Okay, so my ice machine started making funky-smelling cubes last week. Store-bought cleaners cost a fortune? Forget that. I remembered seeing vinegar and baking soda tricks online and thought, "How hard could it be?" Here's exactly what went down.

Gathering My Battle Supplies

First, I raided my kitchen and bathroom. Here's the junk I rounded up:

• A big jug of white vinegar (the cheap kind)
• Half a box of baking soda
• An old spray bottle I washed out
• Some lukewarm water from the tap
• Dish soap (just a tiny bit)
• Rags and a toothbrush I was gonna toss anyway

Mixing the Magic Potion

Started simple: dumped 2 cups of vinegar straight into the water reservoir. Fired up the machine and let it run a full cycle, just pushing that vinegar water through the tubes and out the spout. Heard some cool bubbling sounds in there? Maybe it was working, maybe just my imagination.

Next, I made my spray cleaner. Mixed equal parts vinegar and warm water in the spray bottle - maybe like 1 cup each? Tossed in a spoonful of baking soda and a single drop of dish soap. Shook it like crazy until it looked cloudy. Smelled like pickles and laundry day, honestly.

Scrubbing Like a Madwoman

Unplugged the machine first? Duh, safety first! Pulled out the ice tray and that little shovel thing. Sprayed every nook and cranny with my homemade junk. Watched the gunk immediately start foaming up - felt like a science experiment!

Used the old toothbrush on the rubber seals and crevices. They were nasty black before? Now rubbing off like pencil lead. Wiped everything down with wet rags. Rinsed the tray under the faucet until no more bubbles showed.

The Final Test

Put all the parts back, filled the reservoir with clean water, and ran three whole cycles to flush anything left. First batch of ice came out kinda foggy? Not surprised. By the fourth batch? Clear cubes like mountain spring water! The funky smell was gone too. Total cost? Basically free since I had all that stuff anyway.

Verdict? Worked shockingly well? Stunk up my kitchen for an hour? Worth it. Next time I'll just do this every six months? Way cheaper than those fancy blue bottles at the store. Try it but maybe open a window first?