# Foregoing frost in a non-frost-free freezer.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foregoing-frost-in-a-non-frost-free-freezer/379258>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 6, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foregoing-frost-in-a-non-frost-free-freezer/379258 "2006-11-06T04:22:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Blue\_Willow\_Plate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c2a13f/32.png) [@Blue\_Willow\_Plate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Willow_Plate)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foregoing-frost-in-a-non-frost-free-freezer/379258/1 "2006-11-06T04:22:52Z")

</div>

I live in a cheap apartment with a cheap freezer-in-a-fridge - the kind where you open the fridge door to get into the freezer.

HATE.

I’m tired of defrosting the damn thing. Is there something I can apply to the metal interior of the freezer bit to retard the ice crystals? Oil, alcohol, antifreeze…anything?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foregoing-frost-in-a-non-frost-free-freezer/379258/2 "2006-11-06T04:33:10Z")

</div>

No. Stop the introduction of moisture, and defrosting ceases to be an issue. Then again, you can’t open the door, as that admits moisture.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foregoing-frost-in-a-non-frost-free-freezer/379258/3 "2006-11-06T15:15:53Z")

</div>

What about hanging packets of silica gel to absorb the moisture?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foregoing-frost-in-a-non-frost-free-freezer/379258/4 "2006-11-06T15:42:59Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=MannyL]  
What about hanging packets of silica gel to absorb the moisture?  
[/QUOTE]  
Those would quickly be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of water involved. The best you can do for those freezer in fridge units is ensure that the freezer door closes _completely_ and forms a good seal.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foregoing-frost-in-a-non-frost-free-freezer/379258/5 "2006-11-06T15:48:42Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Squink]  
Those would quickly be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of water involved. The best you can do for those freezer in fridge units is ensure that the freezer door closes _completely_ and forms a good seal.  
[/QUOTE]

It also helps not to overfill it so that air can circulate.