If you've just purchased a new fridge/freezer you might be really excited by the inbuilt ice maker, only to have the new freezer make really funky tasting ice that ruins the flavor of your drink.
This is a common problem with new fridges and there are a few common causes of this problem, and luckily they are all fairly easy to fix.
The first few batches of ice in a new fridge/freezer will usually taste bad due to leftover plastic/chemical smells from manufacturing getting into your ice. These usually fade after a few weeks but can be remove faster by making and discarding a few batches of ice, flushing the water or airing out for freezer for a few days before use.
Nobody likes ice cubes that taste horrible and fortunately, there are a lot of quick fixes that can save you from this frustrating thing.
This article has piled up some of the most common reasons why new fridge ice tastes bad and how you can easily avoid them.
1. Plastic/Chemical Smells Left Over From Manufacturing
Newly manufactured refrigerators have some chemical leftovers and plastic smells in them. These are due to the residues of the chemicals used to make the fridge during the manufacturing process.
When they are manufactured and shipped they are often left completely closed and are not given sufficient time to air out and this leftover smell can get into your ice giving it a bad taste. There can also be residue on the ice cube trays themselves that can take time to go away.
These smells usually fade away in a couple of weeks. You can speed up the process by opening your fridge and freezer doors and allowing your new fridge to air for a few days before using it.
If you can't do this (because you need to use the fridge) then you can clean the fridge with vinegar or lemon or you can put an open bowl filled with bicarb soda in the freezer to absorb some of the smell.
If you have this issue you should discard the first few batches of ice and continue to empty and discard ice from the ice cube tray until it stops smelling funky. Eventually the issue should resolve itself.
2. New Plastic Water Supply Lines
If your new refrigerator comes with an ice maker your ice can have a plastic taste due to the new plastic water supply lines connected to the ice maker.
Just like the plastic smells in your whole fridge, these new pipelines also contaminate the water going into the ice maker making the ice taste bad.
The best way to fix this issue is to completely flush out the new refrigerator. You should run at least 2 or 3 gallons of water through the dispenser.
You should also wash the ice maker thoroughly with water until the smell gets away.
3. Water Filter Cartridge Is Old (or A Dummy)
Many new refrigerators have water filters pre-installed in them. These water filter cartridges get old as the fridge sits around in an outlet and develop some bad smells giving a funky taste to the ice.
Sometimes, the filters are actually dummies and do nothing to remove impurities from the water. This issue can be easily fixed by replacing the filter.
Just make sure you place the filter in correctly as it can be easy to get wrong. This simple error has caused many LG freezers to make bad tasting ice. By simply fixing the water filter you can get better tasting ice.
4. It Could Be Your Ice Cube Trays
Silicone and plastic ice trays are permeable meaning that they let the odors from surrounding foods get inside the ice cubes. It can make your ice cubes taste really bad.
It's possible that the ice cube trays inside your ice maker can have residue on them and need a clean or if you're using manual ice cube trays it's a good idea to give your ice cube trays a thorough cleaning or maybe even replace them with some eco-friendly ice cube trays which are less likely to absorb smells.
Covering up the ice trays can avoid this issue to some extent. Using stainless steel ice cube trays is the permanent solution.
These vintage style metal ice cube trays feature a lever-style handle that cracks the ice in a single action. Made from 18/8 kitchen grade stainless steel this brand of durable ice cube trays are around half the price of other metal ice cube trays.
5. You Could Have Tap Water Issues
If there’s no issue with your freezer then your tap water might be the culprit. If your water pipelines are very old there could be mold inside them or they could be corroded.
When the water from these pipes is used to make ice it surely adds these awful tastes to the ice.
However, if your water is fine but your ice still tastes bad then it's likely a different issue. Test your water for smell and taste before making ice just to be sure.
6. There Could Be Food Odors Getting Into Your Ice
Most refrigerators come with a single compressor. It means that the same air circulates through the fridge and into the freezer taking the food odors with it.
When this air gets to the freezer, the food odors especially from strong-smelling foods like garlic can get into your ice making it taste and smell terrible.
If your ice tastes like garlic it's likely this is the cause and there is no actual issue with your freezer or ice maker itself. To fix this issue give your fridge and freezer a good clean and make sure to always keep leftovers (especially garlicky ones) in airtight containers so the odors can't circulate through the fridge.
