How to clean out a broken freezer full of goo?

[Laelkhunter]

After Katrina, we were finally able to get to the house about a week later. My chest freezer contained 1/2 of an Elk, two whitetails, and 200 pounds of shrimp. They had been stewing in the goo for over a week in 95 to 100 degree temps. I didn't even open it. I locked it closed, then wrapped duct tape around the lid to help seal it, and paid the cleanup crew to remove it and throw it in the dump. No way I was going to open that thing. Bought a new one for $300. As others have said, depending on the age of yours it might not be worth taking the chance of it crapping out again on you.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Well as a follow up I got my freezer all cleaned up. Actually wasn't too bad. Everything was frozen again, so I unplugged it and let it thaw slightly. I was able to pop the packages of meat free and scoop out the frozen blood with a dust pan. Hosed it all out then scrubbed her down good with beach water with baking soda added. Let it sit over night then rinsed it all out. Plugged it back in and its working so far. It isn't a very old freezer, less than 5 years, so I wouldn't think the compressor is going out. The weird thing about it all is I have a smaller second chest freezer that also went out, I think. I noticed that one first, water in the bottom and half frozen ice jugs. It never refroze anything, until I realized the thermostat was turned all the way up. Once I turned it down it refroze without any issues. Not sure what happened, almost wonder if one of my kids was screwing around with them, but they all deny it, haha. Both are working great now. Hopefully they continue to do so.

 

[Ben Sellers]

By the way, I have heard you should put a cup of ice with a penny on top in your freezer. If you find the penny at the bottom of the frozen cup, you know the freezer thawed and then refrozen. Good way to know how bad a power outage was when you’re out of town.

 

[buckbull]

I lost a freezer full of stuff due to the freezer being plugged into a line that had a GFCI trip so thats something to check.

 

[mtmuley]

Freezers need a dedicated circuit. If you have both plugged in on the same circuit, bad idea. And never to a GFCI. mtmuley

 

[Mainer207]

My mentor and the owner of the camp I’ve been hunting out of since I was a child lost a freezer full of backstrap a couple years back. Haunts him to this day.

Breaks my heart to hear this kind of story!

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Freezers need a dedicated circuit. If you have both plugged in on the same circuit, bad idea. And never to a GFCI. mtmuley

The appliance repair man told me the same thing. Unfortunately my garage only has one circuit. No GFCI though.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

My mentor and the owner of the camp I’ve been hunting out of since I was a child lost a freezer full of backstrap a couple years back. Haunts him to this day.

Breaks my heart to hear this kind of story!

Haha yeah its a bummer for sure. Mostly disappointed by the lost antelope meat.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I lost a freezer full of stuff due to the freezer being plugged into a line that had a GFCI trip so thats something to check.

Out of curriousity, can you have a GFCI outlet that does not have a switch on the cover?

 

[mtmuley]

Out of curriousity, can you have a GFCI outlet that does not have a switch on the cover?

Not that I'm aware of. Should be fairly easy for an electrician to add another circuit. I built my house myself and put two freezer circuits in the basement, and one in the garage. mtmuley

 

[skyfire]

Out of curriousity, can you have a GFCI outlet that does not have a switch on the cover?

My home was built with a several outlets connected to upstream GFCI outlets. When the GFCI is tripped they all trigger off. The worst is that I’ve got multiple GFCI’s in the garage all on the same line. I keep thinking one of these days I’ll get out there and rewire them.

 

[Tufrthnails]

Not that I'm aware of. Should be fairly easy for an electrician to add another circuit. I built my house myself and put two freezer circuits in the basement, and one in the garage. mtmuley

Yes if the outlet is downstream of the GFCI. Bathrooms are generally wired this way.

 

[mtmuley]

Yes if the outlet is downstream of the GFCI. Bathrooms are generally wired this way.

Yep, I forgot. mtmuley

 

[Wyoelk]

I bought a freezer alarm from amazon. It magnetizes to the outside and uses a remote sensor to monitor the freezer temperature. If the temp drops below the programmable temp, it beeps obnoxiously.