How to defrost your freezer in just a few minutes

(Patria) - Ice accumulating in your freezer affects the appliance's performance, which can lead to excessive energy consumption at home, and consequently higher electricity bills.

To properly maintain your freezer and extend its lifespan, it is important to defrost it when necessary, reports Jutarnji.hr.

Did you know that frost forms every time you open the freezer, when moisture enters it? So, even fresh food stored in the freezer can release moisture.

In contact with the cold, this moisture turns into frost, which accumulates on the freezer compartments. If the appliance is not equipped with an automatic defrost system, it must be defrosted manually.

Why is this important? When frost builds up on the freezer compartments, an insulating layer forms, causing a drop in heat transfer between the air in the freezer and the cooling system.

For your unit to maintain its internal temperature at the same level, it must consume more energy. But there is another problem: frost accumulation leads to poor food preservation and shortens the freezer's lifespan.

We are aware that not all of us have hours and hours to spend defrosting the freezer, so we have found a trick to defrost it in just a few minutes, effortlessly!

First of all, unplug the appliance from the mains. Empty the freezer and store the food in coolers or insulated bags to keep it frozen while the unit is defrosting.

Never use sharp objects to scrape ice, as you can puncture the freezer compartments. Instead, use a wooden or plastic spatula. Also, don't forget to place a cloth at the bottom of the freezer to absorb water.

If it's a thin layer of ice, you can soak a sponge and rub the freezer compartments to start melting the ice gently. You can also fill a spray bottle with hot water and spray it on the ice.

If, however, the ice layer is thick, boil water in a pot and place it in the freezer. Make sure to place it on a base. Close the freezer and leave it for about 10 minutes. Finally, use a wooden spatula to loosen the ice pieces that have already started to melt.

After defrosting, it is important to clean and disinfect the freezer to remove odor-causing bacteria.

Dip a microfiber cloth in a mixture of water, lemon juice, and white vinegar, mixed in a 3:1:1 ratio, and wipe down the freezer. Dry it with a clean, dry cloth. Finally, plug it back in.