If you don’t clean your portable ice maker regularly being unaware of how to clean a portable ice maker easily thus risking the soundness of your health then this write up is for you.
Throughout the write up, we will be showing you the correct way of cleaning both the exterior and interior of your portable ice maker. We also will be introducing you to the signs, which are the hints from your ice maker to clean it. Let’s begin!
How to clean a portable ice maker
Tools required
Cleaning your portable ice maker without having the collection of the following tools is gonna be hectic and ineffective as well.
- A bucket
- Soft and clean rag piece
- Tepid water
- Non-abrasive sponge
- Suitable ice machine cleaner
In case of the ice machine cleaner, you must make sure that the cleaner is free from vinegar and any type of acidic item. Otherwise, you won’t be able to avoid the responsibility for the future damage of the machine.
Start cleaning with the inner portion
Remove the ice
The first step is the removal of the ice frozen inside the ice maker. For this, you can adopt any of the two following ways, which are fast, effortless and secure.
- Turn off the switch and wait some time until the frozen ice starts melting automatically.
- Turn off the machine when the ice falls from the evaporators.
- Collect the melted ice and gather in a plastic bag. Pour down the ice over your kitchen sink and then pour a bucket of water all over the ice. The remaining frozen ice will turn into water very soon and make the sink completely vacant for your use.
Press the wash/clean button
As a common manufacturing feature, your ice maker must have a button named wash or clean. Press the button.As soon as you press it, water starts flowing through the dump valve and then lands into the drain.Keep a sharp eye on the ice maker’s display.When the trough is filled with water and it’s time to add the cleaner, the display will indicate you.
Add the cleaner and wait
So, does the display show any indication? Then, it’s time for you to add adequate amount of cleaner. Once the addition is done, you must hold on for up to 20 to 70 minutes to let the cleaning cycle over. The duration of the cleaning cycle actually varies from machine brand to brand.
When the cycle is over, simply unplug the ice maker.
Clean the internal components
There are many components just inside your portable ice make, which require a good cleaning because they are basically responsible for a satisfactory service.
However, go through your manual well to learn the correct way of disassembling the components. And the most important thing is that you must not apply force while disassembling the parts.
Are the components disassembled well? Okay, preserve them securely for a good cleaning.
Make the cleaning solution
To clean the disassembled internal components, you must make an effective cleaning solution using fresh water and the cleaning liquid you have for the ice maker especially.
The usual ratio of water to the liquid is one gallon to 16 ounces. But, then we strongly recommend you to go through your ice maker’s user manual to find out further instructions.
Clean the internal components
Divide your made cleaning solution in two equal halves. Take the one half in a large bucket.
Dip all the components into the solution. As soon as the solution is in the touch of dirt, mineral, lime and scale scum, large or small volumes of foam will be produced. Keep waiting until the foaming process is on.
Have a piece of sponge and soft rag piece. Take up the internal components from the solution. Clean them with the rag piece and sponge. Finally, rinse the parts using fresh lukewarm water.
Clean the machine surface
Don’t you still have another half portion of the cleaning mixture? Use this half portion to clean the ice maker’s surface parts – sidewalls, evaporators and bin.
To make your cleaning more effective, you should use a sponge, a brush with soft bristles and a soft clean rag piece.
Wipe everything
In the end, we recommend you to have a clean rag piece. Dip it into fresh-water and wipe every part of the ice maker.
This will make you sure that no chemical is left on any of the parts that may contaminate your ice after assembling.
Clean the exterior
You should not only be obsessed with the cleaning of the interior of your portable ice maker. Importance must be given on the cleaning of the exterior of it as well. Remember that contamination can be spread from anywhere.
However, these following tips will give you an easy view of the exterior’s cleaning:
- Have you dropped ice on the ice maker, wipe off the ice fast. Otherwise, stain will be visible soon.
- Have a damp rag piece to wipe the exterior of your ice maker frequently. Avoid using abrasive brushes and pads in this cleaning process.
- Sometimes you may find grease buildup over the exterior of your ice maker. To wipe off the grease, you just need to have a solution of dish soap and water. Damp a rag piece with a small portion of this mixture. Finally, mop the greased area mildly with the rag.
When to clean your ice maker?
Are you aware of the signs that your ice maker may show you meaning it requires a good cleaning? Don’t know? Then, for you here follow the signs:
- Odor
- Low ice capacity
- Poor ice quality
- Production of incomplete ice cube
- Either slow harvest or literally no ice releasing
- No cycle when in harvest mode
Final words
To sum up, if you don’t know how to clean a portable ice maker, then you will have ice of poor quality with odor at a certain time. Eventually, you will not enjoy the pure taste of fresh ice cubes that might even be responsible for your several ailments.