The Complete Guide to Defrosting a Refrigerator Fast

Raga59

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posted on 6 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Refrigerators can become frosty and icy for lots of reasons — whether the door has been left open, you’ve put hot food in to cool, or the door just has a bad seal, annoying frost can build up and begin to smell. It’s no glamorous job, but at some point you may have to defrost your refrigerator. Some methods can take over eight hours, but there are tricks you can use to make the process much faster.

Things You Should Know

Empty your refrigerator, unplug it, and leave the door open to defrost for at least 8 hours.
Set a pot of boiling water on top of a towel in the fridge to speed up the defrosting process.
Use a hair dryer to melt stubborn bits of frost, and/or set up a fan in front of your open refrigerator to really get things moving.

Defrosting Your Refrigerator

Empty out your refrigerator. Take this as an opportunity to get rid of all the junk or expired food you’ve collected over time! To stop the rest of your food from spoiling when you remove it from the fridge, store it in coolers or on ice.

Remove the shelves and drawers from your refrigerator. Though you don’t necessarily need to clean them all, this would be a great time to do so. Be careful at this point, since cold plastic is more likely to be brittle and break.

Unplug your refrigerator and open the doors so the ice can melt. Moving the fridge away from the wall will make it easier to clean any leaking water, as well as give you the chance to sweep behind and beneath. At this point, it’s also important to lay down some bowls or towels to collect water that may leak out as the frost melts.

Leave the refrigerator open and unplugged for eight hours. If you’re not in a rush, this is your best option to thoroughly defrost the fridge, though you will need to find a more stable and cool place to store food for this period of time.

Speeding Up the Process

Place a pot of hot or boiling water in the refrigerator. The heat will help to more quickly melt the ice and frost, but be careful! Make sure to put a towel, blanket, or pot holder underneath to protect your floors.

Use a hair dryer to loosen and melt small bits of frost. For larger chunks of ice, loosen them first with the dryer, then use a soft, plastic spatula to chip away or pick it up out of the fridge. Only use a hairdryer if your refrigerator does not have styrofoam insulation, which could melt. It’s important to use a plastic, not a metal spatula, because metal may puncture or damage your refrigerator.

Place a fan near the open refrigerator and turn it on. The increased airflow will not only help to defrost your refrigerator more quickly by raising the temperature, but it will also help some of the melted water evaporate. This will make clean up much easier!