Even today, when few folks have even heard of refrigerators that don’t have an automatic defrosting cycle, many chest and upright freezers still require a manual defrost occasionally. Periodic defrosting allows your freezer to run more efficiently, saving electricity.

 

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The job is both wet and messy, so it will help to have lots of absorbent towels on hand. Start by removing the food and placing it into another freezer or insulated chest, turning the control to the off position, unplugging the freezer, and propping the door open. Place towels in front of an upright model, or on the floor of a chest freezer. Let the warm air do its job. Place a stand or box fan outside the unit (you don’t want it to be sitting in a puddle!) to speed things up. Partially melted ice can be chipped away from interior surfaces, but use a plastic spatula or ice scraper since sharp tools — and anything made of metal — can damage the interior cabinet or freezer coils.

After the last of the ice and the wet towels have been removed, empty out defrosting pans (if you have them) and dry the freezer interior. Using a wet-dry vacuum will speed the ice and water removal process and reduce the number of towels needed.

As a last step, rinse the interior surfaces with a solution of 2 fluid ounces of baking soda in a quart of water, and drying everything a second time.

As with a refrigerator, an open box of baking soda left in the freezer will do a good job of controlling odors.

Reference:

Consumer Reports editors in How to Clean and Care for Practically Anything.