Nobody likes the sight of mold. The presence of mold in your home can cause you a lot of long-term health problems, and let’s face it – it’s disgusting!
If you left your ice maker in storage for a while and recently decided to pull it out to make some ice – you may be shocked at what you see.
Mold in your ice maker can make you sick. If mold begins to form, you want to make sure that you deal with it right away and the right way.
So what are the proper steps on how to tackle mold in your countertop ice maker?
I have taken the time to give you an easy to follow guide on how to get rid of a mold problem in your countertop ice maker.
We also wrote a more detailed article on how to properly clean your portable ice maker.
Why Does Mold Grow In Portable Ice Makers?
First of all, why does mold grow inside your portable ice maker? Portable Ice makers can get considerably dirty over time.
Don’t get me wrong, I love portable ice makers, but you do have to take care of them or they can be disgusting.
1. Dirty Water
As residue from the water is transmitted on the sides of your unit, the result can be that nasty “M” word – mold.
Mold is more likely to grow in portable ice makers because they do not maintain a freezing temperature. There are portable ice makers that have built-in freezers, but those units are rarer.
2. Bad Habits With Your Portable Ice Maker
When it comes to portable ice makers, people have some bad habits. There are two bad habits in particular that can lead to mold forming in your ice maker.
The first bad habit is if their unit is working, they don’t take the time to clean it. This is bad news! You must make sure that your portable ice maker is always clean. I recommend that you take some time once a month to wash the sides with soap and water and then rinse it thoroughly.
The second bad habit people have is grabbing ice with their hands without using a scoop. There is a reason portable ice makers come with an ice scoop. Using your hands to grab ice or putting back ice if it’s not used is a way for bacteria to grow.
Important: Use an ice scoop (I love the scoop that I recently bought from Amazon) to get your ice and never (EVER) put the ice back into the basket. If some ice accidentally falls on the ground, throw it away.
What happens if you begin to notice mold growing in your portable ice maker? Well, let’s take care of that problem now.
The Main Places Mold Will Grow in Your Portable Ice Maker
Along the ice maker’s sides, on the lid, and in the water reservoir are the most popular places for mold to form in a portable ice maker.
It’s important to make sure that you check your unit extensively for mold inside the unit before you begin the ice cycle, especially if you haven’t used the unit in a long time.
How Do You Tackle Mold In Your Portable Ice Maker?
If you find mold inside your ice maker, there is an easy solution. I have listed below the best way to get rid of mold from your unit.
1. Create A Homemade Cleaning Solution or Purchase One on Amazon
Take a little bleach (5 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of bleach) diluted in some warm water and thoroughly clean your ice maker. It’s important to focus on where the ice is frozen, the water reservoir, and the inside walls of the unit.
Make sure that all the mold is gone, and that the inside of your ice maker is thoroughly cleaned and rinsed. You could also use this product: Complete Mold Killer & Remover DIY Bundle to clean your ice maker if you wish.
This product is designed to clean, kill and prevent mold from growing in your ice machine. It’s also the fastest stain remover on the market today.
2. Deodorize Your Unit
To deodorize your ice maker, wash the inside walls with four tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in one quart of water.
Next, you want to rinse the ice maker, making sure that all the cleaning solution is gone (you don’t want the homemade cleaning solution in your ice).
Be Proactive With Your Ice Maker and Keep Mold From Growing
The best way to clean mold in your ice maker is to make sure that it doesn’t occur.
How is this possible?
You want to make sure that you perform regular maintenance on your ice machine. I have put together a shortlist of proper maintenance tips to make sure your unit is working at its best.
Tips For Maintaining A Portable Ice Maker
- Make sure that you clean out your ice maker at least once a month. Keeping your ice maker clean from building up residue will keep mold far away.
- Unplug your ice maker if you are going away for an extended period of time. There is no need to run your ice maker if there is no one going to around enjoy the ice. If you are going camping, then you may want to bring your portable ice maker along for the ride. To store your ice maker, wash the unit and dry it with a soft rag.
- Use clean water when filling up the water reservoir. When you use dirty water in your ice maker, it’s going to damage your ice maker. Use filtered water to ensure that your water is pure.
Keeping your portable ice maker clean at all times is the best way you’ll never have to deal with mold.
I hope that this article has helped you. Please leave your comments or questions below, and I hope you enjoy cold, mold-free ice.
REMOVES MOLD AND MILDEW STAINS: HOME ARMOR Mildew Stain Remover is a bleach-free spray cleaner that removes stains caused by mold and mildew.
EFFECTIVE AGAINST SOAP SCUM: This stain remover spray also removes soap scum and stains left by hard water and minerals.
IDEAL FOR USE ON: This stain fighter cleans tile, tubs, shower doors, or shower curtains.
EASY TO USE: Shake well and spray sparingly on tile, tub, shower door, shower curtain, or any surface to be cleaned, starting at the highest point and working down. Rinse and wipe away after 5 minutes.
