Commercial Ice Machine Cleaning Tips
by WEPL Editor Mgmt
Commercial ice machines are a vital part of restaurants, bars, hotels, and a variety of other business settings. It is also a very useful kitchen appliance dedicated to making large amounts of ice.
There is nothing better than adding some crisp ice to your drinks and serving it to your guests. As much as they serve important functions in your commercial kitchen or home kitchen, it is often overlooked. Commercial ice machine cleaning and maintenance from time to time are necessary to avoid malfunctioning of the equipment. In this article we have shared few Commercial Ice Machine Cleaning Tips, keep reading to find out more
Importance of cleaning the Commercial Ice Maker
Apparently, the ice might look clean, but it may not be as clean as it looks. Implementation of a robust ice maker maintenance strategy is inevitable for the smooth functioning of your business.
One of the major issues commercial ice machines tend to have is bacteria growth and mineral deposits that clog the equipment affecting its overall efficiency. It takes special chemicals, sanitization, and deep cleaning to eliminate such harmful bacteria.
No matter how well the equipment is maintained, bacteria and other contaminants get into commercial ice makers. Limescale and calcium build up over time and if neglected, can cause its parts to clog and wear down faster. It also shortens the life expectancy of the ice machine and leads to poor-quality ice. Bad ice leads to a gross drink taste. This results in displeased customers and bad reviews compromising the business revenue. This is why you can’t neglect to maintain your ice machine.
Ice is considered food by the FDA. Not only is serving drinks to the customer from a moldy commercial ice maker is disgusting, but it’s also a serious health and safety code violation.
Having mold, bacteria, and slime in your commercial ice machine can cause illness in the customers that can be threatening to your business. Proper removal and sanitization of biofilm slime, limescale, and calcium deposits will keep your ice machine in perfect shape and taste great. Cleaning your ice maker occasionally should be a priority on your maintenance schedule. Practicing proper maintenance on your commercial ice machine can reduce the risk of appliance breakdowns, misshapen ice, FDA code violations, and the number of displeased customers.
Signs You Need to Clean Your Ice Maker
Since germs and dirt accumulate with continuous use and over a period of time, it may be difficult to identify when your machine needs to be cleaned, but If you experience some of the following issues, it is an indication that its time to clean your ice machine:
Ice quality is poor (soft or not clear)
The Ice machine does not release ice or is slow to harvest
Ice produces an odor
The ice machine does not cycle into harvest mode Low ice capacity
Ice machine produces shallow or incomplete cubes
How to Clean Commercial Ice Machine
Unplug Your Ice Machine and Drain Water
Turn off the power supply and Drain Water. All ice must be removed before the cleaning and sanitizing process. Make sure the appliance is unplugged before you begin to clean your ice machine. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes for any ice to fall into the storage bin.
Remove and Clean Removable Ice Machine Parts
Once the ice falls, remove the ice. Remove the drain cap and drain the remaining water out of the appliance. Allow the unit to sit for 5 minutes to make sure that all the water has drained. Then replace the drain cap.
Press the “clean” or “wash” button, water will flow across the water dump valve and down the drain. Wait until the water trough refills and the display shows an indication to add chemicals. This typically takes at least 1 minute.
Add ice-machine cleaner
Use the recommended amount of ice-machine cleaner as stated in the manual. Wait until the cleaning cycle is complete. The cleaning cycle typically lasts for around 20 minutes. Before cleaning, remove the internal components from your ice machine. refer to your machine’s manual to remove it properly.
Clean the replaceable components of ice-machine
Dilute the mix of cleaning solution with lukewarm water. Refer to your machine’s manual to know the appropriate amount of solution. Depending on the amount of mineral buildup, you may need to add the cleaner
Remove the replaceable components of your ice machine. Dilute water into the cleaner mixture and clean the components. Usually, the solution starts to foam once they come in contact with lime and mineral deposits. Wait for a few seconds until the foaming stops, use a soft-bristle nylon brush, sponge, or cloth to carefully clean all parts
Wipe the interior of ice-maker
Once all the components have been removed, wipe the interior of the ice maker including all the food zone surfaces of the ice machine. Use a soft cloth and warm soapy water, to thoroughly clean areas like side walls, base, evaporator plastic parts, and the bin or dispenser
If you notice hard water mineral buildup in the interior of your ice machine, use a softbristle toothbrush or a baking soda and water solution to remove it. Do not use abrasive cleaners, hard-bristled brushes, or sharp-edged scrapers. This can damage the interior’s plastic lining.
