How to Clean Your Fridge’s Water Line, Dispenser, and Ice Maker

If your water or ice taste funky, or there is noticeable sediment in your glass of water, it’s time to deep clean your fridge’s water line and ice maker. This is an easy task once you start so let’s just get it done! 

Flush Your Fridge’s Water Line

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If your fridge’s water line is accessible, a great way to descale the line is by running vinegar through the line. This means pulling out your fridge, so be cautious of your flooring and your back!  These appliance rollers (USA) (Canada) are great for the assist. 

1. Make sure you turn off the water shut-off valve to the fridge. This can often be found on the wall behind the fridge, or in the cabinet under the sink.  
2. Then, unscrew the water supply line hose on the back of your fridge. Have a towel handy to catch any drips or leaks. 
3. Let gravity and your fridge’s water dispenser work for you. Place the hose in a container of vinegar as high as possible while you press the water dispenser, collecting it into a pitcher and then dumping it into the sink. This will allow the vinegar to make its way through the supply line and out of the dispenser. This may take some time but you will smell when the vinegar reaches the dispenser. 
4. Once this happens, stop and let the vinegar sit in the lines for 10-20 minutes. This will soften any hard water deposits in the lines. While you wait, wrap some vinegar-soaked paper towels around the water dispenser in the door and inside the ice chute. Pour some straight vinegar into the drip tray in the door as well. This will help you when you clean the dispenser. 
5. When you are satisfied with the vinegar flush, reattach the hose connector to the water line, making sure you tighten it well. 
6. Turn the water back on and flush the line with clean water. You will want to collect and dump this flush as well until all the vinegar has cleared. Again, you will know by smell. 
7. You’ll also want to dump the first few batches of ice that your fridge makes, as they could taste like vinegar, too. 

Clean Your Fridge’s Dispenser and Spout

Next up, we are hitting the water and ice dispensers in the door of the fridge. You can do this whether or not you cleaned your water lines.

1. If you skipped water line descaling, pour some vinegar onto paper towels and wrap them around the dispenser, and stuff them up inside the ice chute. Pour some vinegar into the drip tray in the door. Let it all sit for 10-20 minutes.
2. Remove the paper towel and wipe away the hard water deposits. Repeat the soaking step if necessary (up to overnight). You can use a straw cleaner to scrub the inside of the water dispenser line. 

Watch this YouTube for visual help to clean and descale the dispenser and spout. 

Clean Your Fridge’s Ice Maker

Now for the ice maker. 

1. Turn off the function to make ice. This can be done on the fridge’s display panel or within the ice maker compartment itself. 
2. Take out the ice bucket and dump the ice, or save it for a post-clean beverage. 
3. Scrub all parts of the ice bucket tray in the sink for easy rinsing. We use Dawn® dish soap, Dawn® Powerwash, or bleach as they are all safe for food contact surfaces. Scrub and rinse the tray well using warm (not hot) water to avoid potential heat warping. Allow to air dry. 
4. While the bucket dries, clean out the compartment where the bucket lives. Wet a clean cloth with warm water and your choice of Dawn®. 
5. Don’t forget the ice chute. Wipe it down with your soapy cloth. 

Change Your Fridge’s Water Filter

Before you can say this job is done, change your fridge’s water filter, following the manufacturers instructions. They are usually located somewhere inside the fridge and either twist or pull out. 

That’s it! To deep clean the rest of your fridge, see this article or this video. 

Katie @ GoCleanCo