How to defrost a refrigerator correctly and quickly. Tips for defrosting properly.

Interested in how to quickly defrost a refrigerator? The chamber is filled to capacity with food, outside the window +40 - how under these conditions to wash the accumulated mold and not to throw food into the bin? The heads of many housewives are busy with this issue. It was necessary to hold this event in the winter. They would just take all the food to the balcony.

But what if such a need arose in the hot summer. Something is spilled inside the chamber, or the product is missing. Mold has formed, which, by the way, in addition to the unpleasant odor, is very harmful to health. Urgent need to eliminate pollution.
How to do this without throwing food from the camera into the bin? Read some guidelines on this. There is a solution, it is not difficult. The main thing is that you turned to the right site for information on time.

Why defrost a refrigerator?

During operation of the refrigerator, various circumstances arise that require defrosting. The main ones include:

• the formation of an ice coat (ice);
• the appearance of unpleasant odors;
• pollution of the refrigerator, freezer;
• the formation of mold fungus.

Let's see why these factors arise, whether they can be avoided.

Unpleasant odors occur due to spills of liquid products, the remains of spoiled food. If you do not remove spoiled goods from the camera for a long time, the unpleasant odor emanating from them easily eats into the inner lining. This requires immediate surface cleaning. If this is not done, then mold will soon form.

Mold fungus is more difficult to remove than dirt, an unpleasant odor. Moreover, fungi secrete spores that settle on food. This factor can adversely affect human health.

But not only is the mold difficult to wash, the smell from it is much more difficult to remove. For this, special tricks are used, which we will talk about in the corresponding section of our review.

Where does the ice come from?

An ice coat occurs in several cases.

1. Due to the influx of warm air with frequent door openings.
2. If it cracked, cracked, the rubber band became unusable.
3. If the thermostat of the household appliance is not working properly.
4. With increased humidity in the storage room.

Usually ice accumulates only in the freezer. Large minus temperatures (up to -20 degrees), the intake of warm air are the main factors for the appearance of growths. When a sharp drop affects the warm currents, moisture condensation occurs (liquid is released from the air). The settling drops freeze. Over time, the cover of ice gains thickness.In some cases, the layer becomes such that it is not possible to pull out the freezer section.

Everything would be fine: let the ice itself live, why bother it? But only, in addition to reducing capacity, the load on the compressor increases, and the temperature in the freezer creeps up to zero (warming occurs). This causes premature food spoilage.

In addition to freezers, cold rooms can also be exposed to the formation of an ice coat. Most affected by this factor are models of old designs that are not equipped with functions:

• No frost
• Frost free;
• Full no frost.

Old, still Soviet devices, brands Biryusa, Minsk, others with prolonged operation, incorrect settings, and also with the failure of the thermostat, can get such an unpleasant neighbor as an ice coat.

What models should be defrosted?

Regardless of the company and the availability of modern functions, the refrigerator should be defrosted at least once every six months. If household appliances are not equipped with Frost systems, do not clean themselves by the drip method, such a device must be defrosted more often: 1 time in 3 months.

It is most convenient to wash the unit if it has two compressor systems. You can selectively disable one of the compartments if the second does not require defrosting. Typically, the freezer is less likely to be turned off than the upper refrigerator compartment.

Speaking specifically about the models to be defrosted, then all that are presented in household appliances stores should be cleaned from time to time of food debris, odors, ice, mold. And if small children live in the family - these procedures should be done even more often. The health and well-being of your children depends on it.

Defrost preparation

In order to disconnect from the network, the washing went without delay, it is necessary to correctly organize the work process. It is important to prepare in advance to prevent defrosting, spoilage of products.
Here's what to do.

1. The day before the unit is unplugged, put several forms of cold water in the freezer. In a day you will receive ice, which you will use to cover the food from the refrigerator.
2. Immediately before shutting down, bring the temperature to 0 degrees. This will provide better cooling of products, protect the household appliance from spoilage.
3. Make sure you have soda, vinegar, and clean rags at home. If not, go to the store, buy funds. Also be sure to purchase fresh lemon.
4. It will be better if you plan ahead to disconnect the unit from the network. So you can eat all perishable food before cleaning.

