Inside Edition Tests Reveal Some Refrigerator Ice and Water Dispensers Are Not as Clean as You May Think

The ice and water dispensers built into the front of refrigerators are one of the most convenient modern luxuries offered by appliance manufacturers. Consumers may be surprised to learn that ice and water dispensers can be a moist breeding ground for mold and bacteria.

In some instances, it could make you sick.

Inside Edition did some testing to see what’s going on inside ice and water dispensers in the areas you can't see and probably never thought of cleaning.

Rosa Vollokolmer is a clean freak. Her refrigerator was immaculate, both inside and out, but what about that ice dispenser?

“I would love to know what is going on,” Rosa said. 

Inside Edition swabbed in and around the dispenser and found residue inside that left Rosa shocked. 

“I'm completely shocked to see that,” she said. 

The swabs we took were sent to a lab and the results showed three different types of bacteria that can make a person sick and a bacteria count of 100 million.

Kristi Muccini, a mother of four who gets plenty of use out of her ice and water dispenser, also was curious to find out if her appliance was safe. Inside Edition found black guck around the ice maker. Testing found one fungus and five different types of bacteria, including e coli, living in Kristi’s dispenser. 

If you want the inside of your dispenser to be as clean as the outside, here are a few tips:

First, keep the area dry. Wipe down moisture that may build up around the dispenser lever and retainer cup.

Next, for any build up of dirt and grime, use a clean toothbrush dipped in vinegar and water and regularly clean. Don’t ignore the ice shoot area – regularly wipe it down and brush away the dirt. 

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