How to Clean an Ice Maker in a Freezer
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1-2 hours
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Beginner
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- 0-20
The ice maker is a convenience in a freezer that may be taken for granted—until something goes wrong. With proper preventative care, it is possible to keep your ice maker working for a long time. Regularly clean your system to keep it functioning properly and to have fresher tasting ice.
Step 1 - Defrost the Fridge
Before you clean, you will need to defrost the entire freezer. Lift the arm on the ice maker to put it into the off position. Unplug the appliance and open the doors. After three hours, remove the ice tray and dump any water.
Step 2 - Clean the Ice Tray
Use warm water and mild detergent to thoroughly clean the ice tray. Make sure to invert the tray so it will be able to completely dry before you replace it in the freezer.
Step 3 - Clean the Ice Maker
Add in an ice maker cleaner to the top of the appliance. This solution will clean the inside and the working parts. Plug in the freezer, put the tray in place and allow the ice maker to go through three cycles of making ice. Throw the test ice away and replace the tray before use.
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![Justin Stewart]()
Justin Stewart is a contributing writer to DoItYourself.com. He loves researching new home improvement techniques, and has written about a huge range of topics, from electrical wiring, to plumbing, to carpentry.![H.R. Helm]()
H.R. Helm is an accomplished DIY craftsman. He has been DIY since childhood and is now a septuagenarian. He is experienced in wood and metal construction, having designed and built several houses and metal buildings. He built every permanent building on his current homestead and did all the plumbing and electrical work. He has several years experience as a professional cabinet builder, and he is an accomplished auto repairman, having operated an auto repair business for many years. He currently has a home shop where he sharpens and rebuilds saws, repairs lawn mowers, mobility scooters, hydraulic jacks, and anything else that comes along. He also builds custom tools for metal working. Invention prototypes are another of his many accomplishments. He owned and operated a manufacturing business building Compact Utility Vehicles for homeowner use. H.R. enjoys making jams and jellies during fruit season along with cooking meals. He is committed to outdoor cooking in a Bar-B-Q pit he welded together several years ago. He maintains fruit and nut trees along with helping his wife with a vegetable garden. He farmed commercial garden produce for several years. It helps to have over 50 years of farming and ranching experience. Employment/Education Highlights ASE Certified Master Auto Technician Certified Welder Cross country truck driver -- over dimensional freight Design Engineer/Project Manager for injection molded plastic company Bus Driver/Substitute Teacher Inventor with two patents (weight training – anti-rollback for manual wheelchair) BS in Industrial Technology