Rinse the components with clean water
Once you’ve cleaned the inner surface, make sure to rinse all areas and components with clean water. This will remove chemicals and prevent ice from becoming contaminated. For this purpose, use a soft, damp cloth to rinse. Then wipe down the interior with a soft, dry towel. Replace removed interior parts once they are completely dry.
How to Clean the Exterior of an Ice Maker
Below, are the tips for how to clean the outside of your commercial ice maker.
Inspect immediate surroundings to ensure your ice machine operates cleanly and efficiently
Wipe surfaces with the cleaning materials like a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt from the outside of the ice machine.
Clean any grease that remains after cleaning, use a damp cloth rinsed in a mild dish soap and water solution. See your machine’s manual for restrictions. Do not use ammonia or citrus-based cleaners, steel wool, paper towels, or abrasive cleaners on stainless steel surfaces, exterior panels, and plastic trim.
How to Sanitise a Commercial Ice Machine
Once you have cleaned and removed any mold or buildup from your ice machine and its components, it is recommended to sanitize and disinfect the ice maker. It is the most crucial step because it helps minimize germs and harmful pathogens.
Here are the steps you need to follow to sanitize your ice maker
1 Mix a solution of sanitizer. Typically, the ratio is 3 gallons of lukewarm water and 2 oz of sanitizer solution. You can use a spray bottle to liberally spray the solution to all surfaces of the removed parts or you can soak the removed parts in the solution
2. Use one-half of the solution to sanitize the parts already removed, and the other half for all other surfaces, like the inner walls of the ice machine, ice bin, and more.
3. Replace the parts you removed.
4 After 20 minutes, turn the power supply on by pressing the clean button
5 It’s important to wait until your display indicates the troughs have been refilled before adding your chemicals. Once it’s done, add an adequate amount of sanitizer as per your manual to the water trough.
6. Set your machine to automatically start making ice after the sanitizing cycle is complete. This will take at least 20 minutes.
7. Upon completion, observe two cycles and monitor the freeze and harvest cycle times. Make sure to throw out the first batch of ice made after cleaning and sanitizing.
How to Clean an Ice Machine Condenser and Filter
Like the other components of your ice maker, the condenser and filters should also be cleaned once every six months. Follow these steps to clean the condenser of your ice maker:
Turn off the power Shine a flashlight through the condenser to check for dirt between the fins. Blow compressed air through the condenser and filter to remove any dirt in the filter You can also rinse it with warm water. check to see if any remains once you’ve gone through the process of identifying and removing dirt, If the dirt is still present we recommend that you contact Alturas HVAC service technicians.
Now you’re ready to enjoy a clean appliance and great-tasting ice! Repeat this cleaning process every nine months or sooner if your clean indicator light turns yellow or you notice your ice tasting “off.”
Contact Alturas for Commercial Ice Machine cleaning
Following the steps religiously ensures that your equipment is safe for your customers. It is recommended to clean the ice machines about once every 9 months, or more frequently if you live in an area with hard water or high humidity
Ice machine is an extremely important equipment to your business. Its quality can make or break a customer’s experience. If you don’t feel comfortable maintaining and repairing an ice maker yourself, it’s time to call in the experts. Thankfully, Alturas commercial
refrigeration repair service has got your back. We at Alturas are determined to satisfy our clients and repair your HVAC equipment
Our HVAC technicians are experts in providing commercial ice-machine repair and maintenance services in Los Angeles. We are available 24/7 and ensure the equipment’s long-lasting functioning.