How Often Should You Defrost a Freezer?

Whether you’ve got a personal freezer at home or one in your commercial kitchen, we all know how important it is to make sure it is regularly defrosted. Not only can a build-up of ice take up space in your freezer, but it can also impact food quality as well as the efficiency of the freezer. Regular defrosting is crucial to ensure you maintain the highest food safety standards and will also ensure the longevity of your freezer. 

In this article, we will tell you how often you should defrost your freezer. We also include some insight as to why you should defrost your freezer and how you can go about doing it. Our guide also includes some helpful tips for defrosting a freezer so you can start hacking away at that built-up ice. 

Why Should You Defrost Your Freezer?

Before we tell you how often you should defrost a freezer, it is important to understand why this process is necessary. Defrosting your freezer is crucial to maintaining its effectiveness and also ensures you comply with safety regulations for storing food. Likewise, it also allows you to use your freezer optimally when it comes to storage and rotating stock. 

Energy Efficiency

One of the most important reasons to defrost your freezer concerns energy usage. Frost builds up in a freezer every time the door is opened. This lets in air and moisture which cools into ice and builds up around the freezer vents. 

Unfortunately, it is impossible to avoid frost build-up entirely and this can have a negative impact on the efficiency of your freezer. As frost builds up in the machine, the freezer has to work harder to keep the food cool throughout and this requires more energy. This can massively increase your electricity bill and also make your freezer more prone to defects and dysfunction. 

Temperature Regulation 

Defrosting a freezer is vital to ensure it can function properly and maintain a consistent temperature. When a freezer becomes too frosted, you run the risk of not keeping your perishable items at optimal temperatures. This can have further consequences, such as food spoilage which is both a health concern and a cause of food waste which can be very expensive for your business. 

The Food Standards Agency highlights -18˚C as the optimal temperature for storing frozen food in a commercial freezer. By ensuring that your freezer has a regular defrosting schedule, you can rest assured that you are adhering to this guideline.

Maximise Storage Space 

Not only can ice build up damage your freezer, but it can also take up valuable freezer space. This can make storing foods quite a challenge as you may need more space for perishable stock. By regularly defrosting your freezer, you can ensure that you are making optimal use of your freezer and not have to worry about storing your frozen food items. 

Cleaning Your Freezer

Defrosting a freezer is also a great opportunity for deep cleaning. Your freezer will be much easier to clean once it is emptied and frost-free. This means you can conduct a thorough cleaning of the whole model, from the cooling elements to the temperature seals. 

Taking Stock 

As with cleaning, defrosting your freezer is a great way to take stock of what items you have and if they are still safe to be used. Use this opportunity to label and date all the frozen items you have stocked and dispose of any foods that have surpassed their use-by date. Certain foods may be fine to serve if they have been kept frozen, but too much time in the freezer could affect their quality and taste so it is important to regularly clear out your freezer. 

How Often Should You Defrost a Freezer?

Many websites will tell you that you should defrost your freezer once a year but this only applies to personal fridge freezers that we use at home. Within a commercial kitchen, you should aim to defrost your freezer at least once a quarter to ensure you adhere to health and safety regulations. 

However, not all freezers are built the same and frost build-up can happen more regularly in certain environments. A good rule of thumb is to defrost your freezer once a ¼ inch of ice has formed. Likewise, many freezers will have a defrosting indicator which is a reg tag at the side of the interior. Once this becomes obscured by ice, it is time to defrost your freezer. 

If your freezer is a newer model, there is a chance that it may be ‘frost-free’ and has its own automatic defrosting setting. If you are unsure if your freezer has this feature, check the user manual before conducting a defrost. 

The Quickest Way To Defrost a Freezer - 5 Easy Steps

Now that you know why it’s important, this section will highlight how to defrost a freezer. We will discuss the required tools and necessary steps for a successful defrost. We will walk you through each step and provide you with suggestions to quickly defrost your freezer without compromising on safety regulations. 

Tools and Equipment for Defrosting a Freezer

Before you get started with defrosting your freezer, it is wise to gather up all the necessary equipment in advance. Below is a list of all the items you will need to defrost your freezer and how they should be used. 

Protective Gear - Make sure you wear eye protection and gloves while defrosting to avoid injuries.

Coolers - You will need to keep your frozen foods cold while defrosting a freezer.

Towels - This will help to soak up the melting ice which will make cleaning easier and also prevent a dangerous hazard.

Plastic Scraper - Use this to gently remove frost from the inside of the freezer and avoid using a metal implement as this could damage the cooling system. 

Buckets - These will help you collect melting water and keep it from causing a potential hazard.

Cleaning Supplies - You’ll want to give your freezer a deep clean once it’s defrosted so be sure to have these to hand.

Step 1: Prepare the Freezer

Start by putting on your safety gear before and make sure that it is in good condition. Next, you will need to empty the contents of your freezer and place them into the coolers that you gathered beforehand. This will prevent the food from spoiling and will make it easier to refill the freezer once it has been defrosted. 

Once the freezer is emptied you will need to switch it off and unplug it from the power supply. This will prevent any electrical hazards which could occur while defrosting the freezer. 

Step 2: Begin the Defrosting Process

You can now start to defrost your freezer. Open the doors and allow warm air to enter the freezer, this will allow the built-up ice to start melting. You can leave the freezer doors open and wait for the ice to melt, but if you want to defrost your freezer quickly there are some additional measures you can take. 

You could position a fan near the freezer to blow warm air inside, this will speed up the defrosting process but is entirely optional. If you don’t have access to a fan, you could also place bowls of hot water in the freezer and allow the steam to accelerate defrosting. Just be sure to replace the water as it cools for the quickest results. 

