Why Does My Ice Taste Bad? 7 Causes in a Countertop Ice Maker, and the Fix
Countertop ice usually tastes bad for one of three reasons: the water itself (chlorine, minerals or well water), water left in the reservoir for more than 24 hours, or scale and buildup in the reservoir, lines and basket. Taste a chilled glass of the same water first. If the water tastes fine, drain and refill the machine, wash the basket and run a full clean with one BLITZ tablet: two Clean cycles, then a fresh-water rinse.
Shop BLITZ Ice Machine Cleaner, $24.95
In this guide
Ice tastes like the water it's made from, plus everything that water touched. In a countertop machine, water sits in a reservoir and is pumped to the freezing prongs, cycle after cycle.
Some machines reuse what doesn't become ice: Frigidaire's EFIC manual says unfrozen water in the tray drains back into the reservoir, and GE says melted ice in the Opal's bin is recirculated. So a problem in the water or the machine ends up in the cubes.
Why does my ice taste bad? The 7 usual causes
Match what you taste or smell to the likely cause, then read the fix below.
1. The water itself: chlorine, minerals or well water
Test this first, it takes a minute. Chill a glass of the same water you pour into the machine and taste it. If it tastes off too, cleaning the ice maker won't help: fix the water.
- Pool or bleach taste: chlorine. City water is treated with chlorine. Health Canada says free chlorine in most Canadian systems runs from 0.04 to 2.0 mg/L, and sensitive people can taste it from 0.6 mg/L. It's a taste issue, not a safety one. A jug left in the fridge overnight loses much of it (City of Calgary), or use a filter certified for chlorine reduction (NSF/ANSI 42).
- Chalky, salty or metallic taste: minerals. Health Canada's limit for dissolved solids (500 mg/L) is based on taste; above it, water scales appliances. Iron tastes metallic. Salty ice usually means a water softener adding too much salt (GE), and Health Canada recommends unsoftened water for drinking.
- Rotten-egg smell: sulphur, often from a well. Hydrogen sulphide has a Health Canada limit of 0.05 mg/L, set for taste and odour. Health Canada says to test a well whenever its taste, smell or colour changes, and for bacteria at least every 6 months (Québec says twice a year). More in our guide to hard well water and iron stains.
Tip: Distilled water leaves less scale. GE and Igloo favour it; NewAir says it's "too pure" for the ClearIce40 and can keep the Add Water light on, so use drinking water there.
2. Old water sitting in the reservoir
Our first suspect for a flat or stale taste. NewAir and Igloo both say to change the reservoir water every 24 hours and to drain the machine when it isn't in use. Topping up doesn't count: the old water stays at the bottom. Open the drain plug, empty it, refill with fresh drinking water. Frigidaire's EFIC manual asks for a weekly change; daily is better on every machine, and it costs nothing.
3. Scale on the prongs and in the lines
Minerals in the water leave a white crust on the metal prongs, in the water pan and in the pump lines. The signs: a chalky taste, cloudy ice, and white flakes at the bottom of your glass. Only an acid dissolves it. GE's Opal 2.0 turns on a Descale light after 100 hours of ice making and says harder water needs descaling more often. Check how hard the water is in your city.
Fix: descale every 1 to 2 months, monthly if the machine runs every day. One BLITZ tablet in the reservoir, two Clean cycles, then a fresh-water rinse: no vinegar smell to rinse out of your ice.
4. Buildup in the reservoir, basket and lines
A countertop ice maker is wet and often warm. Residue builds a slimy film or spots in the reservoir and basket, and a musty or stale smell follows. GE's advice when the water is good but the ice tastes off: clean the unit. GE and Frigidaire both ask for a weekly clean.
Fix: wash the basket and scoop every week, and do a full clean (below) when you see film or smell anything.
5. Ice melting and refreezing in the basket
The basket is not a freezer. Frigidaire says its countertop machine "is not designed to keep ice frozen" and tells you to move the ice to a freezer.
Ice left in the basket melts and clumps, and on an Opal, GE says the melt water goes back into the reservoir to be frozen again. Hours later you get clumped, stale-tasting ice. Use ice the same day, bag the rest, and empty the basket before bed.
6. Storage near food
Once ice goes into the freezer, it picks up smells. Frigidaire Canada says ice absorbs odours and tastes from strong, uncovered food, and that old ice gets stale. Keep countertop ice in a sealed freezer bag or a lidded container, away from fish, onions and opened packages, and use it within a few days.
7. A new machine, or one just cleaned with vinegar
A brand-new machine can make ice that tastes of plastic. NewAir, Igloo and GE all say to clean the machine before first use. Wash the basket, run a cleaning cycle, rinse and toss the first batch. Still there after a few days? Contact the maker.
Ice that tastes of vinegar after a clean wasn't rinsed enough. Run two more Clean cycles with fresh water.
