Repair > Appliances > RefrigeratorMay 26, 2009

Use Vaseline to Soften a Refrigerator Gasket

If you are having trouble with ice build-up on the heater coils in the back of an older fridge and are having to go through the lengthy process of removing the food and shelves to defrost with a hair dryer -- a little Vaseline may be all you need!

It turns out that the plastic seal around the edge of the door loses its elasticity over time and so may not be sealing as tightly. I got a tip from a repairman that simply rubbing the seal with petroleum jelly will help soften it up. It completely eliminated the problem for me!

By Tahlula from Northfield, MN

Feedback

Read feedback for this post below.

By
08/21/2009

Using a petroleum based product may break down the gasket material over time. I like to use silicon lube spray. Works great on your car door and window seals too. Spray it on and work it in with a rag or paper towel. This will work well to keep the material flexible and seal better and doesn't leave that gooey residue.

Related

Post Feedback

Your thoughts are welcomed and appreciated. Enter your feedback here!

Feedback:

Image Upload:

Add an image to your post! Click the "Browse" button above and select an image from your hard drive. Please only select gifs or jpegs. If you have any problems, please contact us.

  

facebook like arrowLike ThriftyFun on Facebook

Browse Topics

Over 80,000 tips, recipes, questions & crafts.

Ask a Question

Submit a question to the TF community.

Subscribe to ThriftyFun Newsletters!

Email: