Defrost a fridge - fast...!
I have a frost-free fridge-freezer combination. You did notice that I said frost-free right? At least twice a year I have to remove big chunks of ice from the back of the fridge, so how is that frost-free?
The thermostat is set as low as it will go to be able to keep the fridge cooling efficiently, and the door is kept closed. There is no explanation for this huge chunk of ice that keeps building up.
Because this is a fairly new fridge - only 2 years old - there is no way I am going to replace it. But I do have to do a quick-defrost every now and again to remove the iceberg.
I have quick defrosting down to an art and it only takes me about 10 minutes tops to remove the ice. The trick is to use my hairdryer!
Here's how:
- Remove all items from the fridge and pop them into the freezer. It will only take 10 minutes and they won't have time to freeze up.
- Although you can't really see in the pics, pull the shelves away from the back - or remove them. My fridge is built-in and it's hard to take out the shelves.
- Use a hairdryer to melt around the outside of the ice block. The idea is to soften around the edge so that it can be chipped off in one piece, and not have pools of water running everywhere.
- Use a plastic spatula - it must be plastic - to chip from the edge. Don't chip off bits, but rather try and remove the block as a whole.
- Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
SAFETY FIRST
DO NOT use a hairdryer that has a frayed cord. Keep the appliance away from direct contact with water.
DO NOT use metal utensils to remove the ice or frost from a fridge. This may easily puncture the casing and result in expensive repairs or replacement of the fridge.