Once the ice has started to melt you can use your plastic scraper to remove any stubborn bits of frost. Gently scrape any thicker layers of frost and be careful not to damage the freezer walls or cooling components. If there are thicker chunks of ice that won’t come off with a scraper, leave these for a while or try the above methods before attempting another scrape. 

Step 3: Collect the Melted Water

As the ice begins to melt, place towels inside and around the base of the freezer to help soak up the resulting water. You can also use buckets to catch the water as it melts but keep an eye on these in case they start to overflow. 

If your freezer has a thick layer of ice inside it you should make sure to replace the towels once they become too wet, otherwise they won’t absorb all the water. Be vigilant and take care not to slip in any of the melted ice while replacing buckets and towels. 

Step 4: Clean the Freezer

As previously mentioned, defrosting your freezer is also a great time to conduct a thorough cleaning of the interior. Once all the ice has melted, remove any residual water from the freezer with dry towels. 

To clean your freezer, we recommend mixing detergent with warm water and using sponges to clean the interior surfaces. Pay careful attention to corners and crevices and don't forget to clean the outside as well. The seals on a freezer are vital for maintaining its efficiency so be sure to remove any dirt or blockages while cleaning the freezer. 

Once you’ve cleaned the inside of the freezer, apply a food-safe disinfectant to ensure that your freezer is sanitised and free of germs. Once applied, allow the freezer to air dry or wipe down the surfaces with a clean cloth. This is also a great opportunity to check the gaskets and cooling elements for any damage or wear. 

Step 5: Restart the Freezer

Now that your freezer is cleaned you can begin the process of restarting it. Ensure that all the interior surfaces are dry to prevent new ice formation then reconnect the freezer to the power supply and switch it on. As your freezer begins to cool, monitor its progress with a thermometer to make sure that it returns to the proper temperature (remember to aim for -18˚C).

When the freezer temperature returns to its optimal setting, you can return the food items. While restocking the freezer, make sure that your items are well organised to ensure proper air circulation. This will help to prevent further ice build-up and reduce the need for further defrosting. 

And just like that, you have successfully defrosted your freezer!

Tips for Defrosting and Maintaining a Freezer 

So far this guide has covered how often you should defrost a freezer and how to defrost a freezer. We also wanted to share some helpful tips that you can use that will keep your freezer in good condition and increase the time between defrosts. 

Try Not to Overfill Your Freezer 

While it can be tempting to fill your freezer with stock to preserve it, improper food storage is one of the main reasons for ice build up. Overfilling a freezer can block the internal air vents which are crucial for circulating cool air. Make sure that the items in your freezer are evenly spaced and that there is room for airflow inside the freezer. 

Don’t Put Hot Food in the Freezer 

Counterintuitive as it may seem, placing hot food in a freezer can actually create more ice. This is because the hot food releases steam which cools inside the freezer and adds more moisture to the interior. This can lead to more ice forming on the surfaces of your freezer and will make defrosting a much more regular occurrence. 

Regular Freezer Maintenance 

To make sure that your freezer is running properly, you must conduct regular checks. In a commercial kitchen, having a strict cleaning schedule for your freezer can help you identify when parts need to be replaced or when it’s time for a full defrost. Implementing regular maintenance on your freezer is one of the best ways to ensure its longevity. 

Staff Training on Defrosting 

Staff training is a great way to make sure your freezer is kept in good condition. You should endeavour to update your staff on the correct ways to operate a freezer and give them full training on how to conduct a defrost. At Virtual College, we have a range of food hygiene training courses that will make sure your staff comply with food safety regulations. 

FAQs 

When can you put food back in the freezer after defrosting? 

When defrosting a freezer, you should wait until the freezer has returned to its proper operating temperature before placing any food inside. To do this you can monitor the temperature once you have turned your freezer back on and make sure it reaches -18°C. It can typically take a few hours for the temperature inside the freezer to stabilise but this will vary between models. 

Once the freezer temperature reaches 18°C, wait at least an hour before returning your food items to ensure the temperature is consistent throughout. You can then begin restocking the freezer slowly as keeping the door open for too long or overfilling it could prevent the freezer from operating properly. 

What happens if you don’t defrost your freezer?

If you don’t defrost a freezer, ice can build up inside which causes a variety of problems. Firstly, your freezer will not function properly, leading to temperature fluctuations and potential food spoilage. Likewise, excessive frost can cause damage to the freezer components which can be expensive to replace. 

Most crucially, failure to defrost your freezer could result in non-compliance with food safety regulations. This could result in fines or inspections and in severe cases, the closure of your business. 

What to do with food when defrosting a freezer?

It is important to keep any frozen food cold while defrosting a freezer to prevent it from thawing. This can cause bacteria to multiply which will spoil the food and put you at risk of breaking food safety regulations. Bacteria can start to grow once the food reaches temperatures above 8°C, this is known as the danger zone for bacterial growth. 

When defrosting a freezer, make sure that all food items are kept in temperature-controlled storage such as a cooler or freezer bag. You can fill up your storage container with ice to help keep the food frozen. Make sure that you keep the food out of direct sunlight and away from other heat sources to prevent it from thawing. 

Summary 

Regularly defrosting your freezer is a vital practice, whether you're maintaining a personal appliance at home or managing a commercial kitchen. Proper defrosting ensures energy efficiency, optimal temperature regulation, and maximum storage capacity, all while adhering to health and safety standards. Ignoring this crucial task can lead to increased energy costs, food spoilage, and even potential health code violations.

If you’re wondering how online training can vastly improve your commercial kitchen, Virtual College is a trusted provider of training and development courses for a range of businesses. Contact us now to see how our training solutions could benefit you or browse our selection of training courses.