rkunsaw I need to clean mine also. I just discovered some pepper halves from last year so I'll be stuffing them soon. I wait for a freezing cold day,then quickly bag my goodies and put them out on our unheated porch. Mine is not self defrosting,so I then do a very dangerous thing by setting a small electric heater on an overturned plastic bucket in the bottom of the freezer and plug it in. In just a few minutes I can hear the ice dropping. I unplug and scoop out the ice. Much easier then sopping up water. I'm still alive and have been doing it this way for years. The freezer was my Moms from back in the 50's. A Sears Coldspot. As I remember it came loaded with food. It was such a treat to just reach in and get a Popsicle. After my Mom used up the food that came with the freezer and started to fill it herself I noticed the popsicle supply wasn't being replenished.