How to Prevent Frost Build-Up in a Freezer

Frost building up in your freezer can take up valuable freezer space and prevent it from being able to operate properly. However, if you follow the tips in this article, you will be able to prevent frost from building up and having to clean your freezer out too often.

Simply start by checking the temperature is set correctly and then work your way through the tips and your freezer will be frost-free and working correctly again in no time.

Check the temperature

The best place to start is to make sure the freezer temperature is set correctly. Most manufacturers recommend that a freezer temperature is set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit (or -18 Celsius). If the temperature is set significantly lower, frost may build up.

To check the temperature, all you need to do is locate the thermostat and make sure it’s on the right settings. If not, adjust it, defrost your freezer to clean out all of the frost build-up, and then monitor your freezer to make sure frost has stopped building up. If the frost keeps developing, see the section below about regularly cleaning your freezer.

Clean your freezer regularly

If the temperature is set correctly, or adjusting it doesn’t work, the frost may be the result of you not cleaning your freezer regularly. It’s recommended that you clean your freezer out every couple of months. This can easily be done by removing all food and shelving, giving the inside a good clean, and defrosting the ice in it. Once the shelves and inside are clean you can turn it back on again. If cleaning your freezer doesn’t solve your frost problem, make sure the freezer drain isn’t blocked up (see below).

Check the freezer drain

Your freezer has a small drain at the bottom of the appliance that helps remove excess water. If this drain becomes blocked up, frost might develop in the bottom of your fridge. The easiest way to unblock the drain is to pour hot soapy water down it to remove any loose debris. If that doesn’t work, use a piece of wire to remove any debris. If the drain is fine, or if unblocking it doesn’t stop frost building up in your freezer, check the door gasket (see below).

Check the door gasket

If the door gasket around your door is dirty or has become faulty, your freezer may be getting warm air into it which can then cause moisture that turns into frost. Checking the door gasket is simple, all you need to do is check it the whole way around to see if it has come out of place, or if there are any signs of damage. If damaged in any way, it will need to be replaced.

If the gasket is damaged, give it a good clean with hot soapy water and a small brush. Once you’ve dried it off, close the freezer door and check over time if the frost build-up has stopped. If not, make sure you aren’t filling it up with too much food (see below). 

Check your freezer isn’t overloaded

Sometimes when you overload a freezer with too many food items, frost can develop, meaning your freezer needs to stay operating for longer to stay at the correct temperature. To stop this from happening make sure you don’t put too much food into your freezer and that the fan isn’t covered completely. If this tip doesn’t work, check out the next one below.

Don’t put warm food into a freezer

Another good tip to prevent ice build-up in a freezer is to ensure you never put warm cooked food into it. Always leave your food to cool down first, as when warm food goes into a freezer it can cause humidity which helps frost to develop in your freezer. It’s also not a good idea to put warm food into a freezer due to the food poisoning risks. 

Don’t open the freezer door too often

Our final tip is to make sure you don’t open your freezer door too often. When you do, warmer air gets into your freezer which causes humidity and then that can turn into frost. The best way to not have to open the door more than absolutely necessary is to organize the food in your freezer well so you can easily access it when you need to. Hopefully, the tips in this article have helped you find the cause of your frost build-up!