A short tutorial

Ice machine maintenance by brand

By Vimal Bhaya, Founder and Lead Systems Architect · Last reviewed 5 November 2026

Manitowoc, Scotsman, Hoshizaki and Ice-O-Matic each clean, alarm and filter a little differently. Each page gives one maker's clean cycle, the cleaner it names, the codes it shows and where its manuals are.

The biggest difference is the evaporator: Hoshizaki says its stainless cubers take any commercial ice machine cleaner, while Ice-O-Matic requires a nickel-safe one. Some models need a specific cleaner, so check your manual either way.

The 4 parts, in order

Go straight to your maker's page, or read all four if you run more than one brand.

  1. 1. Manitowoc ice machine maintenance: cleaning, codes, filters and parts

    The Indigo NXT clean cycle, Manitowoc's own cleaner, what safety limits 1 and 2 mean, and Arctic Pure filters.

    Read part 1

  2. 2. Scotsman ice machine maintenance and repair

    Not making ice: the checks. What F, H, B and the number codes mean. The Clear 1 clean, and the filters.

    Read part 2

  3. 3. Hoshizaki ice machine maintenance: cleaning, beep codes and the manual

    Hoshizaki's stainless evaporator takes any commercial cleaner. The KM clean, and what one, two and three beeps mean.

    Read part 3

  4. 4. Ice-O-Matic ice machine maintenance and repair

    Nickel-safe cleaner and sanitizer, every six months but no more than monthly. Error code 7, and the reset.

    Read part 4

How to use this

Read them in order if you are starting from scratch. That is the usual path. If you already know which piece you need, jump to it from the list above.

The four makers, side by side

The four makers' cleaning, codes and filters, from their documents.
Maker
Cleaner
How often
Codes
Filters
Manitowoc
Manitowoc's own; never mixed with the sanitizer
Every 6 months
Safety limit 1 (long freeze), 2 (long harvest)
Arctic Pure
Scotsman
Clear 1, safe on nickel plating; no bleach
About twice a year; 4 times on hard water
1 long freeze, 2 long harvest; F, H, B and more
AquaPatrol
Hoshizaki
Any commercial cleaner; Scale Away, Lime-A-Way
At least once a year (KM cubers)
1, 2 or 3 beeps
Its own and others
Ice-O-Matic
Nickel-safe cleaner and sanitizer
Every 6 months, not more than monthly
Code 7 (water) on Elevation
IFQ

Common questions

Which ice machine brands need nickel-safe cleaner?

Ice-O-Matic requires it. Scotsman's Clear 1 is made safe for nickel-plated evaporators. Hoshizaki cubers are stainless steel and do not need it. Manitowoc names its own cleaner.

Do all ice machine brands need cleaning every six months?

Most do. Manitowoc, Scotsman and Ice-O-Matic set every six months. Hoshizaki's sheet for its KM cubers sets at least once a year, and its ice dispenser sheet twice a year. Scotsman says four times a year on highly mineralized water.

Where do I find my ice machine's manual?

On the maker's site, by the model number on the nameplate. Each brand page links its maker's manual page.

Related

Every brand on one schedule

SiteWise keeps each machine's own steps on its PM, whatever the make.

Want this schedule in SiteWise? Sign up free and send us the PM schedule with your machines' models: we set it up as a PM in your account, free. Email it to us

Download the app free

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Free on iPhone and Android.

Vimal Bhaya, Founder and Lead Systems Architect, Renergy Technologies.
He spent about a decade designing the analog circuits inside enterprise server chips at Oracle, from high-speed data links to DDR4 memory systems. He now designs the sensors and the detection models behind TemperatureWise.
Sources
  • The four articles in this tutorial, listed above
  • Cleaner removes lime scale and mineral deposits; sanitizer disinfects and removes algae and slime; never mix them; clean and sanitize every six months; cleaner 94-0546-3 and sanitizer 94-0565-3; air 35°F to 110°F, water 35°F to 90°F, 20 to 80 psi; air-cooled clearance 8 in at the top and sides and 5 in at the back; safety limits 1 and 2 and the owner restart: Manitowoc S1000M service manual, part 80-1559-3
  • Clean and sanitize at least once a year, more in poor water; stainless evaporator, any commercial ice machine cleaner, nickel-safe not required, Scale Away or Lime-A-Way: Hoshizaki America, Training and FAQs
  • KM-340 to KM-901: at least once a year; 14 fl oz (414 ml) of Scale Away into the water tank, WASH 30 minutes; 0.78 fl oz (23 ml) of chlorine bleach without additives, WASH 45 minutes; three rinses; a neutral cleaner for the bin liner; no ammonia cleaners: Hoshizaki cleaning and sanitizing sheet 51001 (21 July 2016)
  • Clear 1 is safe on all ice machines including nickel-plated evaporators; the concentration is critical; bleach will damage the evaporator; the recommended sanitizer is Nu-Calgon IMS; descale and sanitize at 6-month intervals, sanitize more often where yeast is present: Scotsman application bulletin PAB2019-01 (March 2019)
  • Prodigy Elite: straight nickel-safe scale remover, added when the display blinks A d 1, then automatic; a de-scale reminder every 6 months by default; the code display; air 50°F to 100°F, water 40°F to 100°F, 20 to 80 psi, and no warranty cover outside them: Scotsman Prodigy Elite cuber service manual, MC0322 to MC2148 (January 2022)
  • Every six months but no more than once a month; nickel-safe cleaner and sanitizer; discard the first two batches; the wrong products or RO water without a neutral pH can void the warranty: Ice-O-Matic ICE Series cleaning and sanitizing instructions, on Ice-O-Matic manuals and guides
  • What SiteWise does, in its own product facts: SiteWise CMMS, with the plans at SiteWise pricing

Last reviewed 5 November 2026.