Asking Someone to Defrost Freezer

[Aquarius1234]

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?

I did do some hacking. Then stopped..hopefully I haven't made holes in the plastic ..just deeper scratches into middle bit in-between shelves.
I got impatient as I felt the hard ice was never going to become softer.

I mean this with all the kindness in the world, but you need to take a deep breath and stop flapping. If you've turned it back on, wedge the door closed for now with a chair or similar pushed in front of it.

But you are going to have to tackle it again tomorrow. Either go out and buy a steamer, which will help with your apparent expectation for compacted ice to instantly melt! Or, do the boiling water thing. I reckon it'll need at least six bowls before you see any progress at all. Change them every 10-15 mins if necessary - as soon as they cool enough that you can put your hand in. I don't think you've comprehended how dense the ice is and it will take time to shift without a direct heat source like a steamer. You need to be patient.

I'm fairly sure once the ice is gone and you've dried all around the seal, it will close again. It may not, but until the ice goes you're pretty stuck anyway.

Just turn it off, put some towels down and leave it. Assuming your kitchen is warmer than your freezer, it will just melt.

Don't hack at it.

Why do you think it's not shutting properly when there isn't ice in the way.
Never had issues before. Just had to shut door quickly. And obviously loads of ice was building up.
But the suction was always working just about.

Right not eaten yet. So I should turn off fridge and freezer and just walk away for a while.
I don't get how the small bowls of water help.
Maybe I should start again tomorrow. I feel I don't want the mess now.
Just can't understand why the suction on door isn't working.
Yes I was freaking out. As I keep thinking it's the worst thing ever to have a freezer that doesn't shut.
But if there's nothing in there??

Prop something up against it for tonight.

You honestly don't need to bother with bowls of hot water etc.

First thing tomorrow turn it off, open the door, leave towels at the bottom and outside the door and leave it all day if necessary.

Have you wiped the rubber seal? If it's been open to defrost sometimes the seal is wet then it won't 'suck'.

And don't worry about the fridge being off overnight. If you don't keep opening the fridge door it'll be fine. We were without electric during storms earlier in the year for over 24 hours and stuff like butter was still rock hard because we kept the fridge opening to a minimum.

I used a dry J Cloth to wipe. I used about 6 cloths earlier. Dropped a bowl of water.

Do I still need to prop chair ? It's closed just not as it should.

What do you mean the "suction" doesn't work?

Do you mean the door isn't staying closed? That has nothing to do with whether it's on or off.

The seal isn't working I mean? PP know what I mean.

Just put a chair up against it, that way you won't worry overnight.

If you want to defrost it, then leave it off overnight and the door open.

Leave a few towels down to soak up the water and forget about it until the morning. If the seal is a bit wet it might not close properly if the seal is otherwise undamaged - it's just a magnetic strip.

I've wiped it dry again so not sure why the magnetic strip isn't working..
I didn't touch it when getting ice off.

Just unplug it and keep fridge door closed it will keep cool. You can get rid of high risk foods first if you really want to.

Anyone had a new seal put on their freezer in the past?
Domestic appliances engineer able to fit it?

Honestly just turn it off and defrost it properly.

I've just done mine it took 4 hours regularly changing the hot water to melt the ice and it wasn't as bad as yours. Just put a bowl in, watch tv a but then swap it, chop any loose ice off if desired. Leave it off or else it is freezing as fast as you melt it.

If you can protect your floor from water, I'd just leave it over night.

When it's clear and dry in the morning it will likely close.

OP, I don't think you've got anything to lose now.

Turn it off and leave door open while it defrosts overnight (leave towels in front to soak up water).

Either it'll work and everything will be in good order in the morning.

Or it won't work when you switch it back on and you'll need to get it repaired.

There's no point mucking about either it now, unless you do the boiling water thing to get it fully defrosted tonight. But by the looks of that ice block I imagine you'll be doing this past midnight.

I'd leave it to defrost on its own while you go to bed.

I think starting it at 5 30pm on a Friday when I wasn't in the mood didn't help.
Yes I thought with people saying they could do it in 20 mins was giving me false hope.
I may try again tomorrow morning. I think when it gets late I start to panic more.

What a load of drama about nothing.
Turn fridge freezer off.
Leave fridge door closed.
Open freezer door
Remove any food and put in a cool bag.
Remove any drawers.
Stuff some towels on the shelves and lay some on the floor.
Leave it alone don't touch, poke, Scrape or hack at anything. It is ice. Ice melts above freezing. Presumably your kitchen is warmer than freezing. When ALL the ice mets dry everything..switch back on put drawers and food in and close door.

It really isn't difficult you are just flapping about not achieving anything apart feom getting yourself in a state for no reason.

Attempting again today.
Does it matter if water goes in the grate at the bottom with holes?

No, it doesn't.

Honestly, why are you making such a big deal over this? I get you may never have done it before. Weren't confident about how to go about it.

But you've had pages of advise. Endless support and encouragement. It's a basic household chore that doesn't require skill.

And I can't believe, after all this angst, you've left it until Sunday evening to tackle.

I had plans all day yesterday, so wasn't around.

I actually think OP is on the wind up. Nobody can have this much drama switching if a freezer and waiting for the ice to melt.

Smell ice can you? Jesus Christ.
Yes its that bad.
Anything with water I hate.