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Cleaning, descaling and mold: what the makers ask for
Updated
A countertop ice maker is a small tank of room temperature water that recycles its own melt. It needs more cleaning than most buyers expect. GE recommends cleaning the Opal once a week. Euhomy recommends running the cleaning program daily, changing the reservoir water every 24 hours, and doing a deep clean once a month. Plan for that before you buy.
Two different jobs
| Job | What it removes | What makers use | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning or sanitizing | Slime, mold, stale taste | GE: five cups of hot water with one teaspoon of household bleach, or hot white vinegar, or its own cleaner, then rinse cycles | GE: weekly, or monthly if you use only distilled water |
| Descaling | Hard white mineral deposits | GE: hot white vinegar to the max fill line, or its own ice maker cleaner. Euhomy: a nickel-safe ice machine cleaner, then two rinse cycles | GE: by water hardness, see below |
These are the makers' instructions for their own machines. Follow the manual for yours. Use one cleaner at a time and rinse as the manual says. GE says not to use soap in the water reservoir.
Descaling depends on your water
GE's descaling schedule for the Opal, by water hardness in grains per gallon:
| Water hardness | Descale |
|---|---|
| 0 to 4 gpg | Every 2 to 4 months |
| 4 to 7 gpg | Every 1 to 2 months |
| 7 to 10 gpg | Every 3 to 4 weeks |
| Over 10 gpg | Every 2 to 3 weeks |
GE says minerals build up in the machine over time and can affect the taste of the ice, and that even bottled water can have high mineral content. It adds that owners who use only distilled water will most likely not need to remove mineral deposits. Euhomy says scale can block the pump and cause the machine to malfunction. Your water utility's yearly report usually lists hardness.
Why mold shows up
The EPA's mold guide says no mold grows without water or moisture, and that drying wet areas within 24 to 48 hours in most cases stops mold from growing. An ice maker that is switched off with water in the tank and the lid shut is a wet box at room temperature. So the habits that matter are simple:
- Drain the tank when you are done for the day. All six picks name a drain plug or a cleaning cycle on the listing.
- Leave the lid open and let the inside dry before you store it.
- Wash the basket and scoop by hand with soapy water. GE says Opal parts are hand wash only.
- If the ice tastes off, GE's advice is to check the water first and then give the machine a good cleaning.
Which picks make this easier
- Igloo IGLICEB26HNBK: automatic five-cycle cleaning function.
- Euhomy IM001: one-touch cleaning cycle that runs 30 minutes.
- Euhomy IM013 nugget: 15 minute cleaning cycle and a bottom drain plug.
- GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra: a cleaning cycle GE says helps sanitize and descale, plus a rear air filter GE says to check at least every 2 months. Owners split on how much upkeep it needs.
- Frigidaire EFIC117-SS and EFIC452-SS: a drain plug, and no cleaning cycle named on the listing.
A self-clean button runs water or cleaner through the lines. It does not scrub the basket or dry the tank. If anyone in your home has a weak immune system, ask their doctor about ice from countertop machines.
Check your own numbers with the pounds per hour calculator, or compare all six picks on the roundup page.