How Not to Clean the Freezer

Picture from Google, you get the point

So the freezer came frozen over- I know we've all been there.  I could have unplugged it to let it melt, but that takes forever and everything gets wet and smells (and I had precious papaya and yogurt in the fridge).

So I took some available chunks off by hand.  Then I started using the hot water heater and melting it away.  Ice everywhere, including above and in the back.  So I took a knife and started gently icepicking.  Then I got angry at our landlord, and upset about not being able to find friends, and just frustrated with things here.  Chop chop chop I went, until a sibilant hissing sound filled the air.  Alas, I had put a minute pinsize hole into the chamber with the circulating refrigeration gas.  I quickly chewed up some gum to plug up the hole, but it was hopeless- the high pressure gas was moving towards good old entropy.

Anyways, a few days later we had to evacuate the refrigerator  and call up Richard the repair man.  He is so sweet and wished me happy birthday via text, and then his wife later called me 6 times and yelled at me thinking Richard and I had something going on.  Gah!  That was an very unexpected and awkward conversation.  ("Richard has my fridge... You have 4 kids?  Thats great.... Oh... Oh... Ohhhh I think I understand now.  Oh I'm sorry!")  So, moral of the story is do not defrost your fridge this way!  Any liquid will kill the motor/compressor and you'll have to replace it.  Apparently it's a pretty common thing- other people are as thoughtless as me too!