If you mean the old “nana’s hack” for quickly defrosting an icy freezer, it is usually this simple method:
Hot water bowl method (fast freezer defrost trick)
What you need:
- A bowl or pot of hot water (not boiling)
- A towel
- A spatula or plastic scraper (optional)
Steps:
- Turn off the freezer and unplug it if possible.
- Remove all food and place it in a cooler or wrap it in towels to keep it cold.
- Put a bowl of hot water inside the freezer on a heat-safe surface.
- Close the freezer door for about 5 minutes. The steam softens the ice layer quickly.
- Open the door, wipe away the melted water, and gently remove loosened ice.
- Repeat with fresh hot water if there is a thick ice buildup.
The “zero work” part: the steam does most of the melting, so you don’t need to chip away at the ice for ages.
Important safety tips:
- Don’t pour boiling water directly onto freezer walls; sudden heat can damage plastic liners or seals.
- Don’t use knives, screwdrivers, or metal tools to break ice—you can puncture cooling coils.
- Keep water away from electrical parts.
For a freezer with a huge ice block (several inches thick), 5 minutes usually won’t fully clear it; it may take repeated bowls of hot water or a longer thaw.