If the freezer in the apartment is failing to close or you cannot shut any of the drawers, this indicates that the freezer might need defrosting. To do this you will need to transfer all of the food in the fridge/freezer to the second fridge/freezer in your apartment. If there is only one fridge/freezer in your apartment, please report the issue to maintenance as soon as possible.


Once your food has been removed you should report to maintenance that your fridge/freezer needs defrosting. The fridge/freezer will then be switched off until it has fully defrosted, and then turned back on ready for use. This usually takes 24 hours.


To defrost your freezer yourself you can follow the steps below:

  1. First and foremost, make sure all frozen and refrigerated items are moved to the other fridge/freezer to keep your products from spoiling.
  2. Switch the freezer you are defrosting off at the wall.
  3. Next, you must prepare your space. Using old or scrap paper/paper towels, spread them around your freezer. This is in order to prevent any water reaching your floor and causing unnecessary mess.
  4. Take out shelves, trays and drawers and set aside for cleaning. If they are difficult to remove because of ice, simply wait for it to defrost rather than risking injury or damage to the item.
  5. Use a dry towel, kitchen towel or anything absorbent to soak up water inside the freezer, making sure to rinse them out for efficiency or replace them. 
  6. Continuing from there, all you have to do is wait for the ice to defrost. We recommend using this time to clean the shelves. Do not try and speed up the process by using electrical means, defrost spray or salt. 
  7. Once your shelves are clean and the freezer is defrosted, you can continue to clean the inside of the freezer. Make sure to clean in the small nooks and crannies to make sure you get rid of any hidden bits of dirt.
  8. Finally, dry the interior to prevent ice building up. Restore shelves and switch on your fridge/freezer. Once it has cooled down again, you can return your food products.