Alright, let's talk about cleaning the ice machine. Mine was getting a bit slow, and honestly, the ice cubes looked kinda cloudy. Noticed that Nu-Calgon stuff specifically for ice machines, figured I'd give it a shot.

Getting Started

First thing, safety first, right? I switched the machine off completely. Power button pushed, then I unplugged it just to be sure. Didn't want any surprises. Then I scooped out all the old ice that was left in the bin. Tossed it. No point cleaning the machine just to put dirty ice back in, seemed logical.

Using the Cleaner

I grabbed the bottle of Nu-Calgon cleaner. Read the instructions on the back – always gotta do that. Seemed pretty straightforward. It said to pour a certain amount into the water reservoir. So, I located the reservoir, usually where you pour water in for making ice. I carefully measured out the cleaner amount, like the bottle said, and poured it right in there.

Next, I had to put the machine into its cleaning cycle. On my model, you hold down a button for a few seconds. Yours might be different, so definitely check your machine's manual if you haven't done it before. Once I got it going, the machine started doing its thing. It circulated the water mixed with the cleaner through all the pipes and parts where water normally flows. I could hear it sloshing around in there.

The Waiting and Rinsing Part

The clean cycle took a while, maybe 20-30 minutes. I just let it run its course. The instructions are pretty clear: let it finish the whole cycle. Don't interrupt it.

Now, this part's super important: rinsing. After the clean cycle stopped, the instructions stressed rinsing it out really well to get rid of all the cleaner. Makes sense, you don't want cleaner chemical taste in your ice cubes. My machine has a rinse function, basically like the clean cycle but just with fresh water. The Nu-Calgon instructions said to rinse it multiple times.

• I drained the cleaning solution water first (my machine has a drain).
• Then I filled the reservoir with clean, fresh water.
• I ran the rinse cycle.
• Drained it again.
• Repeated this whole fill-rinse-drain thing about three more times just to be absolutely sure all the cleaner was flushed out. Better safe than sorry.

Finishing Up

After the final rinse and drain, I took a clean cloth and wiped down the inside of the storage bin and any other parts I could easily reach, like the water inlet area and the scoop. Got rid of any lingering residue. Then, I plugged the machine back in, turned the power switch to 'ICE', and let it start making a fresh batch.

The Result

Have to say, it worked pretty well. Took maybe an hour total, mostly waiting time. The first batch of ice looked clearer, and definitely no weird taste. The machine seemed to be running smoother too. Seems like using this Nu-Calgon cleaner did the trick. Just follow the steps, especially the rinsing, and it's not too hard to do yourself.