General cleaning in the refrigerator is so difficult and time-consuming because of the fact that it takes a lot of time to melt ice in the freezer. Often, when this process is completed, it turns out that the freezer also smells unpleasant because of the fact that there were unnecessary products in it for a long time. Therefore, the question often arises how to speed up defrosting and how to get rid of the odor.

OBOZREVATEL tells you about a few lifehacks that will help to cope with this task. And how to properly wash the freezer, so as not to damage and at the same time effectively refresh it.

Can the freezer be defrosted separately

The short answer is yes, but there are nuances. Not all models assume a separate disconnection of the refrigerating and freezing chambers from the mains, which is necessary for defrosting. If the device has two compressors, you can do this. In other cases, you will have to organize a general cleaning of the entire refrigerator.

Experts advise to carry it out at least once a year, even for devices equipped with the No Frost system. Yes, ice does not accumulate in them, but they still need periodic cleaning. In particular, because of the problem with stale food and odor.

What can be evidenced by the accumulation of ice in the freezer

Modern refrigerators are designed so that the ice layer in them does not accumulate unnecessarily. If you have encountered this problem, there are two main reasons. Either you use the freezer often, which causes warm air to get inside it, making the device work at full capacity and freeze ice, or you have a loose door seal and it needs adjustment.

How to properly clean your freezer

Regardless of what design your refrigerator has, cleaning in the freezer is done according to a similar algorithm:

• unplug the refrigerator, if it is possible and you want to clean only the freezer, then unplug it only;
• remove all products from the freezer and move them to a place where they will not have time to thaw, if possible, cover them with frozen water bottles so that they thaw longer;
• remove shelves, racks and trays;
• leave the door open and wait for the snow and ice to thaw.

The defrosting process can take from 3 to 10 hours, depending on the condition of the freezer. During this time, you can wash the removable parts of the freezer. Non-aggressive agents with deodorizing effect - citric acid, vinegar, baking soda - are best suited for this purpose. But you should be careful with baking soda, because it can scratch surfaces due to its abrasiveness - you should not rub drawers and shelves with it.

When all the ice has melted, wash the walls and bottom of the freezer with a soft sponge and a microfiber cloth. You can use the same detergent as for the drawers. You can also prepare a baking soda solution, taking 1 tablespoon of detergent per 500 ml of water. It will also remove foreign odors.

If mold has appeared on parts of the freezer, such as doors and seals, it can be sprinkled with citric acid or treated with white vinegar. Leave the substance for a few minutes and then rinse it off.

The final stage of cleaning the freezer - washing off the remains of all the means and drying the chamber. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Only after that you can put all the removable parts back in and plug the device into the network. In a dry chamber, excess ice will not immediately freeze. When the freezer cools down a little after cleaning (it will take about 2 hours), you can put food back into it.

Earlier OBOZREVATEL told how to effectively clean the handles of the kitchen stove.

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