Environmentally friendly cleaning of your freezer
It takes quite some time to defrost your freezer. That's why I often put off this chore until I could no longer open the drawers. And that's a really bad idea, because that way the freezer uses more energy than it needs. To avoid this, I have a note in my digital diary every six months to remind me to clear our freezer of ice. This step-by-step plan will ensure that cleaning your freezer does not become a big cleaning chore that you look forward to for weeks, and you will keep the appliance more energy efficient.
Tools
- large box, cooler bags or shopping crate for the frozen food
- blanket
- large pan or bowl
- kettle
- (bath) towels or old rags
- little green soap
- bucket or tub
- soft brush
- soft cloth
- tea towel
- hoover
- option: old toothbrush
Instructions
- Turn off your freezer using the button or by unplugging it. Remove all frozen food from your freezer. Make sure the food is stored properly so it doesn't thaw. If it is colder than 10°C outside, the easiest way to store your frozen food is outside. Put everything in a crate, box or cooler bags on your balcony or in your garden. Put a blanket over it to prevent the food from heating up very much. Is it warmer outside? Then leave your food in a cool place in the house and put cooling elements with your food in the box or crate so it doesn't heat up too much.
- Remove the drawers from your freezer and set them aside to clean.
- Fill your kettle and boil a full jug of water. Put the water in a large pan. Place this pan without a lid in your freezer and close the door. Place one or more (bath) towels or old rags under and in front of the door of your freezer to catch any meltwater. You will see that the ice in your freezer melts very quickly due to the boiling hot water. If you still see a lot of ice after 30 minutes, make a new pan of boiling water and repeat the steps until your freezer is completely ice-free.
- Make suds in a bucket with green soap (or a scoop of baking soda and some lemon juice). Using less hot water and properly dosing your detergent is the most sustainable. Use about 1 tablespoon of green soap per litre of water or about 2 tablespoons of baking soda per litre of water.
- Clean all drawers with your soapy water using a soft brush or cloth. Let these items drain and dry well with a tea towel.
- Take a clean, soft cloth and clean the rubbers of your freezer doors well with the same soapy water. Check if your rubbers allow your door to close properly. If not, you can buy new rubbers. This is a sustainable choice, as a properly closing door ensures that the freezer uses less energy.
- Clean the inside of the door well with your cloth and also check the drain channel of your freezer. If there is dirt in the gutter, the condensation cannot drain properly. Clean the gutter with the tip of your cloth or an old toothbrush.
- Can you move the freezer? Then carefully pull it off the wall and use the brush of your hoover to vacuum the grilles at the back. Then clean these with your cloth. A clean grille can lose its heat better and ensures that your freezer does not use too much energy. Put the freezer back, but don't place it too close to the wall to make the refrigeration work as efficiently as possible.
- Put the drawers back in the freezer and place all the food back in the appliance.
- Turn the freezer back on and close the door tightly. A few hours later, check that the temperature has returned to normal. The ideal temperature is -18°C. Colder is not necessary and only causes unnecessary energy consumption.