Do you want to know how to mend a hole in the plastic wall liner of your refrigerator? You’ve found the perfect site since we’ve researched and have the solution for you.
Bring your freezer to a professional for repair if the hole is so large that the liner can no longer hold the shelves of your refrigerator. If it is not too bad, you can patch a spot with silicone glue, fibreglass cloth, and sealer, and the plastic wall can still hold the shelves.
The sections that follow will explain each step in detail. We also include a procedure for patching a refrigerator’s exterior wall.
The Refrigerator’s Interior Liner Has Been Harmed
Plastic liners with ridges are used in contemporary refrigerators to hold the shelves. These liners are durable by nature and frequently constructed of polystyrene. Because it can shield insulating from spills, oils, and debris, plastic makes a great liner. Plastic is easier to clean and won’t quickly deteriorate.
Plastic’s capacity to be recycled is another benefit of using it as a refrigerator interior liner. However, the liner will be stressed and crack if the shelves are excessively heavy. A liner’s vulnerability to too much weight may also result from installation flaws from the factory.
The plastic liner may abruptly expand or compress when defrosting due to rapid temperature changes. Surface fractures created by this abrupt expansion or contraction may turn into weak areas. These fissures increase the risk of a liner breaking or cracking under pressure.
The plastic of the liner may react chemically with harsh chemical cleaners, weakening its structural integrity. Under pressure, this may also allow it to crack.
The interior plastic liner of your refrigerator may develop cracks due to several factors mentioned above.
Impact Of Hole In Fridge Wall On Performance
Fortunately, these cracks begin small and do not connect to your refrigerator’s performance. This does not imply that you should disregard it, though. The harm may worsen over time.
The plastic liner’s responsibility includes safeguarding the insulation below. The insulation underneath could be compromised if a hole in the liner is large enough. Therefore, it is preferable to mend the break while it is still minor rather than waiting for it to grow and harm the insulation.
How Can A Hole Be Fixed In The Plastic Of The Fridge Wall?
Prepare The Refrigerator For The Repair
- Unplug your refrigerator and turn it off. Never keep your refrigerator on while performing interior repairs.
- Take everything out of your refrigerator.
- All the food that must remain chilled should be wrapped in a thick paper sheet. Because paper is a good insulator, warm air from the surrounding won’t be able to reach the food.
- Keep the food in its wrapping together. They can maintain their temperature longer if they are near one another.
- Put the food that has been wrapped in a cooler or a cooler bag. As you fix your refrigerator, this will further safeguard the food. You can use any insulated container if you don’t have a cooler or cooler bag.
- Remove any necessary shelves to make it simpler for you to fix the liner.
- Find out if you can take the plastic liner out. Locate and remove any screws holding the plastic liner in place. You will find it simpler to fix it as a result.
The Fridge Plastic Liner’s Cleaning
- Add four tablespoons of mild liquid dish soap to a bowl.
- Incorporate 16 ounces of boiling water. You can remove the grease from the plastic liner with the help of hot water. To ensure that any patches you put later stick more effectively to the base of the liner, it is crucial to properly clean it of grease.
- Another clean water basin should be ready.
- Take a fresh sponge and dunk it in the mixture.
- Use a sponge and soap to wash the area.
- To remove the soap from the liner, dunk a fresh cotton rag into the clean water in the basin. Repeat this until the soap has been removed.
- To remove any tenacious filth, scrape the area with a clean, old toothbrush. Scrub the room with the old toothbrush after dipping it in warm soapy water.
- After carefully cleaning the area, dry it with a dry cloth.
The Hole’s Preparation
Brand-specific liner repair kits are offered by some refrigerator manufacturers. From one producer to another, the kit’s contents are different. The fix and adhesive in the equipment should be the ones that work best with the type of plastic liner the manufacturer employs in its refrigerators.
For repair kits made for your particular brand of refrigerator, check out your neighborhood hardware store or internet hardware retailers. The instructions below can be used if you can’t find any kits or would instead do the repair yourself.
These procedures can also fix the damage with a manufacturer’s repair kit.
- Put on gloves before continuing.
- Verify if the liner’s surface is uneven due to the crack or hole. Lift the higher side of the hole to level the character if it is inconsistent. Don’t push the liner too hard if you can’t make the crack even. An even more significant break could result from using too much force.
Sharp scissors are used to cut a piece of fiberglass cloth. The strip must stretch at least a half inch from each hole or fracture location to cover it completely. A little larger strip is preferable to one that is too tiny.
Sand the region around the crack lightly using 100-grit sandpaper. Scuffing shouldn’t be done with excessive force to avoid lengthening the damage. Scuff the area big enough to accommodate your fiberglass patch. Use sandpaper to remove any uneven lining if you couldn’t straighten the crack before. For the patch to adhere properly, it is crucial to have an even layer.
Filling the Gap
The adhesive’s safety for food contact is also crucial. Select a silicone glue that functions well in frigid temperatures. A food-safe sealant has deficient volatile organic compounds (VOC). Volatile organic compounds VOCs are solvents frequently found in adhesives and may have short- or long-term adverse health effects. In enclosed spaces, VOC accumulation is always higher.
You don’t want an adhesive that will contaminate your food because you’ll be locking the bond inside your refrigerator and keeping the door closed. On the area around the crack, spread an even film of glue. The fiberglass patch application area should be covered by the adhesive.
- Place the fiberglass cloth on the crack and apply consistent pressure as you press it down. Apply pressure primarily to the region around the hole. On the base of the hole, uniformly distribute the fiberglass strip. Any creases in the patch can be smoothed out with a plastic applicator.
- Allow the patch to heal and dry.
- If any uneven adhesive remains, smoothen the surrounding patch layer using 100-grit sandpaper.
- Use clean, moist carpeting to remove any sanding dust.
- Apply a thin silicone adhesive coating over the patch and the nearby areas using a tiny amount of glue.
- Allow the glue to dry.
- Put the shelves back in place and replace the food you removed.
How Can I Fix The Refrigerator’s Rust Holes?
Some of the holes in your refrigerator may be on the outside rather than the inside. Over time, peeling paint will inevitably rust and begin to spread. These rust holes can also occur on the side walls of your refrigerator, but you will typically see them on the door.
- All you need to fix these holes is some automobile putty, sandpaper, spray paint, and the straightforward procedures below.
- Follow the first two instructions in the section above, “The Holes Preparation”, if you’re working on the door. Alternatively, you can move on to Step 4 below.
- Your refrigerator’s door shelves should be taken off and put aside.
- The refrigerator door should be taken off and placed on a firm surface.
- Make use of 100-grit sandpaper to remove the rust. First, sand with a lower grit of paper if your rust is heavier.
- The surrounding paint should be sanded with 150-grit paper. This will also guarantee that any rust hidden under the stain is removed.
- Utilize warm water and a mild cleaner to remove the sanding dust. Dip a fresh sponge or towel into the mixture. Give it a few minutes to dry.
- Using a plastic spatula, spread a uniform layer of automobile body putty over the holes. Before applying the putty, cover larger holes with a wire mesh.
- Sand with 120-grit sandpaper once the putty has dried and become rigid.
- Use warm water and a gentle cleaner to clean. Dry off.
- Use a rust-resistant primer. Dry off.
- Use the same hue or a different one while painting.
Conclusion
A liner repair kit produced by the manufacturer can be used to patch a hole in your refrigerator door. If not, a do-it-yourself fix will suffice. If you find this post useful, you might also be interested in our other articles. Check them out.
Hiiii! My name is Ruth and I am an experienced chef with a passion for food and cooking. My love of baking began when I was nine, and I have since been refining my skills in the kitchen ever since.
