I found my chest freezer unplugged in the basement, and it sat for about a week and a half before I noticed the terrible smell coming from it. It's a 16 cu ft model weighing around 200 lbs, so moving it upstairs to toss it seems like a nightmare. I've already tried scrubbing it, using bleach, vinegar, and different odor neutralizers like ozium, baking soda, charcoal, and coffee grinds. The smell is somewhat contained now but it's still pretty awful inside. Any ideas on what else I could do to save it, or should I face the fact that I might have to give up on it?
3 Answers
Try tossing a bag of natural charcoal (without lighter fluid) in there and keep the lid closed for a week. It might help absorb the smell better.
Have you tried using an ozone generator? You could place that inside the freezer for a while. Also, make sure the rubber seal is super clean, as that could be holding onto some of the bad odors.
You might also consider replacing the rubber seal after running the ozone, just to be safe.
I had a similar disaster with a freezer before! I didn't realize vacuum-sealed chicken could turn black, but it did. I tried using charcoal and various cleaning products for weeks but in the end, I just paid the delivery guys of my new dishwasher a little extra to haul it away for me.
Activated charcoal for fish tanks actually works even better! I remember using it to filter vodka back in the day.