How to clean an ice maker: countertop machines and fridge ice makers

Step by step: how to clean an ice maker

Safety first. Unplug the ice maker before you touch the ice mechanism or reach inside, and keep fingers away from the ejector arm and the heated parts in a fridge ice maker. Never mix bleach and vinegar or bleach and an ice machine cleaner: sanitize and descale on separate runs, with fresh-water rinses in between, because the mix releases chlorine gas.

1. 1

   Unplug, empty and drain the machine

   Turn off and unplug the ice maker, throw out the ice and take out the basket and any scoop. Remove the drain plug (usually on the bottom or back) and drain the reservoir into a sink or bucket. If the manual says to, let the machine sit for up to an hour so frozen parts thaw.

2. 2

   Wash the basket and the inside

   Wash the ice basket and scoop in warm water with a little dish soap, rinse and dry. Wipe the inside walls and the reservoir with a soft cloth and soapy water, then wipe again with plain water. Do not use soap inside the reservoir of a machine whose manual forbids it, such as the GE Opal.

3. 3

   Take out the water filter

   If your machine has a water filter or softener cartridge, take it out before any cleaning cycle so it does not soak up cleaner. Some machines need a screened cap fitted in its place so water still circulates. Rinse the reservoir screen while it is out.

4. 4

   Run a sanitizing cycle

   Fill the reservoir with the cleaning solution your manual gives, put the plug back and start the clean or self-clean mode. GE’s Opal instructions, for example, use 5 cups of hot water with 1 teaspoon of household bleach. On a machine with no clean mode, run the solution through one ice-making cycle and throw that ice away.

5. 5

   Drain and rinse three times

   Drain the solution, refill with clean water and run the clean cycle again, then drain. Do this at least three times, until there is no smell of bleach or cleaner. Throw away all ice made during cleaning.

6. 6

   Descale on a separate day or after a full rinse

   When you see white crust on the sensors, the tray or the chute, fill the reservoir with vinegar or a nickel-safe ice machine cleaner as your manual directs and run the clean cycle. Let it sit if the instructions say so, then drain and rinse with at least three fresh-water cycles.

7. 7

   Wipe the sensors and the outside

   Wipe the water level and ice-full sensors gently with a soft cloth dampened with vinegar, then with plain water. Clean the outside with a damp cloth and dry it. Reinstall the filter and drain plug.

8. 8

   Dry, restart and discard the first batch

   Leave the lid open for an hour so the inside dries, then refill with drinking water and switch back to ice mode. Throw away the first batch of ice. If it smells or tastes off, run one more rinse cycle.

How to clean a refrigerator ice maker

Clean a built-in ice maker by emptying and washing the bin, wiping the chute and dispenser, and changing the water filter on schedule. Most fridge ice makers do not have a cleaning cycle, so the work is all by hand.

GE Appliances’ ice maker tips say to unplug the refrigerator before cleaning the ice mechanism and to stay clear of the ejector and the heating element that releases the cubes. Their advice by part:

• Ice chute: mild soap and water on a soft cloth, then dry it completely so ice does not stick and build up.
• Dispenser tray deposits: soak with undiluted vinegar until the deposit loosens, usually up to 30 minutes, then wipe.
• Plastic bins and parts: wash by hand, not in the dishwasher.
• Water filter: replace it every six months, since a clogged filter slows the ice maker and an old one affects taste.

Some newer refrigerators with nugget ice makers have a descale program. Whirlpool’s nugget ice maker descaling steps, for example, use 1/3 cup of affresh Ice Maker Cleaner or food-grade white vinegar, three short cycles and a drain plug, and suggest doing it every two years. Check your own model’s manual.

How often should you clean an ice maker?

Sanitize a countertop ice maker every one to four weeks and descale it every one to four months, more often with hard water. A fridge ice maker needs its bin washed every few months and its filter changed on schedule.

Water hardness drives the descaling schedule. GE’s Opal cleaning page recommends sanitizing weekly (monthly if you only use distilled water) and gives a descaling chart by hardness:

Other countertop brands give their own intervals in the manual, but the same rule holds: hard water means more frequent descaling.

Ice maker not making ice after cleaning? Check these first

Most ice makers that stop after a clean were simply put back slightly wrong. Work through the easy checks before you assume a part has failed.