Defrosting process

It is difficult to imagine a family that did not have a refrigerator. There are different models for characteristics, operating rules. But the main function is one - to extend the shelf life of products. Doors open several times a day, very rarely think about the rules of food storage, that the refrigerator, as a pet, requires care. It must be systematically thawed.

With prolonged use, ice forms on the walls, which not only reduces the storage space for products, but also leads to spoilage, a musty stench.
We will analyze 5 simple steps with which it will be possible to clean the equipment of dirt, ice, unpleasant odor, and also help to answer the question: how to properly defrost a home refrigerator.

Step # 1

After bringing the temperature to 0 degrees, disconnect the plug from the mains, open the doors wide.

Step number 2

Store food in a specially prepared dark place. A linen basin will do. After laying in a container, cover the food with ice packs. Optionally buy thermal packs. They perfectly keep cold inside. Bags are sold at a household appliance store.
Also use foil or other reflective material.

Step number 3

Make sure that there are no foreign objects in the drain hole for condensate or water. Clean it with the supplied special brush. If such a device is not available, use a regular pencil or cotton swab.
New models are equipped with a tray for collecting liquid with automatic evaporation due to heating from the compressor. But when washing inside, thawing a large amount of ice, the volume of the container may not be enough. In order not to flood the neighbors, remove some of the water with a rag, laying it on the bottom of the pan.

Check pallet. Perhaps due to time, corrosion from moisture, it rusted or cracks appeared in it. When thawing a large amount of ice, this malfunction may adversely affect the operation of the compressor after completion of work.

It is not difficult to repair cracks in the metal pan. Buy a tool called cold welding. The composition includes two components, when mixed, a chemical reaction begins and the product hardens. When you mix both components, immediately close the holes.

Step 4

Remove the glass, plastic shelves, disconnect the locked gutters from the door. Soak all the elements immediately in a bath with warm water, in which a special solution is diluted.
Leave the unit open for the night. In 10 hours, the ice will completely melt. If there is no time, resort to one of the methods that will speed up the process (the methods are described in the section with the same name).

Step number 5

Prepare a washing solution. Note that with a different nature of contamination, the composition of the washing solution will be different. You can also buy a ready-made product in a household chemistry store.

To remove mild odors, traces of dried food, do the following:

• pour 3 liters of warm water into the container;
• add 2 tablespoons of soda there;
• pour 5 ml of liquid soap or dishwashing detergent.

Everything, the solution is ready. Soda is a great helper in the presence of odors in the internal compartment. A liquid soap will dissolve the remaining fat, stubborn stains.

If you need to remove the mold, then you have to cook another composition. Here's what you need:

• 3 liters of warm water;
• capacity;
• 3 tablespoons 9% vinegar;
• liquid soap.

Vinegar copes well with spores of fungus, mold, prevents its reproduction, completely removing it. It is important to completely treat the surface. Invisible disputes may appear again in the future, the whole process will have to be repeated.

The rubber seal is badly affected by soda, vinegar. The first dries the seal, the second eats away. Therefore, immediately after treatment, rinse the gum with clean water. Do not forget about difficult places. Toothbrush helps to cope.

Wipe the inside of the equipment with a clean rag using warm water and a washing solution. When finished with the product, wipe the surface again with a soft cloth dipped in clean, warm water.

Step 6

Wash the removed shelves in the bathtub with a cleaning agent. Then pour all the elements under running water. If there are traces of mold, be sure to treat all glass, plastic elements with an acetic solution.

Step number 7

Dry interior space, removable items. Put them back in place, let the appliance stand for 30 minutes. During this time, moisture, if it remains, will completely disappear.
Close the doors, turn on the equipment at the set temperature, let cool to the specified degrees. After the compressor shuts down for the first time, all food can be returned to their places.

There is a question on the Internet: how to defrost a freezer without turning off the refrigerator?
Answer: if household appliances are equipped with two compressor units, then it is very simple. It is enough on the dashboard to press the button to turn off a specific compartment.
If there is only one compressor, then defrosting is not possible without shutting down.

