Freezer Problems

[AngelinaCat]

Hi All:

We have a small, cubic 9' chest freezer, made in China under the Magic Chef label. We recently had a power outage--and didn't realize it--where the food thawed, spoiled and refroze. We just found this lovely surprise yesterday.

We have cleaned, washed with soapy bleach water, and put it out in the sun. We still have a distinct unpleasant odor.

Have any of you had this problem and how did you handle it, barring replacing the freezer? We bought this unit about 3 years ago, for about $99.00, and never had any trouble. We certainly don't want to HAVE to replace it because of linger odor, but if we have to, oh well...

Any ideas?

I did look online and one wiki-how-type article, started with: "Step 1: remove the spoiled meat..." *Sigh* I think I figured that one out for myself...

[ValleYum]

I worked in property management in a college town. Imagine. July. College kid deciding to head for the beaches instead of sticking out summer school - power off for a week before it was noticed when he didn't pay August rent.

UGH UGH UGH

2 step process that saved the few fridge/freezers we had issues with:

Make a paste of normal blue Dawn (has to be brand name) dishwashing liquid and baking soda. Scour the inside out with the paste. Let the paste sit for about 30 minutes then "rinse" it out - we used an empty squirt bottle and some paper towels. Make sure it is dry on the inside.

Take 10 pounds of cheap charcoal (the plain kind!!) and put it into several disposable pie tins - we set 2 of them on each shelf. Turn the freezer back on. Let it sit for 48 hours without opening it. Then - open it and sniff.

It worked for us - I hope it will work for you guys, too!

PS: Most homeowners policies have a food spoilage rider on them with little to no deductible to replace your food. It is really worth it to call your agent and ask. Ask about the freezer itself, too.

[oregonpilot]

Make a paste of normal blue Dawn (has to be brand name) dishwashing liquid and baking soda..

Oh YUM--ValleYUM. Good luck AC. Some friends of mine yrs ago had the same problem....there were thawed turkeys, venison, etc and other yum stuff when they got home from a vacation. their homeowners policy did cover the loss.
Theirs was a problem with the freezer being on a ground faulted circuit. when they trip and you don't know it....whoa be onto those that open the freezer door.

[ValleYum]

Well, OP, Liquid Dawn gets the yuck off a duck - it just figures it will cure freezer funk, too!!

[pamkev]

My daughter gave me this tip to get funny smells out. Spread baking soda on the problem then put a bowl of water with vinegar in it and let it sit for a few days near the problem odor or the room. It worked for us

Another thing she told us which is a great topic stater when people see it is we have a sandwich bag filled with water nailed into the siding by our front door the funny looks we get when they see it there well its quite simple when the suns refection hits off the water flies can't see and they don't come in the house. We have not had any flies in the house since it's been hanging there

Pam

[AngelinaCat]

It was smelling better when I walked by it this morning on my way to the car so I could go in to work. We'll leave it in the sun today before we bring it back in the house. And I'll try some of the suggestions.

@VY: When my little Avatar got into some motor oil a few years ago, the vet recommended Dawn dish-washing liquid to bathe her in. Since then we have used that brand exclusively.

Thanks!

[Pandora]

I second the vinegar / baking soda - works on everything EXCEPT mothball smells (MIL gave us a freezer...and stored mothballs near it...NOTHING gets out mothball smell *blecchhh* )

You can also put freshly ground coffee in the freezer to help...it works (after the vinegar / baking soda)

[tobee43]

I second the vinegar / baking soda - works on everything EXCEPT mothball smells (MIL gave us a freezer...and stored mothballs near it...NOTHING gets out mothball smell
*blecchhh* ) You can also put freshly ground coffee in the freezer to help...it works (after the vinegar / baking soda)

i'll be thirding that on the vinegar/baking soda solution...and then bleach it again.

also pandora you got that right about the mothballs, my husband is addicted to them.....so terrible, although they keep the critters out of the gardens, he puts them everywhere when he was throwing them around.

[AngelinaCat]

I have both a cup of vinegar and a cup of baking soda in the freezer. I also have a 'test' tray of water for ice in it. Though when I checked this morning and realized the vinegar was still in the freezer, that renders THAT experiment bad.

I had thought I would try said ice cubes in a glass of coca-cola to see if I tasted the freezer odor. I can still smell it even over the the soda and vinegar. So the ice tray experiment will go over the side and try again.

We will be going to 'Hub's brother for a week, and I will leave the vinegar and soda in it. Someone elsewhere suggest charcoal briquettes. So I think I may leave a combination of all in the freezer, and then deal with it when we get home.

