3 Ways to Stop & Prevent Ice Build Up in Your Fridge & Freezer

Tired of your fridge giving you the big freeze? Take a closer look into why your fridge is getting frosty

Co-authored by Aaron Beth and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: March 17, 2023 References

Ice Removal & Prevention

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Door Adjustments & Repairs

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Fridge Organization & Maintenance

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Video

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Expert Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

Sure, you want your fridge to be cold… but it’s a whole other story when the inside of your appliance starts resembling the icebergs of Antarctica. As annoying as this frigid setback may be, you don’t have to worry—there are lots of ways to get your fridge back to normal. We’ll walk you through why your fridge may be acting up, and show you how to get rid of the pesky ice buildup, optimize your fridge doors, and keep your fridge nice and clean to prevent any future frostiness.

Things You Should Know

Defrost your fridge to clear away any existing frost and ice. To keep your fridge unit ice-free, set your fridge to 37 to 40 °F (3 to 4 °C) and your freezer to 0 °F (−18 °C).
Prevent future ice buildup by opening and closing your refrigerator unit sparingly. This keeps extra humidity out of your fridge, which eventually turns into ice.
Inspect your refrigerator gasket to make sure it’s in good condition. If the seal doesn’t sit snugly against the front of the unit, order a replacement.
Try not to overfill your refrigerator unit, which may trap cold air in specific spots of your appliance.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Ice Removal & Prevention

1
Defrost your refrigerator to completely get rid of the ice. Remove all the groceries from your refrigerator and freezer and place them someplace cool, like an ice-filled cooler or a secondary fridge.^{[1]
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Research source} Drape a towel beneath your fridge unit to soak up any melting water as it drips out. Once the appliance is completely dry, plug it back in and put your food back.^{[2]
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- It may help to remove ice chunks by hand as they start to melt and dislodge. If you’d like to chip away at any existing frost, use an ice scraper.
- Modern-day refrigerators are designed so that you shouldn’t have to defrost them. However, older appliances may need to be defrosted periodically.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Aaron Beth
  Appliance Technician
  Expert Interview. 14 July 2020.}
2
Keep your refrigerator set at 37 to 40 °F (3 to 4 °C) and your freezer at 0 °F (−18 °C). Adjust the dials inside your appliance so that each section stays consistently at these temperatures. This way, your food can be stored safely without encouraging any excess ice buildup in your refrigerator. Avoid setting your fridge to any colder settings as you might encourage frost.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source
US Food and Drug Administration
U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
Go to source}
- Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperatures inside your fridge and freezer.
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3
Melt away ice crystals on-the-fly with hot, sudsy water and a cleaning cloth. Don’t feel like defrosting your entire refrigerator? Saturate a cleaning cloth or sponge with hot, sudsy water, holding the damp cloth directly on top of any ice buildup or frost. Press down on it gently to warm up the ice below. If the cloth starts to get cold, soak it in some more hot water and reapply it to the frost. Continue this process until the frost melts away completely.^{[5]
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- Use a paper towel or a dry cleaning cloth to soak up any moisture before you close your fridge.
- Avoid using a sharp object to chip away at the frozen buildup; you may risk damaging the inside of your refrigerator.^{[6]
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  Expert Source
  
  Aaron Beth
  Appliance Technician
  Expert Interview. 14 July 2020.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Door Adjustments & Repairs

