Mold in icemaker

**BDC** · 03-29-2006, 23:04

The ice maker where I used to work got removed after health and safety raided. I told them it said to clean it every week...

**Geezer57** · 03-30-2006, 02:50

Make a mixture of 1 gallon water, 1 cup household bleach (Clorox, etc.), and 1 cup white wine vinegar. It's a cheap and very effective disinfectant - use it to flush out the water line and clean the ice maker in your refrigerator. Also works great for eliminating the black mold growing in the grout lines of a shower stall.

Bleach by itself has long been used as a disinfectant, but adding the vinegar to it changes the pH factor (makes it slightly acidic), magnifying the antimicrobial effects.

**Avicenna** · 03-30-2006, 03:16

So you suggest throwing chlorine in? Might as well go to the swimming pool then.

Originally Posted by wikipedia

Reasons for mold in house

In the home, the presence of mold can mean that something is wrong. Mold doesn’t require sunlight; often, sunlight will kill it. Mold does require moisture and food. In houses and buildings, this food source is usually some form of cellulose such as wood or cardboard.

If an entire house has problems with mold year-round, then there is probably too much moisture in the house, coming from a dirt basement or a leaking roof, for example.
If there are mold problems in one specific part of a house year-round, then that part of the house probably needs more sunlight and ventilation. Mold often forms on perimeter walls, because they are coolest, and where ventilation is poorest (in corners, around furniture).
If there are mold problems in a house only during certain times of the year, then it is probably either too air-tight, or too drafty. Mold problems occur in air-tight homes more frequently in the warmer months (when humidity reaches high levels inside the house, and moisture is trapped), and occur in drafty homes more frequently in the colder months (when warm air escapes from the living area into unconditioned space, and condenses). If a house is humidified artificially during the winter, this can create conditions favorable to mold. Also see ventilation issues in houses for tips on preventing mold. [1]

**Major Robert Dump** · 03-30-2006, 10:55

Run bleach through it regularly, very diluted bleach of course or you will kill the hoses/plastic and leave a residue with a bleachy good taste

This problem is why virtually no restraunts use open handles ice machines anymore (the old kind with the big hatch and you reach in and scoop out the ice) because you need to clean them several times a day and the health inspector will bite you in the rear everytime. Most places with their act together use ice dispensers (push the button here comes ice) becuase you can just run diluted bleach through it once a day as part of the cleaning cycle and the constant cycle of movement lessens the chance of mold buildup, whereas a bunch of ice sitting together in one place gives you mold mold mold.

I'm assuming you are talking about a built in machine in your firidge, in which case you may need to interrupt the water line and run the bleach through it, unless you have a removable unit. Also, cycle it more if the ice reservoir is small, and throw a lot of ice out, like once a week run it unitl its dry to help flsuh all the critters out

**Byzantine Mercenary** · 03-30-2006, 14:00

it all seems like a lot of hassle for a bit of ice in your drink, just get an ice cube tray!

i wouldn't fancy bleachy ice anyway personally

**BDC** · 03-30-2006, 19:35

Originally Posted by Major Robert Dump

Run bleach through it regularly, very diluted bleach of course or you will kill the hoses/plastic and leave a residue with a bleachy good taste

This problem is why virtually no restraunts use open handles ice machines anymore (the old kind with the big hatch and you reach in and scoop out the ice) because you need to clean them several times a day and the health inspector will bite you in the rear everytime. Most places with their act together use ice dispensers (push the button here comes ice) becuase you can just run diluted bleach through it once a day as part of the cleaning cycle and the constant cycle of movement lessens the chance of mold buildup, whereas a bunch of ice sitting together in one place gives you mold mold mold.

I'm assuming you are talking about a built in machine in your firidge, in which case you may need to interrupt the water line and run the bleach through it, unless you have a removable unit. Also, cycle it more if the ice reservoir is small, and throw a lot of ice out, like once a week run it unitl its dry to help flsuh all the critters out

Excactly what happened where I used to work...

I fixed their coke machine by hitting it with a spanner too. Fun place.

**Major Robert Dump** · 03-30-2006, 23:19

use the lid on the bleach. fill it with bleach. add to 2 gallons of water and mix. its no different than the typical sanitizer restraunts pay 5 dollars a gallon for, and it leaves no taste. We arent talking about pouring bleach in all on its own, but when its heavily diluted you could literally drink the stuff without harm