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Why Silicone Ice Cube Trays Smell and How to Get Rid of It
Silicone ice cube trays smell because silicone is slightly permeable, so it absorbs odour molecules from food in your freezer and from the freezer itself. Those trapped smells then transfer into your ice, giving drinks an off-flavour. The good news is you can usually fix it with heat or a good soak: baking the tray, boiling it, or washing with hot soapy water, baking soda and vinegar will lift the odours back out.
Key takeaways
- Silicone is permeable to gases, which is why it soaks up freezer smells and food odours and passes them into your ice.
- America’s Test Kitchen found silicone trays developed a stale, musty freezer-burn smell after just a week of use, and coffee odours lingered even after multiple washes.
- Heat is your best friend: baking the tray in the oven or boiling it helps release trapped odour molecules.
- Baking soda paste and vinegar soaks neutralise stubborn smells like garlic or freezer burn.
- Regular deep cleans and sensible freezer storage habits stop smells from settling in again.
Why does silicone absorb smells in the first place?
It seems odd. Food-grade silicone is often described as non-porous, so how does it end up smelling like last week’s leftover curry? The answer lies in how the material behaves at a microscopic level.
Silicone is relatively permeable to gases. America’s Test Kitchen notes that moulds made from silicone are notorious for absorbing freezer odours and transferring them to the ice they make. In their testing, trays filled with coffee and left in the freezer overnight held onto the coffee smell so stubbornly that it took multiple washes to remove it completely.
There are two main culprits behind smelly trays:
- Food molecules. Food-grade silicone may have nowhere obvious to trap scents, but food molecules are attracted to freezing water. They build up on the silicone’s surface and behave like oils, coating it and becoming hard to shift, as Hunting Waterfalls explains.
- Heat and pores. According to Oh So Spotless, cooking heat opens silicone’s pores and lets oil and odour molecules seep in. When the material cools, the pores close and the smell is locked inside. That is why your ice tray smells of the freezer and your spatula carries the ghost of garlic past.
Odours are simply molecules, and these tiny particles attach themselves to all sorts of surfaces, silicone included, as The Daily Meal puts it. Once they are clinging to your tray, every batch of ice picks them up on the way through.
Why does it matter for your drinks?
Ice is not just frozen water; it is an ingredient. When your tray smells, your cubes taste of it too, and that can spoil everything from a glass of water to a carefully mixed cocktail. The Daily Meal points out that freezer odours transferring to your ice can ruin a classic Mint Julep and other frosty drinks.
Interestingly, silicone trays are especially prone to this problem compared with other kitchen utensils, because with ice you can both taste and smell the effect, as Hunting Waterfalls notes. The water going into the tray might be perfectly fresh; it is the tray itself that taints the finished cubes.
How to get rid of the smell: five methods that work
Most of these fixes take less than an hour, and you probably already have everything you need at home. Start with the gentlest option and work your way up for stubborn smells.
1. Hot, soapy water soak
Begin with a simple deep clean. Soak the tray in hot, soapy water for around 20 minutes using a quality grease-fighting washing-up liquid. This cuts through the oily film that holds smells in place and lifts surface residue. Oh So Spotless recommends this as the first step for everyday food odours, and it is also the best approach for the chemical “new product” scent that fresh silicone often has. Most silicone ice trays are dishwasher-safe too, so a hot dishwasher cycle can do the job for you.
2. Bake it in the oven
Heat is a surprisingly effective fix. The Daily Meal recommends heating the tray in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (about 175 degrees Celsius) for one hour to release unwanted odours. Because smells are made of molecules, applying heat makes those molecules evaporate and dissipate, taking the unpleasant smell with them.
Oh So Spotless suggests a shorter bake of 20 minutes at the same temperature to force trapped odour compounds out of the pores. If you are nervous about leaving silicone in the oven, start with the shorter time and check on the tray. Make sure your tray is oven-safe and food-grade silicone before trying this.
3. Boil it
Boiling is another commonly recommended heat method, and it doubles as a deep clean. Pop the tray into a pot of boiling water for three to five minutes. This kills bacteria and helps flush the odours out of the material’s pores, according to Oh So Spotless. Just make sure the tray fits flat in the pot and is fully submerged.
