Drain It, Clean It, and Leave the Door Open

Winterizing an ice maker isn’t hard, but it’s more than just unplugging it — you have to drain the water line and dry the unit out.

Start by shutting off the water supply at the valve, then disconnect the supply line and let it drain into a bucket. If the ice maker is a portable countertop model, just empty the reservoir and bring it inside where it won’t freeze. For a built-in unit, run the machine through a normal cycle after you cut the water off so it ejects any remaining cubes and flushes out residual water from the internal lines.

Then clean it. Wipe down the bin, the blade, and the interior with a mild cleaner or vinegar solution, and dry it completely. Finally, prop the door open a few inches and leave it that way. If you close it up with any moisture left inside, you’ll come back to a