A light and zingy cocktail is the perfect pick-me-up drink for the hot summer weather—except when your ice tastes sus. No matter how refreshing a drink is, bad ice will ruin its flavor.
If you dispensed ice from your Frigidaire ice maker, and it tastes and smells sus, you might want to give the bin a deep clean. Not to worry, it is a quick and easy process that you can perform by yourself in a few minutes.
So you can be cool for the summer and enjoy ice on-demand without the funky taste, we’ll teach you how to clean your Frigidaire fridge ice maker.
How to Clean a Frigidaire Ice Maker
A Frigidaire refrigerator’s ice maker must be cleaned regularly and thoroughly, especially before a move or a vacation. Start by turning off the ice maker and removing the bin from the fridge.
Only use mild detergents to clean the bin. Rinse, then dry it thoroughly before reinstalling it.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for cleaning a Frigidaire fridge ice maker.
- Step 1: Turn off the ice maker.
- Step 2: Pull the ice bin to remove it from the freezer.
- Step 3: Empty the ice onto a different container. Pour warm water over it if the ice is clumping together, or try to shake it loose.
- Step 4: Clean the bin with mild detergent and rinse it with warm water.
- Step 5: Use a soft cloth to wipe it dry, or let it air dry.
- Step 6: Reinstall the bin and turn on the ice maker.
Tips To Maintain Your Frigidaire Ice Maker
To keep your Frigidaire ice makers in good condition:
- Clean the ice maker regularly.
- Replace the filter when indicated.
- Never rotate the auger.
- Never use an ice pick to remove ice.
- Never use harsh chemicals.
- Remove ice during a power outage.
- Turn off the ice maker if you disconnect the water supply.
Routine maintenance is key to keeping your ice maker clean and efficient. Below, we will delve into these maintenance tips so you can enjoy good quality ice on demand.
1. Clean the ice maker regularly.
Most would recommend cleaning the ice maker at least twice a year. If you live in an area with high humidity or with a hard water supply, you should clean it more frequently.
Like other parts of your fridge, the ice bin can be a breeding ground for bacteria if isn’t cleaned regularly. It can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and other health concerns.
At ApplianceGeeked, we never wait until the last minute to clean up the ice maker. It won’t hurt if you give it a quick clean every month just to keep the ice in your freezer clean and free from bad contamination.
2. Replace the water filter every six months.
Aside from cleaning the ice maker itself, you must replace the fridge’s water filter every six months to produce good-quality ice.
Your fridge will remind you to replace the filter once 200 gallons(757 liters) of water have passed through the system. Depending on your usage, your unit might notify you every six months or more frequently for households that use lots of ice.
To replace the water filter in your Frigidaire fridge, follow these steps carefully:
- Step 1: Push the ice maker’s ON/OFF icon for 3 seconds to turn it off. Wait for the Ice Off indicator light to illuminate.
- Step 2: Carefully push the face of the filter and slide the cartridge out of the housing.
- Step 3: Get the new filter and slide it into the housing. Push it in firmly until it snaps into place.
- Step 4: Dispense water into a glass while checking for leaks in the filter. As you purge air out of the dispenser system, you’ll notice occasional spurts and sputters.
- Step 5: Continue to flush the system for about 4 minutes.
- Step 6: Press the ice maker’s ON/OFF icon.
- Step 7: Reset the water filter indicator. Just press the Water Filter key for 3 seconds, then wait for the light to change from red to green.
3. Never rotate the auger when you’re removing or reinstalling the ice bin in your Frigidaire refrigerator.
Located in the ice bucket, the auger is responsible for stirring and dispensing the ice. If you accidentally rotate it during the cleaning process, your fridge will no longer dispense ice.
Additionally, your fridge door won’t close properly when the auger is misaligned. This causes warm air to seep into the freezer, raising its internal temperature.
To fix the auger, you must rotate it about 45° until the ice bin fits into the drive mechanism.
4. Never use an ice pick to remove clumped ice from the bin.
Avoid using ice picks, knives, and other sharp tools to remove hard clumps of ice from the bin. This can damage the bin and the dispenser assembly, which will require replacements if damaged.
Instead, try shaking the bin to loosen the ice. If that doesn’t work, pour warm water onto the clumps of ice, then simply wait for it to melt.
Don’t pour boiling water onto the ice bin as it may cause the material to warp. If it becomes defective, you must replace the part to continue using the machine.
5. Never use harsh chemicals to clean the ice bin.
Only use mild detergents, sponges, and soft cloths to clean the ice maker. Avoid using harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners to prevent damage to the assembly.
You can opt to use homemade cleaning solutions to clean the ice bin. For instance, vinegar and baking soda are very effective cleaning products that you probably already have in your pantry.
Here are a few cleaning solutions that you can use to clean the ice bin.
- Vinegar solution: In a bowl, mix 1:3 parts vinegar and warm water. This simple solution can sanitize the ice bin, killing bacteria and mold growth.
- Baking soda solution: Create a 1:1 solution of baking soda and warm water. It can neutralize odors that are starting to develop in the bin.
- Ice maker cleaners: There are all sorts of cleaning products on the market that are formulated for ice makers. Some can help with mineral build-up, while others can sanitize your machine without leaving a chemical smell.
6. Remove ice during a power outage.
One thing that most people overlook during extended power failures is the ice maker. We understand that keeping your food cool and safe is the main priority, but you should also remember to empty the ice bin to prevent the dispenser from malfunctioning.
Ice in the bin usually starts to melt after the 1-hour mark. If you forget to empty the container, the melted ice will refreeze into a big solid block once power is restored.
Unfortunately, this will cause the dispenser mechanism to jam, preventing your fridge from dispensing ice properly.
7. Turn off the ice maker if the fridge isn’t connected to the water supply.
Whenever you disconnect the water supply of your Frigidaire fridge or turn it off for routine maintenance, you must power off the ice maker too.
If the ice maker is on when the water supply is off or disconnected, it might attempt to operate without water, making the fill valve produce loud chattering noises.
The ON/OFF button of the ice maker will vary per fridge model. Here are a few methods that might apply to your unit.
- Method 1: Just press and hold the ice maker’s ON/OFF icon for three seconds to turn it OFF or ON again. The LED indicator light above the Ice Off icon will illuminate once the machine is powered off.
- Method 2: On select Frigidaire models, you must pull the drawer out of the freezer and lift the wire signal arm to turn the ice maker off. You can turn it back on by lowering the arm.
- Method 3: To turn off the ice maker on Frigidaire Gallery refrigerators, press the Options button and select the Ice Maker on the menu. Tap the + or – key to turn the function ON/OFF, then push the Set button to confirm the selection.
Regardless of your fridge model, empty the bin if the ice maker is going to stay off for over an hour. You don’t want the ice to melt and refreeze in the bin.
Frequently Asked Questions
A variety of reasons can cause your Frigidaire ice maker to produce ice that tastes and smells bad. The most common causes include a dirty ice bin, an old water filter, low ice usage, and a bad water supply.
Clean your Frigidaire ice maker every six months or more frequently if your household has hard water. Routine cleaning prevents mineral build-up, which gives your ice an unpleasant smell and taste.
If your Frigidaire fridge’s ice already tastes weird and smells funky, it’s a tell-tale sign that the ice maker is dirty and requires cleaning.
If you accidentally rotated the auger while you were cleaning the Frigidaire ice maker, you must rotate it 45° until the bucket fits into the drive mechanism.
