This Is How Often You Should Clean Your Ice Cube Trays

Be it in a bold gin and tonic cocktail or a delicious iced coffee recipe, ice cubes lend beverages a cool and refreshing finish. But what happens once these cool cubes go rogue and start smelling odd? This turning point begins when ice cube trays are exposed to food that's sitting in the freezer. If the trays are made from plastic or silicone, they will absorb food odors which then seep into the ice cubes themselves. Add that to your beverage and you'll get a weird whiff of it too.

If left uncleaned over a long period of time, not only do these trays add an unwanted smells to ice cubes, but they can become a cesspool of bacteria as well. The best method to prevent this germy onslaught is to clean ice cube trays regularly. Once a month is enough if the ice cube trays are used to freeze water. However, if you've used the trays to freeze other liquids such as a ginger root wellness shot, for instance, you'll want to clean them immediately after each use. The addition of any liquids besides water also increases the risk of bacterial contamination in ice cube trays. That being said, it's a good idea to err on the side of caution and clean your ice cube trays after each use, regardless of whether they are used to freeze water or another liquid.

To clean ice cube trays, start by giving them a thorough rinse with warm water and soap. Scrub all the gunk and dirt particles rigorously before leaving the tray to air dry. Once that's done, it's a good practice to wash your hands before filling them up with potable water and popping them in the freezer in order to avoid contamination — it's as simple as that to keep a clean ice cube tray. Some trays are dishwasher safe, such as silicone ones, but many plastic ones aren't, so check if yours states it is on the base.

If the ice cube tray still has a lingering odor of stale food, try putting it in the oven at a low temperature (around 250 degrees Fahrenheit) and letting it warm up for the smelly odor molecules to evaporate. Keep in mind that this method only works for silicone or ovenproof ice trays. Pro tip: While the oven is heating up, douse the ice cube tray in soapy warm water and remove any visible particles that might be present. 

If you do not have a oven-safe ice cube tray, worry not. All you have to do is rinse out the ice cube tray and make a cleaning concoction of baking soda and warm water (about two teaspoons of baking soda for every four fluid ounces of water). Pour this mixture into the cavities of the ice cube tray, scrub everything thoroughly, and give it a good rinse before patting the tray dry with a clean cloth. With this method, your ice tray should be clean, fresh-smelling, and good to go.