1
Limit how often you open the fridge and freezer doors. Opening the door frequently increases the humidity levels inside your fridge and freezer,which can lead to ice buildup and frost. With this in mind, try not to leave your fridge or freezer doors open when you’re deciding what to eat or trying to figure out which ingredients to pull out. Instead, make a quick mental list of what you’ll need so you can take all of those things out at one time.^{[7]
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- Only open 1 door at a time. Try to be as quick as possible and close the doors in under 1 minute.
- For instance, if you’re going to be baking, take out the eggs, butter, and milk at one time. This way, you only have to open the door once.
- If you have a hard time remembering what you stock in your fridge, keep a list of what’s inside posted on the refrigerator door.
2
Raise the front legs so that your refrigerator doors close automatically. Ask another person to help you pull the fridge out about 1 ft (0.30 m) from the wall. Have your partner tilt the top of the fridge backward, toward the wall, to expose the front 2 feet. While they hold it in this position, twist the legs counterclockwise. Unscrew the legs slightly to make them a little taller. This way, gravity will encourage the doors to shut. When you’re done, return the fridge back to its original spot.^{[8]
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- Once you’ve tweaked the legs, open the doors and see if gravity help them close naturally. If not, repeat this process to lift the front legs even higher.
- If your fridge or freezer door are prone to sitting open, or if they swing wide open while you’re moving food in and out, this easily can raise the humidity levels inside your appliance, causing ice to build up.
3
Tighten the door hinges if they’re loose. If you notice that the door or the screws on the hinges are wobbly, use a screwdriver to tighten the screws by turning them clockwise. Keep tightening them until they don’t spin around anymore.^{[9]
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- Depending on the type of fridge you have, you may have to lift off a plastic cover to expose the hinges.
- Loose hinges on your fridge or freezer doors will result in an incomplete seal; this will increase the humidity inside your appliance, which may result in ice buildup.
4
Wipe down the seals around the inside of each door to remove any residue. If the seals lining your fridge or freezer doors are caked with food residue or ice crystals, they won’t close properly. Working on 1 door at a time, use a damp cleaning cloth and mild dish soap to quickly scrub the inside of the seal. Clean off the frame of the fridge opening, as well, to ensure that the seal can sit flush against it. Use a dry towel to wipe off any remaining moisture and then shut the door.^{[10]
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- Make sure you don’t leave any moisture behind, as it might form an ice crystal.
5
Replace a damaged door seal (or gasket) with a new one.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Aaron Beth
Appliance Technician
Expert Interview. 14 July 2020.} Look at the flexible rubber seal on the inside of your fridge and freezer doors—these are called refrigerator gaskets. If either one appears to be damaged, replace it to ensure that your appliance’s doors close completely. Contact your fridge manufacturer to order a replacement gasket. Once you have it, unplug your appliance and move all of the perishable items to coolers. Unscrew the damaged gasket and then screw the new one into place.^{[12]
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- Make sure you know your appliance’s model number, as you’ll need this in order to get the right replacement part.
- Test out the seal of your new gasket before you turn the fridge back on and start loading it up. It should sit flush against the frame of the fridge or freezer opening without any gaps.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Fridge Organization & Maintenance

