Preparation

• Regardless of the method you choose to defrost your freezer, you will have to remove everything to get started. In addition to the frozen foods, it is best to remove all of the racks and drawers so the freezer is completely empty. You can get the racks and drawers clean in the sink with warm soapy water, and after rinsing, let them air-dry while you defrost the freezer itself.
  
  

Defrosting Methods

• Boiling water is a common method to defrost. It involves placing a freshly boiled pot of water in the freezer then closing the door so the steam will melt the ice. You will need to have several pots boiling so as one cools, you can replace it with a boiling pot. You also will need to dry the melting water each time you open the door to replace the pot.
  
  Hair dryers can also be used to melt the ice but do require you to stand in front of the freezer to hold the dryer. This method is best used for small freezers or to loosen spots of very thick ice, because holding the dryer for long periods of time can be tiring and tedious.
  
  Natural thawing is another method, but it takes the longest because you merely unplug the freezer, open the doors and let the higher temperature in the room melt the ice. This can take several hours, depending on the size of your freezer and the amount of ice buildup you have. You will also want to make sure you have newspapers or towels in the bottom of the freezer to absorb the water as it melts, because you won't be actively drying as you would using the boiling water or hair dryer techniques. This works better on stand-alone freezers because with freezer/fridge combos you would have to remove all of the food from both sections of an unplugged unit.
  
  Defroster sprays are relatively new to the market and may be the least time-consuming option. There are several brands available, but they basically all work in the same manner. You simply spray the chemical on the ice, wait a short time, then pick up the ice. The spray causes the ice to come unattached from your freezer, allowing you to gather the chunks of ice without having to wait for them to melt.