Can You Clean A Chest Freezer With Bleach?

Your chest freezer has a tight seal, but it doesn’t mean it can’t get dirty. You may have been greeted with unknown scents upon opening your freezer, which means it’s time to clean the appliance. Now you’re wondering, can you clean a chest freezer with bleach? We asked the experts to help you find the ideal solution to this concern.

You can clean a chest freezer with bleach. But you need to use the correct ratio of the materials to ensure a proper and deep clean. Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid bleach in a gallon of water. Once you have that mixture, here’s a quick guide on how to clean your freezer with the bleach solution:

1. Take out the removable parts, such as shelves and drawers.
2. Wash those removable parts with hot water and liquid detergent mixture.
3. Dry those items with a clean towel.
4. Wipe the inside of the chest freezer with another clean towel.
5. Use a sponge or another towel and dip it in the bleach mixture to sanitize the device.
6. Return the removable parts and non-spoiled foods into the chest freezer.

It’s a straightforward process to clean a chest freezer with bleach. Still, you can optimize the results by adding some details to the procedure. Continue reading to learn about those specifics. Plus, you’ll also find other pieces of relevant information, such as other ways to clean chest freezers and how to remove mold from the appliance.

How Do You Clean a Chest Freezer?

Some people might clean their chest freezers by removing the food from the appliance and defrosting it afterward. Although defrosting is a vital step to the entire operation, it’s not the only step to consider. Here’s how you should clean your chest freezer with the help of bleach.

What You’ll Need

• Rubber gloves
• Sealed bags
• Hot water and liquid detergent solution
• Clean towels
• Water and bleach mixture

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Wear the rubber gloves before proceeding. Ensure your safety as you clean your chest freezer as bleach can be harsh on the skin.
2. Put the food in the chest freezer into sealed bags. If you find some of the foods to be spoiled, throw them in the garbage bin after putting them inside the bags.
3. Take out any removable item in the chest freezer, such as shelves and drawers.
4. Wash the removable objects with hot water and liquid detergent solution. Proceed by drying these items with clean towels.
5. Wipe the inside of the chest freezer with the water and detergent mixture. Rinse the areas with clean water to remove the soap suds.
6. Mix one tablespoon of bleach into one gallon of water. Use clean towels dipped into the bleach mixture to give the chest freezer a deep clean.
7. Return the removable items and the foods into the chest freezer once finished.

Don’t forget to wash your hands after cleaning your chest freezer. Although the rubber gloves helped in preventing skin contact with bleach, you can never be too careful when handling certain chemicals.

Make sure you’re not spending a significant amount of time cleaning your chest freezer. As per an article from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), frozen food generally lasts about 4 hours outside freezing temperatures. Exceeding that period will promote high risks of spoilage for the food.

How Do You Clean Your Freezer Without Turning It Off?

In general, you should turn off your freezer before cleaning it. However, you can still clean the device without turning it off, particularly if you’re only doing routine maintenance. Here’s a quick guide on how to do it:

1. Empty the freezer, which means removing all the food and other items in it.
2. Wipe the interior using clean towels.
3. Spray using a mild cleaning solution like a soapy mixture.
4. Clean the soapy residue with another set of clean towels.
5. Return the removed items into the freezer.

How Do I Get Rid of Ice Build Up in My Freezer?

Different methods exist to help defrost your freezer. These techniques range from waiting for the ice to melt or with the help of objects like blow dryers or fans. Make sure to place a water-absorbent material on the floor around your freezer because the melted ice can leave a watery mess. Also, have a mop and bucket ready to clean the excess moisture from the melted ice.

Does the Freezer Kill Mold?

Freezing temperatures don’t kill mold, according to the substance's description from the FSEC Energy Research Center. Instead, the cold will only deactivate the substance, causing it to undergo a hibernation-like state. The mold will reanimate once its environment returns to a more pleasing temperature, allowing it to continue growing inside the device.

How to Get Rid of Black Mold in Freezer?

Mold can grow in your chest freezer because of the excess moisture. Thankfully, you can eliminate this substance with the help of the following process:

1. Remove the foods from the freezer.
2. Mix equal parts water and white vinegar and put the solution in a spray bottle.
3. Spray the insides of the freezer and target the moldy areas.
4. Use clean paper towels to wipe off moldy residues. Throw the moldy paper towels in a nearby trash bag.
5. Respray as many times as needed to remove the substance completely.

However, if the chest freezer has a serious case of mold, spray the interior with the vinegar and water solution. Then, let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes before wiping the residue with clean paper towels. Finally, sanitize the device by applying a mixture of one part bleach in a gallon of water to the freezer’s interior. Take note that failure to remove most, if not all of the molds in the device can result in food spoilage and a smelly freezer interior.

How Do I Get the Smell Out of My Chest Freezer?

Sometimes opening a chest freezer will greet you with an unpleasant stench. This smell can come from different stuff, such as spoiled food and molds. You can use different products to help you in this endeavor, such as baking soda and activated charcoal.

Put copious amounts of baking soda or activated charcoal (or both) in a smelly chest freezer. Then, close the lid and wait for a few days. These substances can absorb foul odors, making the device smell clean and fresh.

How Often to Clean a Chest Freezer?

You should clean your chest freezer frequently. However, the length and intensity of the process differ depending on the severity of the concern. In other words, you should clean your chest freezer more often than usual if the device gets dirty frequently.

Take note that cleaning a chest freezer weekly should prevent many long-term issues. On the other hand, if it has been a while since you last cleaned the appliance, use a water and bleach solution, and follow the steps mentioned above to help give the device a deep clean.

Final Words

You can use a bleach and water mixture to help you clean your chest freezer. Always remember to protect yourself when handling bleach and other harsh chemicals. Use rubber gloves when you’re giving your chest freezer a deep clean to protect your hands and arms. Also, don’t spend a significant amount of time cleaning the device as the food taken out will become at risk of spoiling.