Owning a portable ice cream maker is a great way to quickly access ice cubes or small chunks of ice for making desserts or to slip into a cocktail. But they don’t always stay clean.
If the ice cream maker is used regularly or gets stuck in the kitchen cupboard for several months, it needs to be cleaned from time to time. This can be caused by the accumulation of dust, debris that gets stuck in the machine, or by the accumulation of moisture that can cause mould and mildew if not cleaned in time.
The good news is that if you clean the ice machine, it can run for many years at low purchase costs.
But how do you know when your portable ice-cream maker needs to be cleaned?
How do you know when it’s time to clean your portable ice cream maker?
There are signs that your portable ice-cream maker needs cleaning:
- The ice melts faster or the cubes are smaller than they should be.
- If you look at the sides or walls of a car, you can see that it is dirty inside. Parties should generally be transparent and clear.
- The ice cream produced is not very tasty!
- In clear (not cloudy) ice floes, the ice used to be clean, but that is no longer the case.
Although it is true that spoilt water can lead to the formation of muddy ice cubes, the four points mentioned give the signals to search for.
Why clean a portable ice-cream maker?
Bacteria can easily grow in kitchen appliances if they are cleaned slightly damp or stored in a cold place that heats up irregularly.
Fine food particles can eventually become a dangerous contaminant that can cause food poisoning. If it is not detected and not properly removed when cleaning the ice machine, food poisoning may reoccur. This can make it difficult to understand the root cause of food poisoning.
Regular cleaning of the ice machine (ideally at least once a month) prevents the use of contaminated equipment. You’ll also notice that ice cream doesn’t make your drink taste nice.
What accessories do you need to clean your portable ice cream maker?
There are not many household accessories to clean an ice machine.
The main cleaning solution is lemon juice or white vinegar. The latter is more convenient and more affordable.
A soft cloth is needed to wipe the inside and outside of the surface. It is important not to use coarse material, as this would cause scratches that would change the way the ice forms and allow more bacteria to accumulate.
Use a clean spray bottle to make a mixture of hot water and vinegar to spray the ice machine. And also prepare a jug of hot water.
Use a cotton swab or an old, unused toothbrush to reach hard-to-reach places. Make sure he has soft hair, otherwise he may scratch the plastic.
It is also useful to bring old towels, paper towels or a sponge in case something is spilled.
How to clean an ice cream maker in 10 steps
Follow these steps to clean your portable ice-cream maker:
- Empty all fluids or old ice cubes.
- Disassemble the device to access the internal mechanism.
- Prepare the cleaning fluid. Use a bottle sprayer with a mixture of vinegar and hot water from the kettle.
- Wash all accessories with a spray and a cloth. Then rinse them off, ready for reuse.
- Spray and wipe the inside. Use a cloth to wipe any surface from the inside.
- Pour around with the water jug to clean the inside. Repeat the rinsing process until the interior is completely free of detergent.
- Clean and wipe the outside as well.
- Mount the ice machine, including accessories. Make sure they’re dry before you put them back in place.
- Make a batch of fresh ice cubes. This allows the machines to be cleaned of residual liquid or displaced particles.
- You’re ready to wear clean ice now.
Things to avoid with ice manufacturers to reduce cleaning frequency
You can clean the ice cream maker less often if you do certain things correctly.
Water resources
An important area is the focus on the source of the water used to make ice cubes. Avoid using tap water if you are unaware that the local tap water may contain dirt. Impurities in the local water may consist of chalk, metals such as lead, chlorine, sodium silicate, silicon fluoride or sludge in the water pipes themselves.
Use a complete filtration system or a Brita water filter to adequately clean the tap water. Or deliver large bottles of spring water to your home and use them.
Cleaning solutions
Another mistake related to learning how to use detergent or dishwasher detergent in a dishwasher is that soap solutions are a good idea for cleaning ice machines. That’s not true!
The use of soapy water as a cleaning fluid can lead to surfaces being cleaned, but it is likely that internal components that help the manufacturer in their work will be soaped in. After that it will be possible to make a soap film, which will be difficult to remove. This not only makes your ice cubes opaque and dangerous to use, it also blocks the filters in the ice machine.
Set it in your diary to schedule a cleaning with an ice machine for each month. This will save you money on replacement costs in the long run.
Founder of homeappliancegeek.com, passionate cook and lover of Asian cuisine.
Typical dishes are Thai red curry, chicken saag, bimbap and sushi.
A pure and massive monster, which used to be cooked after 9 years of gastronomy.
The only device he couldn’t live without? A simple dishwasher (total savings on relationships!).
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