Our ice maker repair technicians often get asked, “Why does the ice from my ice maker taste bad?” The answer varies.
Your bad-tasting ice cubes could be because your refrigerator water filter needs to be changed, or perhaps your city’s water supply isn’t the greatest. Let’s take a closer look at some common causes of this pesky problem.
4 Reasons the Ice from Your Ice Maker Tastes Bad
#1: Dirty Water Filter
If your refrigerator ice maker produces ice that tastes bad, one of the first things you should check is the water filter. This filter is responsible for purifying the water that makes clean, fresh ice cubes. If it’s dirty, then your ice will be dirty and taste a little less than stellar.
We recommend changing the water filter in your refrigerator every six months, depending on how much you use your water and ice dispenser. Each model is different, so refer to your owner’s manual for more information on how to replace the filter. This is a simple fix for why the ice from your ice maker tastes bad.
#2: Old or Stale Ice Cubes
Believe it or not, even ice can get old or stale. If you don’t use the ice from your ice maker that often, it could be sitting around collecting all the odors from food in your refrigerator. This, in turn, contributes to the problem of ice from ice maker tastes bad.
To remedy this situation, you could try to use up more ice or dump the older cubes.
#3: Unwrapped Food in the Freezer
Another reason ice from your ice maker tastes bad could be exposed food in your freezer. As we stated earlier, ice will start to absorb the smells of whatever is hanging out around it. If you didn’t seal the bag of freshly caught fish so well, your ice cubes might start to taste a bit (you guessed it) fishy!
The solution for this problem is simple enough: make sure everything in the freezer is tightly wrapped and sealed so that no unwanted odors make their way to your ice bin.
#4: Bad Water Supply
If all else fails when you go on the hunt for why the ice from your ice maker tastes bad, the problem may lie with your city’s water supply. We’ve all been on vacations to new places where the water just doesn’t taste right. Different minerals or other pollutants in the water will work their way into your refrigerator ice maker too.
The best defense against a not-so-tasty water supply is a good water filter. Again, make sure to change the filter as recommended to avoid the questions, “Why does the ice from my ice maker taste bad?”
