How to Clean an Ice Maker: Countertop, Nugget and Fridge Models

Here’s how to clean ice maker units of any kind. Unplug it, empty the ice, and drain the water. Then run the clean cycle with the cleaner your manual names, drain again, and rinse with fresh water. Throw away the first batch or two of ice.

The part that trips people up is the cleaner. The makers don’t agree on vinegar.

GE tells Opal owners to descale with white vinegar, and Whirlpool says a 50/50 vinegar and water mix can stand in for its ice machine cleaner. But one bullet ice maker’s manual, the Homyd IM001-B, says to avoid vinegar because it can damage the evaporator. So check which machine you’ve got before you pour anything in.

Refrigerators were among my service calls, so I’ll cover the fridge ice maker too. Its cleaning is a different job, and it’s at the end.

Check your manual before you pick a cleaner

Your ice maker’s manual decides whether vinegar, bleach or a branded cleaner goes in. Three makers give three different answers:

• GE Profile Opal (nugget ice): white vinegar or the Opal Cleaning Kit for descaling, and a teaspoon of household bleach for sanitizing. GE says not to use soap in the water reservoir.
• Whirlpool (freestanding and fridge ice makers): an approved ice machine cleaner, with affresh recommended. A half-and-half mix of water and distilled white vinegar can be used as a substitute.
• Homyd IM001-B (countertop bullet ice): the brand’s own cleaning solution. The manual says to avoid harsh chemicals, including alcohol, vinegar or other acids, because they can damage the evaporator and shorten the unit’s life.

If you’ve lost the manual, find the model number on the machine’s label and download it before you clean. One reply on r/CleaningTips shows why the cleaner matters:

“On an older one I had, I used diluted bleach but found it etched the plastic inside even well diluted.” u/Wrecked_Banana on Reddit

Countertop bullet ice makers: drain, wash, self-clean

A countertop bullet ice maker gets drained, wiped, run through its self-clean program, and drained again. The Homyd IM001-B manual lays it out like this. Your model’s buttons may differ, so keep its manual open.

1. Unplug it and take out the ice basket.
2. Drain it. Pull the drain cap at the bottom front and let the water run into a sink.
3. Wash the inside with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth. Then rinse it with clean water and drain again.
4. Put the drain cap back. The manual warns the machine won’t make ice properly without it.
5. Fill and run the clean program. Fill the tank to the MAX line, plug it in, and hold the ON/OFF button for 5 seconds. The self-clean runs for 30 minutes, with the ADD WATER and ICE FULL lights flashing.
6. Drain it again when the program ends, and replace the cap. Run it more than once if it still looks dirty.
7. Wipe the outside with mild detergent and warm water.

How often? Homyd says to clean it at least once a week, with a deeper monthly clean.

It also suggests changing the water every 24 hours, and draining the tank if you won’t use it for longer than that. Regular cleaning prevents the scale that can eventually block the pump.

Doesn’t your machine have a clean button? Look for the cleaning section in its manual. Whirlpool’s fridge steps, which have no clean cycle either, finish by running a few batches of ice and throwing them away.

GE Opal nugget ice makers: sanitize weekly, descale by water hardness

GE’s Opal cleaning and descaling guide splits the care into two jobs: sanitizing every week and descaling based on how hard your water is. You’ll need the Clean button, the drain hoses on the back and a sink or bucket below the machine.

First, dispense any ice and unplug the Opal. If it has a water filter, remove it and fit the reservoir’s screened intake cap. If it doesn’t, rinse the screen intake filter. Then drain it.

• To sanitize: fill the reservoir with water to the Max Fill line and add one teaspoon of household bleach. GE says to use bleach in a well-ventilated area. Plug it in and hold Clean for 3 seconds. When the Cleaning light goes off, drain it promptly.
• To descale: fill to the Max Fill line with white vinegar or the Opal Cleaning Kit solution instead. Run the clean cycle up to 3 times, then let it sit for 18 hours before you drain it.

To drain, press the red button on each hose at the back, pull the hose down, and lay it so the water runs into a sink or bucket lower than the machine.

Then rinse: add fresh water, press Clean, drain, and do it three times in all.

How often to descale depends on your water. GE’s schedule runs from every 2 to 4 months for soft water (0 to 4 grains per gallon) to every 2 to 3 weeks above 10 grains.

With hard water, GE says you can also switch to distilled water.

Freestanding ice machines: the 16-ounce cleaner cycle

An undercounter or freestanding ice machine has a water pan with a drain cap and a Clean setting. Whirlpool’s ice maker cleaning guide gives these steps:

1. Turn the unit off and wait ten minutes, so any ice stuck to the cutter grid drops. Then empty the bin.
2. Remove the drain cap at the bottom of the water pan at the back. Let it drain completely, then put the cap back securely.
3. Pour a 16-ounce bottle of approved ice machine cleaner into the water pan. Fill that same bottle with water twice and add it.
4. Press Clean. The light blinks while the cycle runs and stays on when it’s done.
5. Drain the pan again through the drain cap, and replace the cap.

Your Use and Care Guide has the exact steps for your model, so keep it handy.

Refrigerator ice makers: bin and chute by hand

A refrigerator ice maker has no clean cycle. You clean the bin and the chute by hand, then run off a few batches of ice. Whirlpool’s steps:

1. Turn it off and disconnect the refrigerator’s power.
2. Remove the ice bin. On Whirlpool models, put your fingers in the hole at the base, squeeze the latch, lift the bin and pull it straight out.
3. Empty it. If ice is frozen to the bin, melt it off with warm water and a washcloth.
4. Clean the chute under the bin with a warm washcloth if ice hasn’t been dispensing well. Dry it thoroughly.
5. Clean the bin with a warm washcloth and an approved ice machine cleaner, then dry it completely before it goes back in.
6. Run and discard a few cycles of ice so no cleaner is left in the system.

If your fridge ice maker has stopped making ice, cleaning won’t fix it.

Start with our guide to an ice maker not making ice but water works. If it’s spilling water, see ice maker overflowing water.

How to clean ice maker parts with mold or buildup

For mold or residue on a removable bin, Whirlpool says to take the bin out and wipe it with an approved cleaner or the water and vinegar mix. For stubborn spots or hard-to-reach places, use a toothbrush.

On a countertop machine, check the manual before you use vinegar there too. GE says to unplug the unit before you clean it by hand.

Whatever you use, rinse well. Then throw out the first batches of ice so nothing you used ends up in a drink.

Ice maker cleaning: questions

Can you clean an ice maker with vinegar?

It depends on the machine. GE uses white vinegar to descale the Opal, and Whirlpool allows a 50/50 vinegar mix as a substitute for its cleaner. The Homyd bullet ice maker manual says to avoid vinegar because it can damage the evaporator. Your own manual is the tiebreaker.

Can I use CLR in an ice maker?

None of the three manuals here lists it. GE, Whirlpool and Homyd each name their own cleaner or vinegar, so use what your manual names instead of a general-purpose descaler.

How often should you clean an ice maker?

It varies by machine. GE says to sanitize an Opal weekly and descale it every few weeks to few months, depending on water hardness. Homyd says to clean its bullet ice maker at least weekly, with a deeper clean every month.