melts ice but doesn't get hot enough to melt plastic used in the freezer.

I don't have one and have used a handheld blow dryer many times. You need to be careful as it's easy to melt plastic parts and it's also important to avoid water dripping onto or into the blow dryer.

jwh20
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  • Won't the steamer add a lot of moisture to the freezer that will simply refreeze? – FreeMan Dec 18 '20 at 13:48
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    Not in my experience. You have the door open (obviously) and are putting steam into the space. It will not freeze. If there is excess condensation you just wipe if off with a towel. – jwh20 Dec 18 '20 at 13:52
  • I have used a ladybug steamer it works well you just need to wipe the surfaces down afterwards. – Ed Beal Dec 18 '20 at 17:05
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When the tenants leave an iceberg inside the freezer, what I usually do is haul the fridge to the bathroom, put it in the shower, and use the hot water to melt the ice. It works best if the fridge is slightly tilted forward so the water comes out easily. Obviously, one should be very careful not to spray any water on the electrical parts. Let dry fully before plugging it again.

This works best with small fridges that can be easily moved. Since your fridge is huge, instead I'd remove the shelves and tape a rectangular bucket to the back (you can use the drawer for vegetables that comes with the fridge) so water from melted ice drips in the bucket instead of making a puddle on the floor. Then, hair dryer... or you can pour hot water on it.

Note that a freezer that produces a lot of ice means water vapor is getting in, which can mean the tenant put too much stuff in there so the door doesn't close properly, but it can also mean the lip seal around the door has deformed or hardened and it is no longer airtight. In the latter case you should really fix it, because when it's no longer airtight heat and water vapor will get in, and that will make the compressor work harder, which will cost more in electricity. If the seal is really busted, then the temperature inside can get too warm, and you could eat spoiled food too.

bobflux
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