Stinky Freezer? Stay Cool and Try This Hack

Cleaning a deep freezer can be a royal pain in the you know what. If they break down or are without power for any lengthy period of time, then you could be dealing with a situation that is simply disgusting. Not only are they awkward to clean, but they can also smell like death from being closed with rotting foods inside. 🤮 Don’t worry, we have a well thawed out plan that will have your freezer looking and smelling like new again. Prepare yourself, it can be a nasty job before it’s done. Pro tip: This hack works on coolers as well. This is a great time to check them before camping or outdoor bbq parties begin.

What you’ll need:

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• Vacuum with horsehair brush attachment
• Gloves
• Scrub brush
• Bleach
• Paper towels
• 2 or more boxes of baking soda 
• Lots of newspaper
• Mask (optional)

How to do it:

1. Put on some gloves and a mask (always a good idea when using bleach).

2. Unplug and thaw out your freezer if it’s still running. Toss all rotten or outdated foods in the garbage, unless it’s reusable such as ice packs that can be cleaned and put back in later.

3. Wipe up any liquid messes with paper towel, then vacuum up all the food crumbs with a horsehair brush attachment

4. Pour a gallon of hot water and ⅓ cup of bleach into a bowl (you can go stronger on the bleach if yours is REALLY bad).  As always when using bleach, wear old clothes you don’t care about. Dip your scrub brush in and scrub everything down. Scrub every surface and pay special attention to any drips or crusted over areas. Open any nearby windows or run ventilation fans to bring fresh air into the area.

5. Wipe down with paper towels until it’s dry and let it air out with the lid open. 

6. Open a couple of boxes of baking soda and place them in the freezer to start the odor elimination process. Leave overnight.

The hack is: if it’s still rank the next day, fill the deep freeze with crumpled up newspaper and plug it in. Leave it for 24 hours with the lid closed. The newspaper should rid the freezer of the rancid smell.

Remove the newspaper and reload your freezer.

For more helpful hacks check out our blog. There are many more articles for cleaning every room in your home!

– Denise @GoCleanCo