Eeek! What's happened to my freezer?

[JellySlice]

I just opened it for the first time in several days, and it's full of ice. It seemed like the door might have been stuck with ice, too.

Do I panic now and run out and buy a lovely new one or is there something more sensible that I should do?

Is it so full that there's been a gap in the seal and it's iced up?

Top drawer ajar so door not properly sealed.

Agree door hasn't quite been closed. You now need to defrost it - switch it off, take everything out, put it in fridge/wrap contents tight in any insulating bags you have, blankets/throws etc; then crack on with bowls of warm water placed inside, once the ice starts to loosen help it off with plastic spatula. Never scrape hard/use metal. Change the water when it cools, keep working at ice pieces, dishcloth to wipe away water, ease ice off the cooling pipes... Then when all ice gone, refill the freezer, switch it on, and you're done!

Or if you have a steam cleaner, they're brilliant for fast defrosting.

When you've emptied it, lay newspaper, old towels or whatever to protect floor and put baking tins or other shallow receptacles on the floor to collect water.

Boil kettle and put pans of water in drawers as soon as you can open them. Push door too and leave steam to work.

It'll be cold, wet work. When it's ice free and clean, resolve to keep it that way!

Thanks for the advice. I haven't defrosted a freezer in literally decades!

Well, that was a pleasant way to spend an hour. I think I'd rather buy a new one.

The drawer BTW wasn't the problem. Its front is loose and got pulled out by me opening the door, as the ice stuck it to the door.

The problem was a child

I've got a frost free freezer now, so I don't have to go through the hassle of defrosting, but I do remember that it's a hell of a job if left. Much better to defrost as soon as you notice the ice building up. And before you've done a big shop!