7. You May Have Hard Water
You may also have hard water that contains dissolved minerals affecting the flavor of your water (and thus your ice).
There are some areas where the tap water is hard which contains more salts and minerals or there is excessive chlorine in the tap water to cease bacterial growth.
These minerals get accumulated at the bottom of your ice trays as a white residue making the ice taste bad. Filtering the water can help fix this problem.
To resolve this issue install a water filter or water softener to get better tasting water going into your ice cube maker.
7 Ways To Fix Bad Tasting Ice In A New Fridge
If you've got bad tasting ice in your new fridge don't stress too much or call the company and try to get a new fridge. There are a few simple things you can try that should fix this problem without costing you anything.
1. Make and Discard Multiple Batches of Ice
If your ice cubes are tasting nasty this means they are actively absorbing the bad odors from the fridge/freezer and slowly (but surely) removing them.
By making and discarding multiple batches of ice you can speed up the process by which the odors disappear and your ice starts tasting normal again.
Leave the ice maker running but each day empty out the ice tray and discard it into the sink, allowing it to refill again.
In a few days test your ice and see how it tastes/smells. It it continues to taste bad repeat the process until it doesn't.
This discarded ice will take away most of the bad odors and you’ll be able to make normal-tasting ice cubes again.
2. Air Out Your New Fridge
You can also try turning off and opening the doors of your new fridge for a few days to completely air it out.
This can be annoying to do if you want to start using your fridge but by getting some bags of ice and using a cooler you can still keep your items cold for a couple of days while your fridge airs out.
If your refrigerator has some kind of air filter you can also run it at full power during this process to completely get rid of the chemical and plastic smell.
3. Run and Discard 2-3 Gallons Of Water From Fridge Water Dispenser
Sometimes it's the plastic water tubes causing the issue or there is water stuck in the tubes that has gone stale and needs to be flushed out.
If your fridge has a water dispenser at the front run it and fill up a bucket with about 2-3 gallons of water. This should flush the water lines effectively.
Now discard any old ice and see if the new ice tastes better.
4. Replace The Water Filter Cartridge
If you think that the water filter cartridge has become old you should replace it with a new one. However, you must make sure that the filter is installed properly otherwise you’ll still end up with bad ice.
You should take help from the user manual or you can also ask an expert for advice.
5. Give Your Fridge A Solid Clean
Thoroughly cleaning every part of your fridge can help you get rid of all the bad smells.
Remove all old food from the fridge, take out the shelves and give everything a solid cleaning with vinegar a lemon spray or some other cleaner.
Remove all the plastic parts like separating trays and side carriers and wash them properly as well.
After that let the fridge dry out completely before plugging it in to avoid any water damage.
6. Place a Deodorizer In Your Fridge/Freezer
If you’ve already filled up your fridge and it’s difficult to remove everything, placing a freezer deodorizer can save you from the penetrating odors.
Bicarb soda is a great natural absorber of smells and there are a lot of amazing deodorizers available in the market or you can even make deodorizers by utilizing some items from the kitchen.
This deodorizer helps to keep your fridge or freezer fresh from bad smells. It doesn't have a strong fragrance itself but absorbs bad odors from the fridge. Food safe and non-toxic this is effective for 6 months (6 times longer than baking soda).
7. Give It Time and Make Your Ice Separately Until The Problem Resolves Itself
If you’re unable to get rid of the freezer odors or it comes again even after you’ve cleaned the fridge, it’s better to make your ice separately.
You can invest in a high-quality ice machine and you’ll never have to worry about bad-tasting ice again. Click here to see a list of some of the best countertop nugget ice makers on the market.
Summary
There are a lot of reasons why ice from your new fridge tastes bad such as:
- Chemical/Plastic smells from manufacturing.
- New plastic water supply lines.
- Old or dummy water filter cartridge.
- Permeable ice cube trays.
- Issues with your tap water pipelines.
- Food odors getting into your ice.
- Hard tap water
Fortunately, you can easily avoid bad-tasting ice with these simple and easy fixes without getting into the hassle of replacement or spending huge amounts of money on your fridge.
- Make and discard multiple batches of ice.
- Air out your new fridge.
- Run and discard 2-3 gallons of water from the fridge water dispenser.
- Replace the water filter cartridge.
- Give your fridge a solid clean.
- Place a deodorizer in your fridge.
- Make your ice separately