Thanks everyone!

[tobee43]

ok, dish out some bucks ...or i will be most happy to lend it to in trade for a new freezer

[Pandora]

FWIW... you need ACTIVATED charcoal, like the kind that goes into a fish tank not the briq's for BBQ'ing

Place it in a pie pan and turn OFF the freezer, leaving the door cracked open about an inch or two. Thats something that I should've mentioned in my previous post; for smells to disapate, you need to turn off the freezer, leaving the door open. For some reason when its on it recirculates the smells into the fan housing and it can stay there. Since you're leaving for a day or so, just unplug it and then when you return, change out everything that you put inside of it. Once you do all of that - take lemons / lemon juice (fresh..not bottled) along with salt to dip into and scrub down the entire freezer inside (again, while its off). How I do it is I cut lemons then dip them in regular salt (not too much, just enough - or you can use baking soda as well), then scrub the plastic, leaving it on for about an hour (again leave door cracked) Come back with a clean wet cloth and wipe it all off, rinsing as you go.

After all of the above, turn it back on, placing new containers of baking soda (placed into a pie plate or paper plate, dont leave it in the box) one at the top and one at the bottom (air returns / circulators) and change it out every other day. You will notice the baking soda smells each time you change it...once you get to a point where there isnt a smell you can detect, freeze ice in it as you've done. If it tastes funny - you can repeat the process a few more times, but come the 5th time if you still have a funny taste in your ice, you'll probably have to ditch the freezer.

[tobee43]

FWIW... you need ACTIVATED charcoal, like the kind that goes into a fish tank not the briq's for BBQ'ing

Place it in a pie pan and turn OFF the freezer, leaving the door cracked open about an inch or two. Thats something that I should've mentioned in my previous post; for smells to disapate, you need to turn off the freezer, leaving the door open. For some reason when its on it recirculates the smells into the fan housing and it can stay there. Since you're leaving for a day or so, just unplug it and then when you return, change out everything that you put inside of it. Once you do all of that - take lemons / lemon juice (fresh..not bottled) along with salt to dip into and scrub down the entire freezer inside (again, while its off). How I do it is I cut lemons then dip them in regular salt (not too much, just enough - or you can use baking soda as well), then scrub the plastic, leaving it on for about an hour (again leave door cracked) Come back with a clean wet cloth and wipe it all off, rinsing as you go.

After all of the above, turn it back on, placing new containers of baking soda (placed into a pie plate or paper plate, dont leave it in the box) one at the top and one at the bottom (air returns / circulators) and change it out every other day. You will notice the baking soda smells each time you change it...once you get to a point where there isnt a smell you can detect, freeze ice in it as you've done. If it tastes funny - you can repeat the process a few more times, but come the 5th time if you still have a funny taste in your ice, you'll probably have to ditch the freezer.

pandora, you never cease to amaze me, now, i KNOW you could have won the Hunger Games! (i know another thread, but i just can picture pandora out there in the woods with a piece of charcoal and some handmade soap she turns into some type of stink bomb that levels all the other players ) LOL!

[ValleYum]

LOL, Miss Pandorable, all of us Southerner's have our own magic bullets, potions and whammies - bless our hearts!

Apartment owners are usually cheapos (it's all about the Benjamins!). That is probably why we used the regular kind of charcoal.

Up here, the folks use volcanic rock in little bags or in pantyhose feet. Of course, being around 50 miles from Mt. St. Helens makes that easy to find around here. The rock refreshes in the sunshine which is harder to come by.

Funny tasting ice :::shudder::: There is nothing worse, is there? Blech.

[Pandora]

OMG.. tobee.. are you kidding me?! LMAO - I'm the LAST person that would survive, trust me. I ain't eating any bugs, rodents, reptiles, etc to survive. I've already told hubby that if the world comes to an end I'm the first to go. Bear Grylls can have his "tastes a bit sharp nuts-taken-out-of-bear-scat" all to himself! *gagging* No thank you. Stink bug bombs.. ya might have something there though ;)

@ Vale - yes, bless our hearts indeed eh? You crack me up woman - lava rocks... LMFAO over here! Now every time I open up my gas grill I'm gonna think of nothing but 'Cats freezer and you. :P

Lottsa hugs to ya both - thanks for the giggles this a.m.

[tobee43]

ahhhhhhhh pandorable (onle Valle can think of that one) you have tanted my imagine, and i know it NOT to be true. you are a hero and i know it!! LOL!!!