Cleaning an Upright Freezer

An upright freezer, or American style fridge freezer, is a valuable commodity. It is important to make sure that they are cleaned and well maintained at all times. During a year of typical use, upright freezers may become soiled with spills, food particles and clogged with ice that makes them inefficient and unsanitary to store items safely. Regular maintenance of the units can save you time and money.

It is recommended that users clean their fridge freezers at least once a year. This is easily accomplished using soaps and cleansers found under nearly every kitchen cabinet. Before servicing the unit, make sure to disconnect its power supply by both shutting off the fridge freezer and disconnecting its cord from the wall. In addition, turn the freezers temperature controls to the 'off' position.

If necessary, remove food that may be stored in the upright freezer and place them temporarily in another freezer, cooler or other storage receptacle to prevent thawing. Placing the cold items closely together and perhaps adding some additional ice will prevent the food from thawing out for a few hours or days while cleaning the upright freezer. Keep in mind that this is an excellent opportunity to inspect the contents of the fridge freezer to determine whether to discard any damaged, unwanted or expired food items.

If the upright freezer contains a lot of collected frost, it may be necessary to allow this accumulation to melt on its own, by leaving the upright freezer door open. The process can be hastened by chipping away at the hardened frost by hand, making sure to wear protective gloves. As the ice melts, excess water can removed by towel or sponge.

Once the upright freeze is relatively free of accumulation on its interior walls, and it is at room temperature, it can be cleaned with a solution of warm water and mild soap. Any storage racks can be removed and cleaned in this way as well. If there is an odour within the fridge freezer, this can be removed by spraying a diluted bleach solution and wiping down the walls further, or instead using a mixture of baking soda and water. Be sure any cleaners and cloths used are not abrasive to avoid scratching any walls or interior components.

Make sure the interior of the upright freezer is completely dry before reinstalling any storage compartments or racks within unit. Make sure that the racks themselves are dry too. Connect the fridge freezer to its power supply and switch the unit on, setting the temperature controls to the desired level, and close the freezer door or lid. Once the upright freezer has reached the proper temperature, replace frozen food into the freezer.

Charlie is a fridge freezer enthusiast. Whether you're looking for an American style fridge freezer or an upright freezers, Charlie's the man!

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