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Fridge freezer frozen

(23 Posts)
MissAdventure Sat 02-Nov-24 11:43:22

I have a fridge freezer, and "some people" have not quite closed the doors to the internal shelves,

So now they are frozen solid, with the food inside, and I'm unable to open them.

So my questions are, does anyone have tips on how to defrost the doors (I don't have a hairdryer) and if I manage to melt the ice enough to open the door, will it mean the food will be spoiled?

silverlining48 Sat 02-Nov-24 12:01:19

We have had this same problem only this week. Door not shut properly door frozen.
You need to get the door open, a hair dryer or heater directed at the door or hot water in a bowl wiping down the doors should work.
The stuff inside should be ok for 24 hours if frozen,
My dh got a freezer lock thing online which just clips on the door to close it properly. To open you hold two buttons so it’s always closed properly. Dont panic mr mannering.

silverlining48 Sat 02-Nov-24 12:02:53

If all goes belly up which it did for me earlier this year, I took out what had defrosted, cooked it all snd refroze.

MissAdventure Sat 02-Nov-24 12:06:13

I hadn't thought of cooking anything that defrosts.
I really don't want to be bothered with any of it, but I have to.

Shelflife Sat 02-Nov-24 12:11:04

I am not sure if the food in question is in the main fridge or the freezer section? When you eventually defrost the doors the food ( if in the freezer section) should be fine if still frozen solid. If food is in the fridge it will probably be ok - unless it has been there for a very long time!

silverlining48 Sat 02-Nov-24 12:14:16

It is a bother cooking it all but it was full of meat and fish which I obvs didn’t want to throw out. Hope you get help dealing with this from ‘some people’.
We ate the t cooked food through the weeks and were absolutely fine , no tummy upsets at all.
If you get the doors open and if the stuff is more or less still solid then it will be safe to eat without cooking. . Mine after a few days were obvs totally defrosted.

MissAdventure Sat 02-Nov-24 12:14:39

It's in the freezer section.
I know I didn't explain it well - I couldn't even work out what I'd written. grin

Shelflife Sat 02-Nov-24 13:25:07

Ok. When you do open the doors any good still frozen will be fine..if the good has defrosted there may be a problem if it has been defrosted for more than a few days ! Borrow a hairdryer, good luck and keep us posted.

Shelflife Sat 02-Nov-24 13:25:24

Food !

Granarchist Sat 02-Nov-24 13:48:31

I think there is an aerosol you can spray on to dissolve the ice quickly. Google may help

keepingquiet Sat 02-Nov-24 14:23:02

I inherited an integral fridge freezer when I moved in my house.

The fridge works fine but the freezer is now so frosted over I can't use it because the drawers have broken.

With my other freezers I have always turned off the mains and collected the water that ran out. I have no idea how this fridge freezer is plugged into the mains. There is no socket outside and nothing inside to indicate how to turn it off.

Is it safe to do any of the above suggestions whilst it is still plugged in?

Patsy70 Sat 02-Nov-24 14:37:46

Have you got a hand held steamer MissA? If so, you could use that, and the frozen food will be fine.

Septimia Sat 02-Nov-24 14:42:57

keepingquiet - your freezer is probably plugged into a socket at the back of one of the kitchen cupboards, behind whatever is stored in there, as ours is. Undoubtedly it'll be somewhere really awkward to get at...

Allira Sat 02-Nov-24 14:52:31

Can you get some people to borrow a hairdryer from somewhere?

If you can defrost and unstuck the drawers at the front, the food at the back should still be frozen even if you have to cook the meat and fish at the front.

MissAdventure Sat 02-Nov-24 14:58:51

I have got a steamer thing.
I just remembered, I put it away and forgot it, because I couldnt work out how to get the lid off.

I might have to try it again.

Farmor15 Sat 02-Nov-24 17:07:18

If you simply unplug it and leave for a couple of hours, the ice around the door will have melted sufficiently to open but the food inside should still be frozen.

keepingquiet Sun 03-Nov-24 09:26:05

Septimia

keepingquiet - your freezer is probably plugged into a socket at the back of one of the kitchen cupboards, behind whatever is stored in there, as ours is. Undoubtedly it'll be somewhere really awkward to get at...

Ha!! Thankyou. There is a drawer unit next to it. Just pulled the bottom drawer out and yes, there is a plug right at the back!
There's also a few 'lost' items behind there too- so glad you suggested this.

I shall certainly un-plug it soon and hope it de-frosts! Must choose my day though, will get very wet in my kitchen!

Tizliz Sun 03-Nov-24 09:48:57

keepingquiet

I inherited an integral fridge freezer when I moved in my house.

The fridge works fine but the freezer is now so frosted over I can't use it because the drawers have broken.

With my other freezers I have always turned off the mains and collected the water that ran out. I have no idea how this fridge freezer is plugged into the mains. There is no socket outside and nothing inside to indicate how to turn it off.

Is it safe to do any of the above suggestions whilst it is still plugged in?

Mine is plugged in where I can't reach so I turn the thermostat down and the little light beside it goes off and I presume that it is now off. Not had a shock in 20 years 😬

MissAdventure Sun 03-Nov-24 10:50:24

I ended up doing everything you're not supposed to.

The freezer felt the full force of every known kitchen implement.

silverlining48 Sun 03-Nov-24 12:15:39

Did you solve the problem in the end ?

MissAdventure Sun 03-Nov-24 12:18:03

Yes, I did, thanks.

I've no idea if the food is still edible, but some of it was frozen into a big boulder of ice, so I'll be giving that a go.

silverlining48 Sun 03-Nov-24 12:19:31

It should be fine. It can stay be kept frozen for 24 hours and b3 safe. If soggy / very defrosted cook and re freeze. No need to throw away.

MissAdventure Sun 03-Nov-24 12:22:15

I had a soggy, strange dinner last night.
Mozzarella bites, with roast potatoes, some cauliflower, and tinned tomatoes.

A real old mix up, but I enjoyed it.