Page 3 | Asking Someone to Defrost Freezer

Aquarius1234 · 2024-09-10T17:39:18+00:00

AIBU to want to pay someone to defrost my freezer? I just can't do it.!! Anyone know what type of cleaner/ handyman does this?

PonyPatter44 · 13/09/2024 20:12

Leave it switched off. Don't open the fridge bit, but leave the freezer door wide open. Have you got a space heater/ small fan heater that you could set up in front of the door?

If the door isn't closing properly, it might be an issue with ice on the hinges. Defrost the whole thing properly, until it's completely free of ice, and then see if it will close. If it still won't close, duck tape is your friend temporarily.

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 13/09/2024 20:07

Just in top self. So a 3rd of freezer was full of ice. I got a good amount out.

OP posts:

HappyDane · 13/09/2024 20:07

Turn it off. Leave it for as long as it takes. Don't close the doors.

(You don't have to do any work to get rid of the ice - if you leave it for long enough it will all melt. Just make sure to put towels down to soak up the water)

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 13/09/2024 20:06

No ice along door seals.

OP posts:

GogAndMagog · 13/09/2024 20:04

Sagedragon · 10/09/2024 18:46

It takes about 15 mins with a steam cleaner. Pretty much the only time we use our steam cleaner!

OMG.

This never occurred to me!

A use for the redundant steam cleaner 😂

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 13/09/2024 20:03

@Aquarius1234 might be easier if you take a pic of the freezer

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 13/09/2024 20:02

@Aquarius1234 is the ice at the top, outwith the confines of the freezer walls?

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 13/09/2024 20:00

Well that was a disaster!!
I gave it a good go for an hour. Don't own a hairdryer ( was.bad for my hair) or steamer ..hot water stuff didn't work.
Turned off fridge and freezer. Only way.
Took everything out. Not that muxh anyway.
Took draws out. Tried to get rid of a good amount of ice but just couldn't get the really hard stuff out.
Wiped it down etc.
Closed the door and wouldn't close.
Taken all draws out, but still the suction isn't working.
So it's now an empty freezer with ice at the top and not closed properly!!!
Ahhhh
Can't call anyone to fix. Nothing on taskrabbit
.not.handyman available..domestic shops closed.

OP posts:

EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 11/09/2024 12:00

MrsToothyBitch · 10/09/2024 23:48

You have my sympathy OP. The fridge freezer in my flat when I moved in was an old integrated electrolux. It was extremely icy and needed frequent defrosting.

The trouble was, it was obviously put in by a maniac as the plug was unreachable and we had no other really easy way of turning it off. It was on a separate circuit to the rest of the kitchen but was wired up to a circuit that controlled shared lighting and intercom for our building so we couldn't have it off for too long - again, wired by a maniac- as we tried to be mindful of every one. Whilst it was working it was money we didn't need to spend but my god when it finally broke I was delighted and it was replaced with a freestanding Hoover model with a frostless freezer wwithin 72 hours. When we move if wherever we go has a frosty freezer, it is going asap!

We used a defroster spray and a few blasts of the hairdryer whilst safe to do so and waited and wiped down whilst waiting. I used to pour hot water over the drawers and give them a wash in v hot washing up water then dry them v well.

That sounds like something the person we bought our first house from might have done.

As we're talking about defrosting freezers, we found out that a plug socket he'd added to the kitchen was wired to the lighting circuit after I was defrosting the freezer with a hairdryer, a chunk of ice fell into the hair dryer and the downstairs lights all turned off.

He had also removed a plug socket upstairs and left live wires poking out the wall.

CaptainMyCaptain · 11/09/2024 10:16

Aquarius1234 · 10/09/2024 19:43

Yes loads of ice on top shelf. I don't have a top shelf It's just ice with hole.

Edited

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It will take more than 20 minutes then. If you're paying by the hour it will cost you.

sanityisamyth · 11/09/2024 09:28

Aquarius1234 · 10/09/2024 21:05

Yeh I tried bowls of hot water and metal tools.
Didn't work.

Was that before or after you turned it off?

