So, I realized last Tuesday that my ice machine had started tasting funky - like licking a dirty coin. Yeah, real nasty. That metallic tang hit my throat every time I grabbed ice for drinks. Google screamed "nickel buildup!" at me when I searched "why ice tastes like metal." Didn’t even know that was a thing till then.

My Dumb Assumptions First

Originally thought all cleaners worked the same. Grabbed whatever supermarket cleaner was cheapest. Used it three times straight. Made it worse – suddenly ice started smelling like bleach and pennies had a baby. Googled again, realizing some cleaners contain nickel compounds to fight mineral gunk. Genius move, huh? My $300 ice machine was basically a toxic coin dispenser at that point.

Detective Mode Activated

Dove deep into cleaning product labels like Sherlock with caffeine shakes. Nickel hides under fancy names like "nickel sulfate" or "nickel carbonate" in ingredient lists. Found forums where folks with metal allergies broke out in rashes just touching ice made with nickel cleaners. Creepy stuff. Decided: nickel-free cleaner or I’d chuck the machine altogether.

Test Run Disaster

Bought a nickel-free cleaner online. Got cocky – skipped safety gloves. Just poured straight concentrate into the reservoir like a caveman. Within minutes:

• Fumes made my eyes water like chopped onions
• Skin turned red where splashes hit
• Panicked and dumped baking soda everywhere to neutralize it

Lesson? READ THE DAMN INSTRUCTIONS.

Getting It Right Eventually

Round two: prepped like a lab scientist.

First, unplugged the machine. Emptied every ice cube onto newspapers. Mixed cleaner with water like label said – 1:4 ratio. Used gloves this time. Poured solution slowly into the empty bin. Watched gray sludge float up immediately – that was old nickel buildup loosening. Let it soak for 10 minutes while scrubbing the chute with soft brush.

Flushed it out four times. Ran water cycles until no chemical smell lingered. Made test batch ice: crystal clear, zero metal taste. Did victory dance with cold glass in hand.

Why Bother With Nickel-Free?

Turns out nickel-free cleaners use citric acid or vinegar bases instead. Safer for:

• People sensitive to metals (no surprise rashes)
• Not poisoning your drinks long-term
• Easier rinsing – no sticky chemical residue

Honestly? Won’t ever cheap out on cleaners again. My machine purrs like new now. Just wish I’d known before drinking metallic ice for months. Live and learn, right?