What to check, in order (10 minutes)
Easiest and most likely first. Stop when you find it.
- Taste the water alone. Bad too? It's the water (cause 1).
- Check the reservoir water. More than a day old, or topped up? Drain and refill (cause 2).
- Look at the prongs and water pan. White crust or flakes mean scale (cause 3).
- Check the basket and walls. Film, spots or clumps mean buildup or refrozen ice (causes 4 and 5).
- Storage, new machine or a recent clean? See causes 6 and 7.
The fix: a full reset in about an hour
If the water tastes fine, this clears causes 2 to 5 at once:
- Empty and drain. Throw out the ice, open the drain plug, let the old water out.
- Wash the basket and scoop in warm soapy water. Wipe the walls and lid. No soap in the reservoir.
- Add one tablet. Fill the reservoir with cool drinking water (never hot) and drop in one BLITZ tablet.
- Run the Clean cycle twice. No Clean mode? Model-by-model steps are in the guide linked below.
- Rinse and dry. Drain, run one cycle with fresh water, drain, wipe the inside dry.
- Make ice. Refill and start. To be extra sure, throw out the first batch.
Buttons, cycle times and brand quirks (NewAir, Igloo, Frigidaire, GE Opal and more) are in our step-by-step guide: how to clean an ice maker.
Get 24 tablets for $24.95, about $1.04 a clean
Careful: Some manuals add a diluted bleach rinse. Never combine it with vinegar, lemon or a descaling tablet: Health Canada warns never to mix bleach with other cleaning products. Rinse fully in between.
How to keep ice tasting fresh
- Every day it runs: drain, refill with fresh drinking water, empty the basket at night.
- Every week: wash the basket and scoop, wipe the walls.
- Every 1 to 2 months: one BLITZ tablet, two Clean cycles, one rinse.
- Before putting it away: a full clean, then let it dry with the lid open. See how to store a countertop ice maker.
Fridge and freezer ice makers
An ice maker built into a fridge has different causes. GE says old ice absorbs food odours and the water filter should be replaced every 6 months. Frigidaire Canada says to cover food and throw out the first two containers of ice after installing a fridge. LG suggests a box of baking soda in each compartment. BLITZ Ice Machine Cleaner is not for ice makers built into a fridge or freezer.
Why BLITZ for this job
- One tablet per clean. It removes limescale and mineral buildup, cleans the internal water lines and helps neutralize stale odours. No vinegar smell to rinse out of your ice.
- About $1.04 a clean: 24 tablets for $24.95, up to two years of monthly cleans.
- Made for standalone machines: countertop, portable, built-in and commercial. Not for fridge or freezer ice makers.
- Rated 4.9 out of 5 (13 reviews) on goblitzclean.com, and septic-safe.
- A Québec company based in Laval, with service in French and English. Free shipping in Canada from $40 ($7.95 below), most orders in 2 to 3 business days, 10% back in store credit and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Also on Amazon.ca.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my ice taste bad even with filtered water?
Then look at the machine: water left in the reservoir over 24 hours, scale on the prongs, film in the basket, or ice that melted and refroze. If your filter is old, change it: GE suggests a new Opal filter every three months.
Why does my ice maker smell musty?
Residue is building up in the reservoir, basket or lines. Drain it, wash the basket, run a full clean, rinse, and change the water every day after that.
Why does my ice taste like plastic?
Usually because a new machine wasn't cleaned before first use, which NewAir, Igloo and GE all recommend. Wash the basket, run a cleaning cycle, rinse and throw out the first batch.
Is it safe to use ice that tastes bad?
A chlorine or mineral taste is a taste issue, according to Health Canada. A rotten-egg smell, a sudden change in well water or slimy buildup is a reason to stop: throw out the ice, clean the machine and test the well water if you have one.
Read next: How to clean an ice maker, step by step · How to store a countertop ice maker
Sources: Health Canada (drinking water guidelines, chlorine, well testing, mixing bleach), Government of Québec, City of Calgary, and manuals and support pages from NewAir (ClearIce40, NIM044), Igloo (IGLICEBSC26, IGLICEND40SS), Frigidaire (EFIC series and frigidaire.ca), GE Appliances (Opal 2.0 and support pages) and LG, checked October 20, 2026. NewAir, Igloo, Frigidaire, GE, Opal and LG are trademarks of their owners. BLITZ is not affiliated with them.
CLEARER, FRESHER-TASTING ICE
BLITZ Ice Machine Cleaner
One tablet in the reservoir, two Clean cycles, one rinse. Removes limescale and mineral buildup and cleans the internal water lines of countertop, portable, built-in and commercial ice machines. 24 tablets, about $1.04 a clean, $24.95. Not for ice makers built into a fridge or freezer.