TwinklyNight · 11/09/2024 03:33

We have a Bisell steam shot I think it is called. It has been recently recalled, so check as I see it is still being sold regardless. We will need to find a new one as it worked so well de-icing the freezer. Dh just told me a week ago.
With so much ice in your freezer it will take hours.
Too bad you cannot turn off the fridge. You can keep the food in the fridge part cold if you put a bag of ice in it and keep the door shut.
https://www.consumerreports.org/appliances/appliance-recalls/bissell-steam-shot-handheld-steam-cleaner-recall-a9412301284/#:~:text=More%20Than%203%20Million%20Bissell,use%2C%20posing%20a%20burn%20hazard.

XenoBitch · 11/09/2024 02:44

YANBU.
I need to defrost my freezer too.. as in very badly. The last time I did was about 12 years ago. There are drawers in my freezer that I can't pull out, so I can't remember what was in them! Two drawers are like that... so half of my freezer capacity.
So many steps to do it all.. I can't deal with it at all. I want to set fire to my house and start again else where. It would be easier.

Sparklfairy · 11/09/2024 02:37

Aquarius1234 · 10/09/2024 22:29

Any other cleaners here, ever done this type of job?
One off kitchen tasks? Bit like just doing floors or carpet stairs.
You can find oven cleaning service but not freezer defrosting.

Edited

Find a self employed cleaner (not an agency). Give them a call and just tell them you want the freezer defrosted (and cleaned?) only. Most of them will give you a price. I never had to defrost a freezer but I did do one off 'small' jobs - descaling but not cleaning an ensuite bathroom was one.

Gottobehonest · 11/09/2024 01:57

I clean my freezer every week. Takes just a few minutes. Fridge too.

MrsToothyBitch · 10/09/2024 23:48

You have my sympathy OP. The fridge freezer in my flat when I moved in was an old integrated electrolux. It was extremely icy and needed frequent defrosting.

The trouble was, it was obviously put in by a maniac as the plug was unreachable and we had no other really easy way of turning it off. It was on a separate circuit to the rest of the kitchen but was wired up to a circuit that controlled shared lighting and intercom for our building so we couldn't have it off for too long - again, wired by a maniac- as we tried to be mindful of every one. Whilst it was working it was money we didn't need to spend but my god when it finally broke I was delighted and it was replaced with a freestanding Hoover model with a frostless freezer wwithin 72 hours. When we move if wherever we go has a frosty freezer, it is going asap!

We used a defroster spray and a few blasts of the hairdryer whilst safe to do so and waited and wiped down whilst waiting. I used to pour hot water over the drawers and give them a wash in v hot washing up water then dry them v well.

WGACA · 10/09/2024 22:51

The first step is eating all of the food out of it. Ice cream 😋

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 10/09/2024 22:33

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 10/09/2024 22:17

I’ve actually been hired through Task Rabbit to do this a few years ago. Find someone in there to do it, if you’ll pay, there will always be someone to do it

I guess that came under general cleaning?
Is task rabbit 🐇 high hourly rates?
How did the job go?

OP posts:

Original poster

Aquarius1234 · 10/09/2024 22:29

Any other cleaners here, ever done this type of job?
One off kitchen tasks? Bit like just doing floors or carpet stairs.
You can find oven cleaning service but not freezer defrosting.

OP posts:

Oldieandgoldie · 10/09/2024 22:27

In my last kitchen, I had to remove a cutlery drawer to get to the fridge/freezer socket. Why do kitchen designers do this??

whynotwhatknot · 10/09/2024 22:21

even a cleaner would need to have it turne off though

rightoguvnor · 10/09/2024 22:17

This is a poster who didn't realise she needed to switch the freezer off to stop it freezing.
I think the electrician option might be best 🤣

(Sorry OP, but it is kind of obvious when you think about it isn't it, but you don't know what you don't know - I have no clue how to check a car tyre pressure which is kind of basic)

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 10/09/2024 22:17

I’ve actually been hired through Task Rabbit to do this a few years ago. Find someone in there to do it, if you’ll pay, there will always be someone to do it

BiscuitlyBoyle · 10/09/2024 22:17

Sparklfairy · 10/09/2024 21:56

She doesn't need an electrician. Just turn all the lights on and switch the fuses off one at a time to know which one controls what circuit.

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Plug sockets and lights are often on different circuits.
Just open the fridge so the light is on and flick off the fuses until the light is off.

ShamblesRock · 10/09/2024 22:02

Aquarius1234 · 10/09/2024 21:39

Worth buying a handheld? Not dangerous is it?
I don't have much storage space.

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Don't bother buying one just for this.