Tips for Cleaning Your Chest Freezer

Cleaning the chest freezer does not have to be a big chore. It is just one of those things I seem to put off for some reason. But now that my freezer foods are at a lower level, it is a good time to get it done.

I normally clean my chest freezer twice a year, early spring and early autumn. The temperatures are not so hot or cold outside so it is easier to keep what frozen foods I have frozen in coolers while I clean my freezer.

After emptying the freezer of the food and the storage baskets, I unplug the freezer.

I place buckets of hot water inside the chest freezer and close the lid. This will aid in defrosting any frost build up quickly.

Once the frost is melted, there usually is water in the bottom of the chest. I take a clean sponge mop and mop out all the standing water. I continue to do this until all debris and water is gone.

Next I fill a bucket with warm soapy water and mop the side walls and bottom of the freezer. Then with the warm soapy water I use a sponge and clean the inside of the lid and the seal on the lid. I make sure I clean all the groves in the seal as well. I may need to use a soft cleanser on the seal to make sure it is good and clean.

After the chest freezer is clean on the inside, I then go back over all areas with a mixture of white vinegar and water. This will remove any soap or cleanser residue. The vinegar also acts as a neutralizer to eliminate any orders.

I then go over the entire inside of the freezer with a dry cloth and get the inside as dry as possible. I may even leave the lid to the chest freezer open for an additional hour or two to get it as dried as possible.

Next I take a little vegetable oil and apply it to the entire seal, grooves and all. Then wipe the oil off so it is barely noticeable. This will help prevent the seal from prematurely cracking and the need to replace the seal.

Before I put the baskets back in the freezer, I place them in hot soapy water and bleach in my bathtub. They normally do not get very soiled with food particles or anything so cleaning is quite easy. I towel dry them and place them back in the freezer.

Now that the inside is all clean, I clean the outside of the chest freezer. Normally all I need to do with the outside is take my trusty window cleaner and give it a once over, since I clean this more frequently.

While I have the chest freezer empty, I pull it out away from the wall and give it a good cleaning underneath and behind. It is amazing how much dirt and grime can accumulate underneath in six months time.

After all is cleaned, I then plug the freezer back into the outlet and push the freezer back in place. A thermometer is placed inside to check the temperature. When the temperature reaches close to freezing I place the frozen foods back into the freezer.

Discard any old food or freezer burned food and start fresh with your new freezer goods.

When all done with cleaning the chest freezer, I then like to place a box of baking soda into the freezer to keep it fresh smelling until the next time I clean it.