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lutful
... of ideas
Premium Member
join:2005-06-16
Ottawa, ON

lutful to Tex

Premium Member

to Tex

Re: [Appliances] sanitizing ice makers

said by Tex:

... in order for the water to circulate, as in a commercial ice machine, there would need to be a pump to circulate the water. There would need to be a water reservoir. No residential refrigerator ice maker that I'm aware of has these features. Nor do the ice makers have drains.

All this started with my suggestion to speed up the ice melting process using warm saline solution. I have done this several times for relatives and also used vinegar to clean the (plastic) assemblies and trays.

If you really wanted to run a cleaning solution from the water entry at the back of the fridge, you could run a tube from the ice tray to a nearby sink or a bucket on the floor and let gravity assist you. There are also inexpensive manual fluid pumps at auto stores.

Trying to prove that periodically cleaning the icemaker in a residential fridge is either impossible or ridiculous ... is an insult to people doing it regularly. If you are unwilling to do it, please do not prevent others from even considering it.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

1 recommendation

robbin

Mod

There is no way for the average person to flush the lines of a residential ice maker. There is also no way to flood and drain the ice freezing tray. At most, you can direct a little spray from a pump spray bottle into it and then try to wipe it out. Suggesting anything else is truly ridiculous.

As far as salt water -- bad idea.
54067323 (banned)
join:2012-09-25
Tuscaloosa, AL

1 edit

54067323 (banned) to lutful

Member

to lutful
said by lutful:

Trying to prove that periodically cleaning the icemaker in a residential fridge is either impossible or ridiculous ... is an insult to people doing it regularly.

It has nothing to do with sanitizing an ice maker and everything to do with proffering advice that dangerous, and recommending spraying salt water on electrical equipment is just that.

See the device with the 0/1 on it in the picture you posted?

That's a switch that operates the ice maker and it switches 120 VAC as such using salt water anywhere near that switch or any of the other switches under that plastic cover is flat out wrong and dangerous.




And trying to walk it back by renaming salt water, saline, doesn't change that fact nor make it any safer.
lutful
... of ideas
Premium Member
join:2005-06-16
Ottawa, ON

lutful to robbin

Premium Member

to robbin
said by robbin:

There is no way for the average person to flush the lines of a residential ice maker. There is also no way to flood and drain the ice freezing tray.


But reasonably smart 12-15 year old kids could flush once a year ... as an educational project.

Place container of vinegar water on top of the fridge.

Clip one end of water filled plastic tube in that container.
Insert other end of tube in the fridge water inlet.

Clip one end of another water filled plastic tube in the ice collection tray.
Put other end of that tube into a large bucket on the floor.

There will be no "flooding" if the container on top of the fridge is small. You can fill with salt water on first few passes, then vinegar water, and finally with clean water.
said by robbin:

At most, you can direct a little spray from a pump spray bottle into it and then try to wipe it out. Suggesting anything else is truly ridiculous.

For regular cleaning of the icemaker assembly with salt, you don't have to spray or even wipe.

Turn off icemaker. Wait.
Sprinkle salt on remaining ice. Wait.
Turn back on. Wait.
Discard salty ice.
said by robbin:

As far as salt water -- bad idea.

Yes, it is a bad idea if you deliberately spray salt water directly on electrical stuff outside the PLASTIC icemaker assembly.

Tex
Dave's not here
Premium Member
join:2012-10-20

Tex

Premium Member

From the Army document:

Cleaning and disinfecting procedures for residential
ice-making machines.
(If available, follow the
manufacturer’s recommendations.)

1. Determine if ice maker is completely or partially removable.

If removable:

2. Run ice maker through 2 or 3 freezing cycles. If refrigerator has a built-in water dispenser then a longer flush is required to flush the water reservoir.

3. Remove ice storage bin, ice maker unit, and any other removable components.

4. Wash in hot soapy detergent solution.

5. Rinse in clean potable water.

6. Sanitize parts in a solution of 1 ounce unscented household bleach in 3 gallons of clean potable water. Leave parts in solution for at least 30 seconds. Let parts air dry.

7. Wash hands thoroughly. Reassemble the unit and return the ice machine to service.

8. Discard the first ice produced.

9. Let the bin or reservoir fill and run bacteria samples on water supply and ice.

10. If negative, ice can be used for food operations. If positive, reclean and sanitize machine and check for problems with the potable water supply.

If not removable:

2. Run the ice maker through 2 or 3 freezing cycles or flush the water supply line including the water dispenser and water reservoir.

3. Discard ice and return the ice bin to the freezer.

4. Use a spray bottle with a chlorine solution (1 ounce household bleach to 2 gallons of water. Spray all exposed surfaces including ice shoots and freezing surfaces. Let surfaces air dry.

5. Clean and sanitize ice bin and any other removable parts. Follow procedures for ice machines with removable ice surfaces, above.

6. Wash hands thoroughly. Reassemble the unit and return the ice machine to service.

7. Discard the first ice produced.

8. Let the bin or reservoir fill and run bacteria samples on water supply and ice.

9. If negative, ice can be used for food operations. If positive, reclean and sanitize machine and check for problems with the potable water supply.

Jack_in_VA
Premium Member
join:2007-11-26
North, VA

Jack_in_VA

Premium Member

"From an army document"

That says it all. Useless for a home refrigerator ice maker and cold water dispenser.

I re-read my owners manual for my refrigerator and nowhere does it mention anything about "flushing" the ice-maker.

printscreen
join:2003-11-01
Juana Diaz, PR

printscreen

Member

said by Jack_in_VA:

I re-read my owners manual for my refrigerator and nowhere does it mention anything about "flushing" the ice-maker.

Mine says to discard the first few cycles from the ice maker. Also when connecting for the first time or relocating recommends to run the water dispenser for 5 minutes or so to remove air bubbles and to flush the system.

Jack_in_VA
Premium Member
join:2007-11-26
North, VA

Jack_in_VA

Premium Member

Mine says that too and I think all of them probably do also. That is not the same as routine "flushing".