Help a poor dumb college kid: How to defrst a fridge? SUCCESS!

[yobarman]

So i got a fridge in the beginning of the year from my grandma, and I never used the upper icebox section of it..and it seems about an inch of ice has gathered on the walls. How would i go about getting rid of this ice? Just leave the fridge off for a while i suppose...but what about all the water? Help me, I have no idea what I'm doing.

SUCCESS!: the fridge is offically deforsted, thank you ATOT! you're always there for me.....and im drizunk!

 

[d33pt]

it should've come with a tray that you put under there to catch the water when you defrost it..

 

[bunker]

Towels, and lots of them. Unplug the fridge and lay down towels in front of and around it. Check on them every once in a while and wring out/replace them as needed.

Once it gets to melting you may be able to chip off some of the larger chunks of ice, but if there are exposed coils (as there are in many old freezers) make sure you don't chisel too hard or you could damage them.

 

[pyonir]

A) let it sit and melt a little then see where the the water will run to and put a bucket there. (or even a wet dry vac)

B) use a hair dryer and see where the water will run to and put a bucket there.

C) get someone else to do it

D) start to chip away the ice as it melts and comes off in chunks...discard appropriately.

 

[Jzero]

The best and least damaging way is to just shut it off and leave the door open and let it melt. If it didn't come with a tray to catch the water (which is useless because it's never big enough and is always too awkward to so you end up spilling it all over the floor before you can get it to the sink anyway) then put towels under it to catch the water.
Chipping/hair dryer can damage the freezer.

 

[nihil]

let it sit for a while to loosen up the ice a bit. then try to get as much ice out by using a screwdriver or something to chisel at it. the key is to get out as much ice as you possibly can, to avoid water leaking all over the floor. just keep in mind not to damage the thing by trying to get too much ice out.

 

[Cerebus451]

How big is the fridge? Can you move it somewhere where there is a drain? The only way to properly defrost is to turn the thing off and let it melt away. Chiseling can damage the fridge (regardless of whether or not there are exposed coils - you can damage the lining too). If you can pry off a chunk with your hands, you might be okay, but you don't necessarily want to go poking at it with a sharp object. You can put a bucket inside to catch a lot of the water, and use towels to get the rest, but ultimately if you can move it so it sits over a drain, just unplug the sucker and let it drain. I have an old fridge in my basement, and it is on a concrete floor with a drain, so when I need to defrost I just unplug it and leave the door open, come back in a day or so and plug it back in.

 

[yobarman]

ok cool i have a tray to catch water and it's a new fridge, so there shouldnt be any coils or anything ....i can't move the tray cause the ice froze it in its place, haha. Alright, thanks for the help guys!

 

[ragazzo]

napalm...

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: Jzero
The best and least damaging way is to just shut it off and leave the door open and let it melt. If it didn't come with a tray to catch the water (which is useless because it's never big enough and is always too awkward to so you end up spilling it all over the floor before you can get it to the sink anyway) then put towels under it to catch the water.
Chipping/hair dryer can damage the freezer.

Hahah! I know how that feels. I left my fridge to defrost before leaving for winter break and when I came back 4 hours later, half the floor in my room was wet. I cleaned it up and as I was getting the damn tray out, I spilled more water out of it. Stupid tray. :|

 

[hzl eyed grl]

We always used to boil water and put the pans in the freezer when we had one that had to be defrosted.

 

[stockjock]

Make sure you unplug it and then keep the doors closed for about a month...remember to leave the food in there too!!

 

[rgwalt]

You are in a dorm right? If it is co-ed, go find one of your girl-friends and barrow her hair drier for 30 minutes. Presto, instant defrost. Keep lots of towels around, and a bucket to throw ice chuncks in.

Ryan

 

[Copperman]

stockjock that should be a good one

 

[dude]

How to defrost! The easy way!

 

[yobarman]

SUCCESS!