Ice machine makes cloudy,
white or dirty ice?
Cloudy cubes, a white haze or ice that tastes odd: in hospitality it shows immediately in the glass. In almost every case the cause is in the water or in maintenance, not in the machine itself. This guide shows how to identify the cause and what to do about it.
By Jos Menting, JMGT Grootkeukentechniek · Official Hoshizaki dealer · Last updated 1 October 2026
In short
Cloudy or white ice comes from dissolved minerals and air: hard water, a missing or exhausted water filter, or scale on the evaporator. Odd taste or smell comes from chlorine, an exhausted carbon filter or a dirty bin. A new filter and a cleaned bin solve a lot. If the problem remains, cleaning and descaling the water system is a job for a service technician, and water treatment is the structural fix.
How does clear ice form, and why does it turn cloudy?
In a cube ice machine, such as the Hoshizaki models, water flows over a cold evaporator and freezes there layer by layer. The purest water freezes first; dissolved minerals and part of the air stay behind in the remaining water and are drained away. That is how a cube ice machine can make clear, hard ice that melts slowly.
That only works as well as the incoming water allows. If the tap water contains many dissolved substances, too much stays in the ice and it turns cloudy or white. A scale layer on the evaporator disturbs the process further: the ice grows unevenly, becomes softer and sticks together more often.
Note the difference between a fault and a property of the ice. Flake and nugget ice is made by freezing all the water. That ice is naturally white and opaque and is not a sign of a problem. If you want clear ice for drinks, a cube ice machine is the right choice. The differences are covered in Ice types for hospitality.
Diagnosis table: symptom, cause and fix
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix | Who does it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice cloudy or white, getting worse gradually | Hard water or many dissolved substances; no filter or filter exhausted | Replace the water filter; with hard water have water treatment (anti-scale or softener) installed | Filter: you or installer. Water treatment: installer or service partner |
| Cloudy ice, cubes smaller, soft or sticking together | Scale layer on the evaporator, also with low water pressure | Have the water system descaled; check water pressure and shut-off valve | Service technician |
| Ice tastes of chlorine or water | Chlorine in tap water; carbon filter missing or exhausted | Install or replace an activated carbon filter | You or installer |
| Ice tastes or smells musty | Storage bin not cleaned; biofilm in the water system | Empty, clean and sanitise the bin; have the water system cleaned | Bin: you. Water system: service technician |
| Ice smells of kitchen, fish or cleaning agent | Ice absorbs odours; door left open or goods stored in the ice bin | Close the door, never store food or drinks in the bin, clean the bin | You |
| Pink, black or slimy film in the bin | Yeast, mould or biofilm | Discard the ice, clean and sanitise the bin; if it returns, have the water system cleaned | Bin: you. Water system: service technician |
| Grains of sand, brown or black particles in the ice | Sediment or rust from the pipe; no pre-filter | Flush the line, install a sediment filter | Installer |
| Cloudy ice right after installation or filter change | Air or loose particles in the new filter | Flush the filter and discard the first ice according to the manual | You or installer |
| Ice white and opaque by nature | Flake or nugget ice: all the water freezes | Not a fault. For clear drinks ice choose a cube ice machine | Advice when buying |
Is the machine making little or no ice? Read Ice machine not making ice and Hoshizaki ice machine descaling.
Water quality: filter, hardness and what fits
An ice machine freezes many litres of tap water every day. Everything in that water determines the result: hardness (calcium and magnesium), chlorine, sediment and dissolved substances in general. Manufacturers therefore allow for external filters or softeners in the manual, depending on water quality.
A filter does not solve everything. A sediment filter catches sand and rust particles, an activated carbon filter deals with chlorine taste and odour, and an anti-scale cartridge or softener deals with hardness. A full filter no longer works and can even become a source of bad taste. Keep to the interval in the manual for your model and note the replacement date.
Which combination fits depends on your water hardness, your model and the daily water volume. Not every solution suits every machine; even strongly demineralised water should be checked against the manual. Get advice before installing anything.
What we see in practice
JMGT supplies Hoshizaki ice machines to hospitality businesses, mainly in the east of the Netherlands. The pattern is always the same. A machine without a water filter, or with a filter that has not been replaced for years, first gives cloudy ice and then smaller, softer cubes. The complaint usually only comes when a guest notices it in the glass.
With taste complaints the cause is strikingly often in the bin: a bin that was never cleaned, or an ice bin used to store bottles or garnish. The filter gets the blame, but a clean bin would have solved it. When we get a complaint we therefore always ask first about the filter replacement date, the water hardness and who in the business cleans the bin.
What you can do yourself
- Check whether the water filter is still within the interval in the manual and replace it if needed.
- Empty the storage bin, clean and sanitise it with the agent and dilution from the manual for your model.
- Clean the air filter and keep the space around the machine clear so it can release its heat.
- Never store food or drinks in the ice bin and keep the door closed.
- Discard the first batch of ice after cleaning or a filter change.
- Note your water hardness (your water supplier publishes it by region) and the date of the last filter change.
The full schedule with daily, monthly and yearly tasks is in the Hoshizaki maintenance checklist.
When to call a technician, when to replace
Cleaning and descaling the water system is a job for a trained service technician: parts that are under water and power are opened. Service and repair on Hoshizaki runs through your own service partner or the brand service network. JMGT does not carry out repairs.
For an older machine that keeps making worse ice despite maintenance, replacement can be smarter than yet another service visit. A new machine with the right water treatment delivers clear ice again and fewer faults. Which model fits is covered in Which Hoshizaki ice machine do I need.
Need advice or a replacement?
Unsure between water treatment and a new machine? We advise honestly and prepare a quote for the ice machine with suitable water treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the ice from my ice machine cloudy or white?
Usually because of what is in the water: dissolved minerals (scale) and air. In a cube ice machine the water flows over the evaporator and freezes layer by layer, and part of the impurities leaves with the rinse water. If the tap water is hard, a filter is missing or the filter is exhausted, too much stays in the ice. A scale layer on the evaporator can also cause cloudy ice.
Is white ice harmful?
Cloudy or white ice is usually a quality and appearance problem rather than a direct health risk: it is minerals and air. It does signal that water quality or maintenance is not in order. If you also see a slimy, pink or black film in the bin, discard the ice and clean and sanitise the bin according to the manual.
Why does my ice taste odd or smell musty?
The cause is often in the water (chlorine or an exhausted carbon filter) or in the bin (not cleaned, odours from the surroundings). Replace the water filter according to the manual, clean the storage bin and never store food or drinks in the ice bin. If the taste remains, have the water system cleaned and sanitised by a service technician.
Is flake ice always white?
Flake and nugget ice is opaque and white by the way it is made: the entire water volume freezes, so minerals and air stay in the ice. That is not a fault. For clear ice in drinks, choose a cube ice machine. See also our overview of ice types for hospitality.
Does a water filter help against cloudy ice?
A well-chosen and timely replaced water filter helps against sediment, chlorine taste and part of the scale. With truly hard water, a softener or anti-scale solution is needed. Which combination fits depends on your water quality and model: get advice and follow the filter interval in the manual.
When should I call a technician?
If the ice stays cloudy, soft or dirty despite a new filter and a clean bin, if production drops, or if you see deposits in the water system. Cleaning and descaling the water system is a job for a trained service technician. For Hoshizaki this runs through your own service partner or the brand service network.