How to clean silicone ice cube forms?

How to clean silicone ice cube forms? - Top view of glass of cold blackberry margarita with berries and ice cubes near stainless shaker on white background

I bought silicone ice cube forms and when I used them something white swam on the water. I guess some silicone that dissolved from the form.

First I made ice three times and threw it away, but the problem persisted. Then I tried to put them in the dish washer. Now I bought another product from a different manufacturer and the problem is even worse.

(I am NOT 100% sure if they may still be products from the same factory or made in a similar way, but I explicitly tried to buy another product)

Are silicone forms just crap, am I doing something wrong, or is there a good way to clean them before the first use?

Picture of the dirt swimming on the water

I do not have the problem using the same tap water with the hard plastic ice cube maker that came with my fridge. The general water quality here is quite high and I even use the water with a sodastream and making tea in the same glasses and it looks perfectly clear.

Before freezing the water looks clear as well an I do not see such dirt even when I let a glass of water stand somewhere.

Update: I made an experiment by freezing one form with and one without lid. Here is an image of the forms and the lid:

silicone forms

The blue one was used without lid. They seem to be both silicone and the lids are all the same, only the forms have different colors.

The result after dissolving all cubes looks like this: pictures of the water of the dissolved ice cubes

Left: blue form without lid (Little dirt, but still too much)
Right: white form with lid (Larges flakes of some dirt)

The cubes in the open form were quite easy to remove and well-separated. The lid stuck a bit on the cubes and I needed to break the cubes apart by bending the silicone, because the lid hold the water surface flat.

The open form stood on the closed one.

Update 2: Boiled water has the same problem. I'll try a water filter next.

Update 3: Water hardness as published by my water supplier:

  • Hardness 4,7 – 8,1 °dH (soft)
  • Magnesium 5,2 – 9,0 mg/l
  • Calcium 24,6 – 43,5 mg/l
  • Natrium 11,3 – 21,9 mg/l 200 mg/l
  • Chlorid 23 - 39 mg/l 250 mg/l
  • Nitrat 10 - 21 mg/l 50 mg/l
  • Uran < 0,0002 mg/l 0,01 mg/l

Update 4: Same result with the water in another city (unknown hardness). In some of the forms white sediments after the water rest dried. Next I try a water filter.

Update 5:

I tried a water filter and got the same result.

Using a water filter I still get white flakes like in the right glass after melting all 24 ice cubes of the new form (not the one pictured above, but also silicone) with lid.



Best Answer

Silicone does not dissolve in water.

The scum you see floating on the top looks very much like lime-scale. This is in your water supply. It will also give you an encrusted kettle & white/grey blobs stuck to the nozzle of the hot tap after some time.

You could try distilled water, or invest in some kind of hard water filtration system. As mentioned in comments, using cooled, boiled water may also help a little, as the boiling will drop some of the calcium out of the water… & stick it to your kettle element instead.

Many places in the world you can enquire with your local water company as to how hard your water supply is - how much calcium, basically - & they will advise on softening methods.




Pictures about "How to clean silicone ice cube forms?"

How to clean silicone ice cube forms? - Glass of melting ice with dried flowers
How to clean silicone ice cube forms? - Cold refreshing margarita cocktail made of ice cubes and blackberries placed near shaker on white background
How to clean silicone ice cube forms? - Glass of ice with dried flower buds



Quick Answer about "How to clean silicone ice cube forms?"

Bottom line: Baking silicone in a 350-oven for an hour is a great method for removing even strong odors from ice trays. Just be sure your ice trays are silicone and not rubber, which will melt in a hot oven.

How do you clean silicone ice cubes?

One of the most common suggestions for getting smells out of silicone is to soak your silicone item in a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and water for a while. I've seen it in a number of forums, and it's also what Tovolo, the maker of some popular silicone ice cube trays, recommends.

How do you remove white residue from silicone ice trays?

We have found a dilute solution of vinegar and water to be a great solution. Simply soak the trays in this for about 20 minutes, rinse your product, and you're ready to go. These tips will also help in removing residue left over by soap-based cleaners.

How do you remove ice from silicone molds?

Removing ice Cubes From the Silicone Tray The easiest and best way to remove the cubes is to freeze the tray for only 18-20 hours.

What is the easiest way to remove ice cubes from a silicone tray?

To remove ice cubes from a silicone tray, flex both sides of the tray to loosen the cubes. Hold the tray in both hands, and place an index or middle finger under a single ice cube on the bottom of the tray. Push against the bottom of the cube with that finger, and the ice cube will pop out.



Silicone Ice Tray SLUDGE




More answers regarding how to clean silicone ice cube forms?

Answer 2

Hmm it looks like ot could be from the ice, not the silicone. Have you tried filtered or mineral water as a comparison?

Answer 3

Looks like it is from your water containing certain (non-harmful) elements and not the silicone.

There are 2 solutions for you to try to get better ice cubes.

  • Try using bottled water and seeing the difference
  • Try boiling the water first. This can help remove the impurities and should give you crystal clear bubble-free ice cubes.

Answer 4

Supposedly from what I have read, the minerals in the water calcify and stick to the silicone, and is supposed to be completely harmless. For me, if it's harmless, I don't care what it looks like and just run with it. You could try washing using a Zero water filter to make the ice and see if that helps. It supposedly removes particulates completely.

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