1
Unclog your fridge’s defrost drain. After unplugging your fridge, locate your defrost drain towards the back of the appliance. Utilizing a small funnel or baster filled with warm water, try to clear away the clog in the drain.^{[13]
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Research source} A blocked-up defrost drain may contribute more ice buildup to your fridge.
- A straight section of coat hanger or pipe cleaner may also help clear away the blockage.
- If you still aren’t able to clear away the clog, you may need to drag out your unplugged fridge to inspect and clean your fridge’s check valve (a rubber valve connected to the drain hose) by hand.^{[14]
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2
Move bulky food items away from the cooling mechanisms. While your fridge or freezer is running, place your hand inside to locate the cold air source—this is usually along the back wall of the appliance. If this area is blocked by a dense arrangement of food items, move these out of the way. Leave some open space around the cooling mechanism so that the air can flow around.^{[15]
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- Don’t block any of the vents with bulky freezer boxes or bags. Keep these items further away from the sides and walls of your appliance.
3
Fill your fridge and freezer to capacity without overfilling them. Store items in the designated drawers and spots, with fruits in the crisping drawers, meat in the meat drawers, butter in the butter tray, and condiments in the narrow shelves inside the door. Use fridge organizers and bins to keep your appliance organized and clutter-free.^{[16]
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- Take a few minutes each week to check your fridge for old or expired items. Toss these out as soon as they go bad to make space for fresh foods.
- An overstuffed appliance will restrict the airflow and may trap cold air in certain pockets, which could result in frosty patches.
4
Wait for your food to cool before sticking it in the fridge. Hot food gives off moisture-rich steam, which can become ice in your refrigerator. To prevent this from happening, let your food cool down before slipping it into the fridge.^{[17]
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- Don’t leave your food out indefinitely, though! Leaving food out for more than 2 hours can lead to the development of harmful bacteria.^{[18]
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  Trustworthy Source
  US Food and Drug Administration
  U.S. government agency responsible for promoting public health
  Go to source}
5
Dry off your food packages before chilling them. Damp food packages, like a bag of slightly-thawed peas, can lead to extra ice buildup. Before you put anything into your freezer (or refrigerator), pat it dry with a paper towel or cloth to get rid of any moisture.^{[19]
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Clean off the vents every 6 months to ensure proper air circulation. About twice a year, unscrew the vents from the inside of your refrigerator. Use a bristle brush, warm water, and mild dish soap to scrub away any dust, dirt, and food residue. Dry them off completely before replacing them.^{[20]
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- Shut off your appliance and transfer perishable foods to a cooler before you disassemble the vents.
- Dirty, clogged vents can lead to airflow issues and ice buildup.
7
Wash out the inside of your fridge about twice a year. Before cleaning your fridge, take everything out of your fridge and store the perishable items in a cooler temporarily. Use a dry sheet of paper towel to brush out any crumbs and food residue. Follow up by scrubbing down the shelves and insides using a warm, soapy cleaning cloth. Dry off the surfaces before returning all of your food items.^{[21]
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- If you notice any spills or crumbs, wipe these up as soon as possible so they don’t form ice crystals.
8
Vacuum the condenser coils at the back of your fridge twice a year.^{[22]
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Expert Source

Aaron Beth
Appliance Technician
Expert Interview. 14 July 2020.} Turn off your fridge and stash the perishable items in coolers. Pull out your appliance far enough from the wall so that you can easily access the back. Use a soft bristle brush attachment to vacuum the dust and debris off of the coils. Then, return your fridge to its usual spot.^{[23]
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- Move the vacuum attachment in the direction of the coils so you don’t dent them.
- Clean the coils more frequently if you have pets whose hair might end up behind your refrigerator.
- Depending on the fridge model you have, the condenser coils may be located below or on top of the appliance. Check the user manual to see how you can access these coils.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I get rid of built-up ice in my fridge?

Aaron Beth
Appliance Technician
Aaron Beth is the founder of Aaron’s Refrigeration Company in New York City and a factory certified installer (FCI) for Sub-Zero products. He specializes in the service and maintenance of built-in refrigerators, wine coolers and ice machines. With over 54 years of experience, Aaron is the recipient of numerous Super-Service awards from Angie’s Lists and 2019 Best-of-the City.

Aaron Beth

Appliance Technician

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

I would recommend unplugging your fridge for a while and allowing the ice to melt naturally. You can also use hot water to help melt the ice.
Question

Ice forms behind my fridge back panel, preventing the fan from operating why

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As a general rule, cool air isn't able to hold onto as much moisture as warm air can. Because of this, water accumulates and freezes at the very coldest part of your refrigerator—the back, which is right where your evaporator fan is.
Question

If I don't close the door properly, can it cause ice buildup?

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Definitely! When you open your refrigerator door, humid air makes its way in. Humid air has moisture in it—it's this moisture that eventually freezes up and turns into pesky ice buildup.

Warnings

If your fridge/freezer has an ice dispenser attached to the door, inspect the ice chute door periodically. If ice blocks up the chute and prevents the door from shutting, extra warm air might be getting into the freezer and causing ice buildup.^{[27]
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