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You are here: Home / Food / Cleaning Your Freezer

January 19, 2015

Cleaning Your Freezer

How long has it been since you cleaned your freezer?  I mean – take everything out – CLEAN YOUR FREEZER!  Whether it is manual defrost or frost-free, it should be cleaned out at least once a year.

Follow these steps:

  1. Unplug.
  2. Place frozen food in cardboard boxes or insulated containers.  I like to clean my freezer during the winter months.  I can place frozen items in boxes in the garage or outside in sturdy, covered containers so animals cannot get into the food.freezer foods 4
  3. Allow to defrost.  Follow manufacturer’s instructions.
  4. When all frost has been removed, clean with a solution of one tablespoon of baking soda per quart of water.  Dry.
  5. Restart freezer and allow to cool (15 to 30 minutes) before returning food to the freezer.

The food in your freezer should be used within a year, label and date it so you will know how old it is.

Reference:  National Center for Home Food Preservation, General Freezing Information, nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/freezer_care.html

Author:  Linnette Goard, Field Specialist, Food Safety, Selection and Management, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, goard.1@osu.edu

Reviewer:  Joanna Rini, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension.

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Categories: Food
Tags: food safety, freezer, storage

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