Clean your ice maker twice a year

Clean your refrigerator’s ice maker about every six months with white vinegar or a mild dish soap.

Most ice makers don’t need more than that. If you use your ice constantly or live somewhere with hard water, bump it to every three or four months. You’re mostly fighting mineral scale, mold, and that “frozen musty” smell that eventually shows up in the cubes.

The easy way: empty the bin, pull out any removable parts, and wash them with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. For the internal mechanism, wipe down what you can reach with a cloth dipped in vinegar. If your fridge has a self-cleaning ice maker cycle, run that with a dilute vinegar or citric acid solution per the manual. That’s it. You’re not stripping the machine down — you’re just not letting the inside get gross.

One tip: skip bleach and ammonia-based cleaners. They’re harsh, leave a taste, and can damage plastic parts. Vinegar is cheap and does the job without