Today, the demand for freezers is increasing because the use of freezers in the preservation and distribution of frozen foods has become an indispensable need in every family, restaurant and hotel. However, if you do not use the freezer for a while, how do you store the freezer? Proper storage of the freezer helps to ensure the longevity of the freezer.
Should the freezer be unplugged when not in use?
Experts confirm, you should unplug the freezer when not in use for a long time. This will not damage the freezer if it is stored properly, and precautions are taken. When storing the freezer, you need to pay attention to where you store the freezer, how to place the freezer and how you prepare before storing.
In case your family is away from home for a few days and still needs to use the freezer, it is best to remove excess food in the freezer and adjust the temperature to the lowest level. You should still plug in the freezer and adjust the temperature at number 1. At this time, the temperature in the freezer is about 2-5 degrees and is suitable for short-term food preservation needs, while helping the machine not be damaged.
In case you do not use the freezer for a long time (more than 1 month), you need to unplug the power from the freezer. Do not forget to take out all the food in the freezer, after defrosting all the ice, use a cloth to dry the freezer.
It is recommended to place it in a well-ventilated place, avoid a humid place and cover the freezer with cloth to prevent mice and cockroaches from entering and damaging cabinet components.
Further reading: Best Small Freezers for Garage
When not in use, clean and drain the freezer before storing it
Freezers that are cleaned before storage will avoid the accumulation of odors and help increase the life of the freezer during storage. Cleaning before storage also helps you to check other parts of the cabinet, early detect damage and fix it in time.
You should let the freezer dry before storing. Pay attention not to use knives or sharp objects to pry the snow in the freezer to avoid damage and puncture the freezer.
Clean the cabinet by following these steps.
Step 1: Disconnect all power to the freezer.
Step 2: Remove all food and drawer trays from the cabinet. Soak the compartment trays in the mild detergent solution then rinse and drain. For food, reclassify foods, remove spoiled, expired foods.
Step 3: Slowly pour warm water (absolutely do not use hot or boiling water, do not use sharp objects to smash or break the ice) into the cabinet to melt the ice, then remove all the ice and water from the cabinet. Wipe the freezer with a mixture of lemon juice or vinegar, remember to wipe it with clean water. In addition to the ability to clean, lemon also helps to deodorize the freezer.
Step 4: Wait for the freezer to dry, reinstall the trays.
Step 5: Use a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar to clean the outside of the cabinet. Wipe dry with clean water.
Step 6: Put the freezer in the storage position.
Further reading: Should You Buy an Upright Freezer or a Chest Freezer?
Choose a freezer storage location
You should choose to store the freezer in a clean, dry, ventilated place, free of bacteria and other factors that can easily contaminate the freezer. You should pay attention to choose a place where the mouse cannot attack the freezer, because the mouse can chew on the electrical cord and damage the device.
Place rat traps around the freezer storage area to keep rodents out. Dust that accumulates on the freezer will also affect the operation of the freezer, so using a towel or freezer cover is also highly recommended.
Safety notes
If you have small children at home, you should pay attention to how they get out of the freezer. If you find it difficult to level the freezer upright, place it right next to the wall, a few inches away.
To prevent the freezer from building up odors, place a sponge on the door so that the freezer always has an outlet for odors.
The freezer you want to store should be placed in a locked or open room. This helps prevent children from playing and getting stuck inside the freezer.
What to do when using the freezer after storage?
When you want to reuse the freezer during storage, first check it carefully to determine if there is any damage inside the freezer.
If the inspection detects rust around, you need to pay attention to fix it. The first thing to pay attention to is whether the freezer’s wiring is intact.
When damage is detected, ask a professional to check and repair it before use. Where it has been determined everything is fine, dust the coils and wipe the inside of the freezer again with water. Wait for it to dry before you plug it in. After the freezer runs for a few hours and the temperature stabilizes, you can put the food in storage.
Tips to save electricity and increase the life of the freezer when in use
Place the freezer in a dry and flat location
When buying a new freezer, where to place it is the first thing that you need to think about. Please place it in a flat, dry place. Do not place the freezer on rough surface that will affect the compressor and the life of the cabinet. In addition, you should place the cabinet away from high heat sources, do not place it in a place with high temperature such as the wall because the wall is often exposed to the sun and wet when it rains… You should place the cabinet a little away from the wall at least 10 cm and 5 cm above the ground.
Do not arrange foods too close together
When placing food in the freezer, leave a small gap between the foods to help the cold air circulate evenly. This will save a large amount of electricity. You should use sealed containers, plastic containers or zipper bags to store food, this helps the cabinet not to mix odors and the food does not leak water. Do not put hot food directly in the freezer.
Limit opening the freezer continuously and for too long, make sure to close the cabinet door
Similar to the refrigerator, opening the door often and opening the door for too long will cause the cold air in the freezer to escape, the temperature inside will increase, then the freezer will have to work hard to lower the temperature, causing more power consumption. You also need to check and make sure that the door is completely closed.
Adjust the right temperature
When using the freezer, be sure to set the temperature as reasonable as possible. Depending on the type of food, the amount of food, the outside temperature, you set different heat levels. This will save the electricity costs while still ensuring the best food preservation.
Proper cleaning and maintenance at the right time
Regular cleaning the freezer helps it to work more effectively and improve cooling performance.
You should clean the freezer once a week and the radiator at least once a month to increase its durability and keep the freezer clean.
Defrost the freezer at the right time and in the right way
When using a freezer, defrosting is extremely important. Thick layer of frost will affect the performance of your freezer, consume more power, and take up space in the freezer. So, you need to equip yourself with knowledge about defrosting a freezer.
Brief notes when defrosting:
- Turn off the power
- Remove all food trays and food outside
- Wait patiently for the snow to melt or put a cup of hot water inside the cabinet
- Do not use sharp objects to smash or break snow
- Prepare water containers and cleaning cloths when the snow melts, the freezer will flow a lot of water
- Finally, use warm water to clean the cabinet
You may also like: How to Organize a Small Chest Freezer Efficiently
Quick recap
Properly store the freezer when not in use will help the freezer work properly as well as prolong its life. Hope the article can help you know the steps to clean and how to store the freezer when you do not use it for a long time.
Reference
Does it Ruin a Deep Freezer to Leave It Unplugged for a Long Period of Time, hunker.com, Retrieved on Feb. 8, 2022
