Every year housewives are faced with the question of whether there is a quick and safe defrosting of the refrigerator, and how to do it. Regular defrosting and cleanliness of the device directly affects the appearance of the device and its further normal functioning.
All modern refrigerators are designed approximately the same way: a compressor circulates the refrigerant, a condenser turns the refrigerant into a liquid state and removes warm air from the interior of the refrigerator. Refrigerators with the “No Frost” system are recommended to be washed inside once every six months. They do not require systematic defrosting. Old refrigerators without auto-defrost need to be defrosted once every four months. In spring and summer they are defrosted every two months. Constant monitoring of the contents of your assistant will make it possible to avoid the appearance of unpleasant odors.
If a problem arises on how to properly defrost a refrigerator, it is not always advisable to seek help from the owners of old household appliances, since the latter may differ significantly in their design from their young descendants. However, there is one universal rule for properly defrosting equipment - the older it is, the more often it will have to be defrosted, and accordingly vice versa.
Course of action
When starting to defrost the refrigerator, the thermostat indicator is set to zero. Next, turn off the device from the power supply. The doors of the device open wide. Products are removed from the chambers.Containers are installed under the refrigerator to collect melt water. These can be trays, saucepans with a wide bottom and a small height, or ordinary cotton rags, since they absorb moisture well. From time to time, the vessels need to be emptied of liquid, and the rags should be unscrewed or new dry ones should be used. To speed up the defrosting process, you must constantly ensure that the appliance doors are always open.
Products that were stored in the refrigerator can be moved to the balcony if defrosting occurs during the cold season. If the action takes place in the summer, then it will be more difficult to protect food from room temperature. Frozen meat is wrapped in newspapers and placed in basins or pans. The top is covered with a thick cloth so that warm air does not defrost and spoil the food. There is another effective solution - you can purchase thermostatic bags, they are sold in supermarkets and markets, and store food in them while defrosting the refrigerator.
The device must be left for some time until it is completely defrosted. Attempts to speed up this process may lead to failure of the unit itself. Do not place a container of hot water in the refrigerator. Temperature changes inside the device are extremely undesirable for its normal functioning. The thawing phase should take place at room temperature and naturally. It is not recommended to scrape ice from the freezer with a knife or other sharp objects, as this may damage the evaporators.
After complete defrosting, you can begin cleaning the chambers.A few drops of dishwashing detergent are diluted in water. You can also prepare either a soda solution or a soap solution. They will do an excellent job of removing dirt in your refrigerator and even destroy foreign odors. To prepare a soda solution, you need to dissolve a few teaspoons of soda in a small amount of water. The use of abrasive cleaners or pastes is strictly prohibited.
All shelves and storage containers are removed from the refrigerator and washed with this solution using a soft sponge. Next, wipe the containers with cotton material. Next, move on to washing the inside of the refrigerator. After cleaning, leave the device with the door open for some time. The moisture will evaporate during this process.
The outside of the device also needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Use a soft sponge with a solution of water and detergent to wipe the outer surface. Pay special attention to the rubberized layer, which collects the most debris while using the refrigerator. Then everything is wiped with a cotton cloth in the same way. At least once a year, move the device away from the wall and wipe the back, and also remove cobwebs from the grille. The floor under the refrigerator can also be washed.
Often refrigerators are decorated with magnets brought from different countries or cities. The decor is incredibly beautiful, although widespread, but dangerous, because when they are removed from the surface, many scratches and marks remain. The front surface of the device may be damaged.
After defrosting and cleaning, the empty refrigerator is connected to the electrical network so as not to overload the compressor of the device.After some time, you can load the refrigerator with food.
It is not recommended to defrost the appliance at high ambient temperatures. The temperature difference between the refrigerator and the room should be much less than 15-20 degrees.
Technology for accelerating the defrosting process
The defrosting procedure takes quite a long time, about half a day. The refrigerator, as was said earlier, should defrost itself naturally. But there are methods that housewives have been using for years. These methods, in their opinion, do not harm their home assistant at all. Each housewife has the right to independently choose the defrosting method. The following are non-traditional methods for the refrigerator:
- During use, a whole block of ice can accumulate in the freezer. To speed up the process, use a bowl of hot water. Steam should come from the water. Put a folded towel in the freezer, put a bowl of water on the towel, close the freezer and wait. Later, the water in the bowl can be changed to hotter;
- Defrost the refrigerator using a fan or hair dryer. The air flow is directed at the inner ice wall of the device. To defrost the entire inner surface, you will need to change the air direction. The entire procedure will take about two hours, and the icing will completely disappear. Using a hair dryer will defrost the device even faster than a fan, since the air from the hair dryer is much warmer. However, you will have to work hard and stand for some time with the hair dryer, directing it first in one direction, then in the other;
- there are unconventional methods and without violating the rules for using the refrigerator, i.e. avoiding strong temperature changes. A plate of salt is placed in the freezer, which will corrode the entire snowball.If the icing of the freezer is very strong, you can sprinkle it all with salt, and the result will not be long in coming. After dealing with ice, it is recommended to very thoroughly clean the inside of the freezer;
- Like salt, vinegar defrosts ice perfectly. A plate with vinegar is placed in the center of the freezer. If the snow cap is large, you can spray vinegar over the entire inside surface of the freezer. You will also have to be very careful in cleaning the freezer, since acid tends to corrode the surface of products.
During its operation, snow and ice coats form on the walls of the refrigerator chambers. It becomes increasingly difficult for the compressor to maintain the temperature set in the device. Therefore, regular defrosting of the device will extend its performance, keep the food storage area clean and avoid the appearance of unpleasant odors.