Quick way to thaw

In order for the crust to dissolve faster, the glass in the pan, there are several ways to speed up the defrosting process.
Definition
Defrosting is a thawing process.

Here's what to do.

1. Heat a pot of water to a boil, put in the freezer section, close the door. The thawing process will go faster. Do not place the pan on the glass / plastic surface of the partition. To reduce defrosting time, change the water in the pan to hot more often.

2. Heat the water, pour it into the spray bottle, spray the crust. Direct contact of the surface with hot water will speed up the process.

3. Use a hairdryer. This method is specific. Carefully use the appliance to prevent moisture from entering. Also, you can not continuously blow warm air for a long time.Let the hair dryer rest, cool. Maximum uptime is 7 minutes.

4. Heat gun. Unlike the hair dryer, the air flow will be much colder. But thanks to the continuous operation of the device, the process will go faster. Do not put the gun too close to the refrigerator.

5. Oil cooler (heater). Install the appliance near the housing of the appliance. Doors should be maximally open. Beware of moisture.

6. Mechanical removal of the ice crust. After using one of the previous methods, speed up the process by starting to scrape the ice manually. Do this as carefully as possible so as not to damage the walls of the case. It is better to use non-abrasive, moderately soft brushes as a scraper. Scraping with a knife is allowed, but only in places of significant ice thickness.

7. Ordinary fan. If you have a wind turbine at home, using it you will reduce the hours of defrosting. Just direct the air flow into the chamber.

In the summer, these tips will help save food from spoilage, accelerate the thawing process, and reduce labor costs.

How often to defrost?

The frequency of defrosting is indicated by manufacturers in the technical passport.
The defrosting frequency for each refrigerator is different depending on the defrosting system it is equipped with.
In total there are 3 such systems:

• air;
• drip;
• airborne, or it is also called in a different way combined.

Read the instructions. There you will find all the nuances regarding defrosting the freezer.

Visually inspect the refrigerator compartment once a week. If mold starts, delay will lead to spoilage of all processed foods, vegetables, fruits, dairy, meat, fish products.

Video: How to defrost a refrigerator properly?

How to turn on the camera after defrosting?

Do not load food into a cold compartment. Although it was stored in a cold place, the washing time will affect. The unit compressor, after being connected to the network, will work until the temperature drops to the specified parameter. If you immediately put food inside, the load on the compressor will increase. He will work longer than the allotted safe time.
According to the law of heat transfer (section of physics - thermodynamics), until all fruits, vegetables and the rest reach the set temperature, the microclimate inside the freezer will also not be established. The compressor will work until everything cools down, which may lead to overheating, failure.
First, the refrigeration unit is connected to the network. While the motor will cool the compartment, it is impossible to add food inside. After turning off the compressor, the semi-finished products can be folded into place.

Video: How to defrost a freezer correctly and often?

What should not be done?

You can’t beat ice off the inside of the hull with brute force. This will damage the walls. If you overdo it, you can break through the skin, disrupt the circulation of freon (refrigerant). Repair will be very expensive (if possible).
A knife should also not clear ice. Scratches remaining on the walls will lead to the absorption of pathogenic bacteria, the development of mold, stench.

Do not place the hot pot on the plastic, glass surfaces of the freezer to prevent cracks, chips, overheating, melting. Substitute a wooden chopping board. This will save the unit.

Be sure to unplug the plug, even if the manufacturer has provided for the shutdown button. A large amount of water when hit by a motor will easily provoke a short circuit.
Do not leave a solution of soda and vinegar on the sealing gum for a long time not washed off. Damage to this element will lead to a permanent appearance of ice.

Conclusion

Ice crust will lead to freezing of food in plastic bags with their subsequent peeling, violation of the integrity of the polyethylene, its contents. Ice formation can lead to more serious problems - breakdown of some parts of the refrigerator due to its gravity on the walls

The refrigerator works worse, consumes more electricity, it is more difficult to maintain the optimum temperature. To avoid these unpleasant moments and not to spend money on repairs or buying a new refrigerator, not to overpay for electricity, it is necessary to defrost the refrigerator compartment.