Defrosting the freezer is something I have to do as soon as I think about it. Otherwise I will forget about it and do something else. ..It's not exactly a job that thrills me and it's not a job for summer, but a cold day job. There is only one part I like about doing it .So I have thought and forgotten about doing it for some time now. But today as I was putting the rubbish out for bin day today I noticed the bin was only 3/4 full.

How to defrost a freezer when it has food in it.
Arm yourself with a rounded knife, or a plastic scraper
plastic dustpan
plastic bags - if you are like me you will find plenty of empty bags in the freezer.

Using the scraper scrape any visible ice around the top of the freezer. Do this carefully if you are using the knife. (this is the part I like to do) The best way to use the knife is to slide it downwards between the side of the freezer and the ice with a chipping action. don't jab it into the side of the freezer or you will damage the freezer!

Next, move out one of the top baskets, move meat into another section if you can. but what you are aiming to do is to have one end of the freezer empty so you can finish scraping the ice off.

Scoop out what is in the bottom of the freezer, ice, chips, peas, slices of bread, prawns - (that's what was in my freezer) with the plastic pan and drop it into the plastic bag. try and work quickly, so that nothing you have left out starts to defrost. once that section is clean you can put the meat back in.


Clear the next section by piling what you are keeping into the area you have just cleaned.



When it's all done you can rearrange and move it all where you want it.


If you find anything to chuck out while you are doing this, then just bag it up.


This is what you will think.


I knew we had peas, I didn't know we had three packs and all of them open.

That's where the garlic bulb went.


I knew I had bought a bottle of soy sauce.


If you can do the whole job all at once then do it.
If you can only do one section at a time then do that.

Either way when you have finished let the freezer recover by not opening the door for a few hours.


If you find loads of bags of crusts of bread, then either use them to feed the birds or make a bread and butter pudding.
Put the crusts all together in one bread bag, leave them in the freezer for later or defrost now if intending to do something with today.

Sit down with a cup of tea!