There’s nothing like a cool, refreshing glass of water, and it’s convenient when you can get it from your refrigerator. But if your water starts to taste funny, there’s visible mineral buildup in your fridge water dispenser tray, or even worse, signs of mold in your fridge water dispenser, you’ve officially gone too long without giving your dispenser a thorough cleanup. Luckily, we can walk through the steps so you can easily get clean, fresh, healthy water again.
Cleaning your fridge water dispenser starts with gathering the right supplies. All you need is white vinegar, a microfiber cloth, a pipe cleaner, a bowl, a cup, and water.
How to Clean a Refrigerator Water Dispenser
In this cleaning guide, we’ll outline all the steps for how to clean a water dispenser in a fridge, the correct way.
Step 1. Turn off the water supply. For most models, the water valve should be located inside the fridge. Otherwise, a shut-off valve is located underneath your sink.
Step 2. Flush out any remaining water from the dispenser. First, grab a glass to collect the water, place it under the dispenser, and press the water dispenser lever until no more water comes out.
Step 3. Mix some water and vinegar equally in a bowl. Half a cup of each, for a full cup total, should be enough to clean your dispenser.
Step 4. Remove the water tray and place it in your sink.
Step 5. Pour some water-vinegar mix into the water tray until it is filled. Let it sit there while you clean the rest of the fridge water dispenser.
Step 6. Soak the microfiber cloth with the remaining water-vinegar mixture until it is damp and start scrubbing the inside and outside of the water dispenser thoroughly until it is cleaned.
Step 7. Dip the pipe cleaner (you can also use straw cleaning brushes like these ones) into a little bit of water-vinegar mixture to clean the water dispenser nozzle (this is the part where the water comes out).
Step 8. Grab a clean microfiber cloth, soak it with clean water, and remove any excess water. Wipe it all around the water dispenser, both inside and out.
Step 9. Clean the water tray with a microfiber cloth. The vinegar should have softened any mineral scale buildup. Wipe it thoroughly and then rinse with fresh water and let it air dry once it is completely clean.
Step 10. Turn the water supply back on and fill a glass, checking to see if any debris the pipe cleaner may have loosened comes out. You may need to repeat this step multiple times until the water comes out clean.
Step 11. Put the water tray back and enjoy your fresh water.
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Are you supposed to clean your refrigerator water dispenser?
Yes. Your refrigerator water dispenser can experience mold growth and mineral buildup over time. Cleaning the water dispenser will prevent unwanted mold and mineral buildup and provide you with fresh water year-round. If you have an ice dispenser, you should clean it, too, at the same time as the water dispenser. The process on how to clean a fridge ice dispenser is very similar to cleaning the water dispenser. The key difference is that you must remove the ice from the tray, clean the tray with a mild soap, rinse it thoroughly, and allow it to dry completely before returning it to the freezer.
How often should you clean your refrigerator water dispenser?
You should clean it at least every six months or, even better, every three months. In addition, it’s recommended to replace your refrigerator water filter twice a year. Cleaning your fridge’s water dispenser and changing the water filter should be done at the same time.
How to clean mold out of a refrigerator water dispenser?
The answer is using vinegar. Vinegar’s acidity provides multiple cleaning benefits, such as softening and removing mineral deposits, grease, and dirt, and even killing bacteria and mold. All you need is pure, undiluted vinegar. Simply grab a microfiber cloth, dampen it with vinegar, and start wiping the mold away. You can descale a fridge water dispenser using the same methods.
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What can I run through my water dispenser to clean it?
Although you might be tempted to run vinegar through the water line that feeds your water dispenser, it is not recommended and is a very complicated process. To do so, you’d need to disconnect the main water line supply located underneath the sink and use a special tool to pump the vinegar up the fridge and flush it out on the other end.
Instead, create a schedule to clean your fridge water dispenser on a quarterly basis and replace the water filter every six months so that the filter can collect and remove any minerals that might otherwise build up over time.
Can I use baking soda to clean my refrigerator water dispenser?
Yes. Baking soda is another safe way to clean your refrigerator’s water dispenser. Mix baking soda with lukewarm water, then use a microfiber cloth to wipe the dispenser. Finally, dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water and clean the area around the water dispenser.
