Defrosting your fridge when you go away?

Another case of manufacturers prtoecting themselves against litigious and stupid consumers.

I work as before; tomato and HP sauce, mustards, salad creams etc, live in the kitchen cupboard. All these products have been around for a century or more with little reformulation. Most households were without fridges until the 1960s. I do not remember massive food poisoning outbreaks because someone used a one year old unrefrigerated bottle of HP sauce.

bijou most products e.g. ketchup now have advice printed on the label that after opening it should be refrigerated.

I used to empty fridge and turn it off, not now just take everything out that will go go off.

As a tiny frosty from Teacheranne‘s post you can put tea bags in smelly shoes and they take the smell away. Do it with grandsons football boots all the time. He told me about this. by the way.
I don’t switch the fridge or freezer off when go away but am quite OCD about everything else.

Never defrosted any fridge....and only defrosted my chest freezer once in 35 years!!!! And that was when I was getting rid of it....and it was second-hand...man who took it away couldn’tbelieve it was still going strong...it was a ‘Bejam’ freezer...brought by my friend as ‘shop soiled’..cos it had a little dent in it!!! She reckons she had it 8 years and I had it in my garage for 35 years. Well done Bejam’s

I note that some people put jars of jam and bottles of sauce in the fridge. Surely this is unnecessary?

I think they used to be switched off in the 50’s and 60’s in case they iced up when you were away, but today’s fridges drive themselves automatically so there’s no problem.

When I was a student I did defrost and turn of the fridge before going home to my parents to work all summer.

Now I don't do so, as there is someone in every day while we are away to feed the cat.

Mine is frost free but I always turn off as it's usually three weeks, for peace of mind.

No I've never defrosted my fridge when on holiday. Unfortunately my daughter's fridge broke down when they were on holiday a few weeks ago. They came home to a very wet smelly mouldy fridge. It was old so they now have a brand spanking new larder fridge/ freezer.

I usually go away for 3 - 4 weeks at a time. An empty fridge/freezer uses up more electricity than a full one. I empty everything out, and block the doors with tea towels so they stay open. I may try the tea bags as well.

I always clear it of anything likely to spoil while I’m away, and give it a wipe with bicarb solution. I wouldn’t defrost unless going away for a very long time.

No way, but I do run down/use up perishables and put any milk or bread in the freezer.

Back in May came home from a week away, to find the F/F alarm-bleeping like mad. Alas we had left the freezer door not properly shut so it had iced right up. Took me most of a day to clear out/defrost/clean - TBH it was overdue for a clearout anyway - but luckily didn't have to throw much away.

Will have to show these comments to my mum and finally get through to her that defrosting your fridge before hols is just not necessary!

I always run my fridge and freezer down before holiday, maybe I should empty and save some energy not running it

Same as Riggie. I think that perhaps when we were away for three months, we did clear out the fridge-freezer completely, switched it off and left it to "air". Otherwise no, not even for six weeks away.

I was told by a removal company to put dry teabags in my fridge while it was in storage with the door closed. I was sceptical as I know how much mould my caravan fridge got over the winter but it worked! Six months later my fridge was mould free and sweet smelling!

I now leave tea bags in my fridge all the time to help reduce smells and also in my spare freezer in the garage which is only used a couple of times a year.

No, because it's a fridge freezer and I dont empty the freezer part. Plus there is always stuff in the fridge that needs to be kept cold.

No never. Why,?
I leave the cat milk in it got my neighbour to give them.
TBH I leave a lot of stuff in it. I just clear out anything that would go off over 2 weeks.

nope, never when I go away

Have no need to defrost my fridge as it doesn't have an icebox - it's a larder fridge: I just make sure anything perishable is thrown out, and that it's clean, but leave it on as there are drinks and jars of jams etc in it. Never switch the freezer off either.

I worked in a school office and at the end of one summer term a parent, who was a fisherman, gave the headteacher a lovely big salmon. He put it in the staffroom fridge for the day, forgot about it and switched off the fridge as he left the building. No one was there for about as month!

I switch off the caravan one clean and leave doors open for winter.

My present one self defrosts but I have never done this.

No never done it