aibu to ask you how to defrost my freezer when it won't even open

[travellinghopefully12]

yeah, I know I am being a bit unreasonable posting here, but really concerned so posting for traffic. We live in rented accommodation, so it's up to us to keep it nice - we also have lots of food in the freezer (lovely things like salmon from the reduced section.)

I have opened it (the front door of the freezer) but the three drawers are frozen shut with white frost and thick impenetrable ice on the front.

We have two cool bags for the stuff in the freezer once it's open, but opening the damn thing is another problem.

It's the same unit as the fridge so fridge is off as well.

Any ideas?

Switch it off at the wall and wait.

As above

I agree.

Do you have a good book to read whilst you wait?

Switch it off overnight and deal with it tomorrow

Out of interest how else were you going to defrost it?

A hairdryer?

So just....wait? I might go and see if I can find a hairdryer.

Will newspaper on the floor be enough for the inevitable flood?

Pour warm water on the thick ice, put some old towels under.

I'd go for old towels and a washing up bowl

don'tyoulovecalpol? I don't know - that's why I'm asking here

also wondering if non frozen food in fridge will be OK or if it needs moving to cold bags. Fridge has residual coldness though, for now.

Thank you - will find an old towel now

Hairdryer,plenty of towels & large bowls.
Once it starts defrosting you might be able to carefully remove chunks of ice into the sink.

Second the hairdryer suggestion. And a fish slice to bash off the hard lumps quicker

If you have anything you want to keep cold put it all together in a bin bag then wrap in blankets / duvet

Id give it a wee blast round the drawer edges with a hairdryer

You could also put some of the frozen stuff in the fridge if you are ready to defrost it as it will help keep fridge items cold.
Open fridge as little as possible!

Unless you don't plan on opening the fridge between now and turning it back on, and you have a good seal on the fridge door, and it's fairly good at keeping temperature it should be okay for a few hours. But every time you open the fridge you'll let warm in with no way if cooling it down...

Old towels on the floor would be better.

Hairdryer or hot water on the ice on the front of the drawers so you can get them open and the food out.

Then once food out same again hot water/hairdryer to speed up the defrost process so you can get it done quickly and the food back in as soon as possible.

Once the ice starts to thaw it usually drops off in massive satisfying chunks.

I would check that you don't have a seal problem with the freezer because it shouldn't really freeze solid like that.

Are you friendly with your neighbour?
I used to store my neighbours & vice versa.

You can put some boiling water it a bowl also to speed things up.

Once its defrosted enough to open a wallpaper steamer melts everything in no time.

I also used to use a hammer on mine. Although I understand that's not recommended! (Dh wasn't impressed)

Don't use hot water. Warm or cold. Hot water could cause problems with the coolant gas.

Don't hairdryer it or hack it. I've done both those things before and been told they are dangerous.

Wallpaper?

Sadly we're not friendly with our neighbour (not unfriendly, just not someone we could ask that.)

Once you've got it open, take the drawers out, put in a bowl, fill it with boiling water and close the door. Keep topping up.

Hairdryer also a good idea and fish slice (no sex lube), but make sure it isn't metal.

If you haven't got a cool box, lay a duvet (not in a cover) on the floor, put the freezer contents on one half, and then fold the other half over. It'll keep your frozen goodies frozen for longer than if they're out in the open.

Use warm water in an empty washing up liquid bottle. You can then squirt the water around the edges- have a shallow tray and old towels on the floor