4. Baking soda paste and vinegar soak
For stubborn smells like garlic or freezer burn, bring in the kitchen classics. Oh So Spotless suggests making a baking soda paste, working it over the tray, then following up with a vinegar soak to neutralise strong odours. Rinse thoroughly afterwards so your next batch of ice tastes of nothing at all.
5. Repeat and rotate
Some smells are simply persistent. America’s Test Kitchen found that coffee odours required multiple washes to eradicate completely, so do not be discouraged if one round of cleaning does not do the trick. Combine methods: a hot soapy wash, then a bake or boil, then a baking soda and vinegar treatment if needed. If a tray still smells after several genuine attempts, it may be time to replace it, especially if the silicone is old or damaged.
How to stop your silicone trays from smelling again
Prevention is easier than cure (a phrase best saved for cleaning tips, not medicine). A few habits will keep odours from settling in:
- Wash trays after every use. Do not let food residue, broth or juice dry onto the silicone. This matters just as much for savoury cubes as for ice, as our guide to freezing broth and sauce cubes explains.
- Dry fully before storing. America’s Test Kitchen found that silicone trays developed a stale, sweet, musty freezer burn smell after just a week of use, so drying them fully before storage is a sensible habit.
- Cover or lid your trays. Oh So Spotless notes that silicone is slightly porous and absorbs freezer odours readily, so leaving trays uncovered gives smells more chance to settle in. Lidded trays, such as those covered in our roundup of the best ice trays for easy cube release, shield your cubes from floating food smells.
- Keep strong-smelling foods sealed. Onions, fish and leftovers should be in airtight containers so their molecules never reach the tray in the first place.
- Give trays a heat treatment occasionally. If smells do build up over time, an occasional bake or boil, as described earlier in this guide, should help release them.
Is silicone still a good choice for ice trays?
Absolutely, with a little maintenance. Silicone’s flexibility makes popping cubes out effortless, which is exactly why so many people prefer it to rigid plastic. It is dishwasher-safe, affordable and lasts for years, as Oh So Spotless points out.
The smell issue is real but manageable. If you understand why silicone ice cube trays smell and how to get rid of it, you can enjoy easy-release ice without the off-flavours. Choosing quality food-grade silicone from the start helps too, as fresh silicone can carry a “new product” chemical scent out of the box. For a full comparison of your options, see our ultimate guide to ice cube tray materials, shapes and uses.
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FAQ
Why do my ice cubes taste like the freezer even though the water is fresh?
The tray, not the water, is usually to blame. Silicone absorbs odour molecules from the freezer and from food, and those molecules transfer into the ice as it freezes. Cleaning the tray with heat or a baking soda and vinegar treatment should restore a neutral taste.
Can I put my silicone ice tray in the dishwasher?
Yes, most silicone ice trays are dishwasher-safe, according to America’s Test Kitchen. A hot dishwasher cycle is a good regular clean, though very stubborn odours may still need a bake, boil or baking soda treatment.
Is it safe to bake silicone ice trays to remove smells?
Food-grade, oven-safe silicone can be baked. The Daily Meal recommends 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour, while Oh So Spotless suggests 20 minutes at the same temperature. Always check the manufacturer’s guidance for your specific tray first.
How long does it take to remove smells from silicone?
Most methods take under an hour: a 20-minute hot soapy soak, a 20-minute bake, or a three to five minute boil. Very stubborn smells may need several treatments or a combination of methods.
When should I replace a smelly silicone ice tray?
If the tray still smells after repeated cleaning attempts, or the silicone is cracked, sticky or discoloured, replacement is the sensible option. A tray that passes smells into every batch of ice is no longer doing its job.
Final thoughts
Smelly silicone trays are annoying, but they are rarely beyond saving. A hot soapy soak deals with everyday odours, heat from the oven or a pot of boiling water releases the stubborn ones, and baking soda with vinegar handles the rest. Keep trays washed, dried and covered, and your ice will stay as neutral-tasting as the water you started with. If your current tray is past the point of no return, our guide to the best ice trays for easy cube release is a great place to find a lidded replacement.
