Okay, so the ice machine was starting to look a bit funky inside. You know how it gets, that scale buildup and stuff. My main worry this time was making sure I didn't mess up any of the parts, 'cause I heard some cleaners can be harsh on certain metals, especially nickel plating which some machines have. Didn't want to cause any damage, obviously.

Finding the Right Stuff

I started looking around for an ice machine cleaner specifically labeled "nickel safe." Took a bit of reading labels at the store and online, but I eventually found one that clearly stated it was safe for nickel components. Figured that was the best bet. Better safe than sorry, right?

Getting Started: Prep Work

First things first, I turned the ice machine completely off. Power switch off, then unplugged it just to be extra careful. Wouldn't want it kicking on while my hands are inside.

Then, I had to empty everything out. Dumped all the ice that was left in the bin. Then I drained all the water out of the reservoir. Most machines have a little drain plug or tube for this, mine does. Just let it all flow out until it was empty.

The Cleaning Part

Alright, time for the actual cleaning. I grabbed the nickel-safe cleaner I bought. The instructions said to mix it with water – pretty standard. I followed the ratio on the bottle, pouring the cleaner into the water reservoir first, then adding the right amount of fresh water.

Once the mix was in, I plugged the machine back in and switched it to its "Clean" or "Wash" cycle. If your machine doesn't have one, the instructions usually tell you to just turn the machine on so it circulates the cleaning solution through the system, just like it would if making ice, but without the freezing part running.

I let it run for the time recommended on the cleaner bottle. For mine, it was about 20-30 minutes. You could hear it pumping the solution through all the internal bits. While it was doing that, I took a soft cloth, dipped it in the same cleaning solution (the leftover bit I mixed), and wiped down the inside walls of the bin and any other parts I could reach that looked like they needed it. Didn't really need to scrub hard, just a good wipe.

Rinsing is Key

After the cleaning cycle finished, this part's really important: rinsing. You gotta get all that cleaner out.

• I turned the machine off again and drained the cleaning solution completely, just like I drained the water initially.
• Then, I filled the reservoir with clean, fresh water.
• I ran the "Clean" cycle again, but this time just with the plain water. Let it circulate for a good 5-10 minutes.
• Drained that water out.
• I actually repeated this rinse process one more time – fill with fresh water, circulate, drain – just to be absolutely sure all the cleaner was gone. Don't want your next batch of ice tasting like cleaner!

Back in Business

With the rinsing done, I gave the inside one last wipe with a clean, damp cloth and closed everything up. Plugged it back in, turned the main power switch on, and set it back to "Ice" mode.

I let it run and make its first batch of ice. I always toss the first batch out after cleaning, just as a final precaution. The batches after that looked great – clear ice, and the inside of the machine looked way better. No weird smells or tastes, and importantly, everything seemed to be running just fine. Using that nickel-safe stuff definitely gave me peace of mind.

So yeah, that was my process. Pretty straightforward, just takes a little time and making sure you rinse thoroughly. Keeping that machine clean makes a big difference.