Bad-tasting ice cubes can make the difference between a refreshing drink and one that is poured down the drain. Ice cubes may have a bad taste for a variety of reasons, from poorly cleaned ice cube trays to the quality of water or food located in the freezer. To get rid of the bad taste in ice cubes, first look at the quality of the water in the ice cube trays, and then address any odor issues in the freezer.
Check your water. If your water has a poor taste, so will the ice cubes. Using a filtration system may help improve the overall taste of the water.
Look at what else is in the freezer. Foods in your refrigerator and freezer can affect the taste of other items in the fridge. Throw out old items that may smell, and keep food and drinks in air-tight containers. Putting small open boxes of baking soda in the fridge and freezer also may eliminate odors that can transfer to ice cubes.
Clean the inside of the freezer. According to General Electric, a new refrigerator can emit a plastic odor, which may cause poor-tasting ice cubes. Because the area is enclosed, the odor has a difficult time escaping. GE recommends cleaning the inside of the freezer using a mixture of a tablespoon of baking soda and a quart of warm water.
Use new ice. Ice that has been sitting in the freezer for several weeks or more may develop a poor taste. Replace any ice that has been sitting in the freezer for an extended time.
Thoroughly clean each part of your ice maker, especially before initially using it. Use a cap of vinegar with water, or add lemon juice to water, and run it though the ice maker's self-cleaning cycle. If it does not have a self-cleaning cycle, run vinegar and water through it as if you are making ice for at least a few cycles. Discard the ice and resume using water once you can no longer taste vinegar.
Change ice cube trays. Some ice cube trays, such as those made of cheap plastic, may transfer the taste of plastic onto ice cubes. Look for trays that are of higher quality plastic or of a different material.