Refrigerator ice makers

• Is it switched on? Some models have the on/off control on the control panel rather than on the ice maker itself, and GE notes that clumped ice in the bin can stop the feeler arm from working. Make sure the bin is pushed fully home and the arm is down.
• Is water reaching it? Whirlpool lists low water flow as a common cause: check that the supply line is not kinked behind the fridge, the water valve is fully open, and the filter is not clogged. A filter that is not seated correctly in its housing will stop ice production.
• Is the freezer cold enough? Whirlpool recommends a freezer setting between 0°F and 5°F for good ice production. After changing the setting, wait 24 hours before you adjust it again.
• Reset it. Press and hold the ice maker’s reset button for a few seconds, or, if there is none, unplug the fridge for 1 minute and plug it back in. Give it a couple of hours before you check for ice.

Countertop ice makers

• Check that the drain plug is back in and fully tight; a loose plug drains the reservoir as fast as you fill it.
• Refit the water filter or screened cap you removed, and fill to the line marked in the reservoir.
• Make sure the switch is back on ice mode, not clean mode, and the lid is closed.
• Make sure the ice-full and water level sensors are clean and dry, and that the basket is seated so nothing blocks them.

Flush the water line after a new filter or a new fridge

A new water filter or a new fridge pushes air and loose carbon dust through the line, which gives cloudy water, small or hollow cubes and an odd taste for the first batches. Run water through the dispenser before you rely on the ice.

How much to flush depends on the brand and filter, so check the filter box first:

• Whirlpool says to press the dispenser for 5 seconds and release for 5 seconds, repeating until the right amount has run through. Some filters need 1 gallon, others 2 or 4. If your fridge has no water dispenser, fill and throw away three full bins of ice instead.
• GE recommends dispensing two to three gallons to clear carbon particles, or about five minutes of flow if you cannot measure it.
• Frigidaire suggests discarding 3 to 5 tall glasses of water after a new filter, and at least 1 gallon on a newly installed fridge. Its taste and odor guide adds that new lines can take one or two bins of ice before the taste is normal, and to throw out the first two bins after installation.

Change the filter on the schedule in your manual, which is often every six months. If ice still tastes off after a flush, follow our guide on removing odors from a fridge, since ice soaks up smells from uncovered food.

How to drain and store a countertop ice maker

Do not leave water sitting in a countertop ice maker that is switched off. Drain it, dry it with the lid open, and store it dry, so you do not come back to slime.

GE’s Opal draining instructions say to drain the machine when you put it away or move it, when it will be off for more than a few days, and when you are using little ice, because constantly recirculated meltwater can affect the taste. Their steps: unhook the drain hoses at the back, lay them in a sink or bucket lower than the machine, pull the plugs, and put the plugs back once the water stops.

For any brand, before storing:

1. Run a sanitizing cycle and the fresh-water rinses from the steps above, then drain completely.
2. Wipe the basket, reservoir and lid dry with a clean towel.
3. Leave the lid open for a day so the inside dries fully.
4. Store the machine with the lid propped slightly open, and run a full clean before you use it again.

Opal, Frigidaire and other countertop ice makers

The steps above work for most countertop ice makers, including Frigidaire, Igloo and NewAir bullet ice machines. What changes by brand is whether there is a clean button, which cleaner is allowed and where the drain plug sits, so find your model number and read that section of the manual.

• GE Profile Opal nugget ice makers have a rear switch with a Clean position and a display ring that turns yellow when cleaning is due; descaling uses hot vinegar (or the Opal cleaning kit) and up to three cycles, then three fresh-water rinses.
• Bullet ice makers with no clean mode: run your solution through normal ice cycles, discard the ice, then run plain-water cycles.
• Pink or black slime in the basket is mold or bacteria; wash and sanitize right away. Our refrigerator guide covers the rest of the fridge.

Mistakes to avoid

• Mixing bleach with vinegar or an ice machine cleaner in the reservoir, which releases chlorine gas.
• Leaving the water filter in during a cleaning cycle, so it soaks up the cleaner.
• Keeping and using the ice made during cleaning or the first batch after it.
• Using dish soap in a reservoir whose manual says not to; it foams and leaves a taste.
• Washing plastic bins in the dishwasher when the manufacturer says hand wash only.
• Letting water sit in the machine for days unused, which is how slime starts.
• Forgetting to push the fridge ice bin fully back in, so the ice maker thinks the bin is full and stops.
• Skipping the flush after a new water filter, then blaming the ice maker for cloudy or hollow cubes.