Commercial ice makers used in restaurants and other places need proper maintenance and cleaning. Customers can fall ill due to bacteria grown on ice, just because someone did not properly clean the interior as well as the exterior of the icemaker. Therefore, in order to keep your expensive piece of equipment in tip-top condition and preventing any serious issues, proper commercial ice maker repair and cleaning is important. Follow us to know how.

Cleaning Commercial Ice Machines

Commercial ice maker problems are a normal occurrence if they happen to be kept neglected for a long period of time especially when it comes to maintenance and cleaning. Not only your commercial ice machine breaking down will result in expensive repairs but it shall also put a huge dent in the daily running of the business.

With that being said, regular maintenance of ice maker machines should be recorded so that restaurant owners can keep track of the next maintenance and cleaning required. Let’s begin the process as explained by industry specialists.

You will first need to remove any ice that maybe in the unit. Then, you will need to clean the water system, for which you can consult the owner’s manual and will take somewhere around 20 minutes.

Unplug the machine and take the icemaker apart so that you are able to clean it. Proceed towards cleaning the air filters, again consult the manual to gather relevant information.

Since every individual part has been taken out by now, clean them using the solution recommended by the manufacturer and do not panic if foam starts to build up. It is because of some mineral deposit on the unit. Once the foaming has stopped, wash the individual parts with clean water and scrub the areas where it foamed with a clean cloth.

Last but not the least check the filtration system for pressure, it should be even. Then move towards inspecting the pipes, hoses and cube sizing controls etc. You can always request a service if something doesn’t seem to be right.

Clean the Condenser

Just like with the air filter that needs cleaning, the condenser as well needs to be made dirt or debris free at least every six months. For this process, you will first need to turn off the unit and unplug it along with powering off the condensing unit. Using a flashlight, point the light towards the fins of the condenser to see any dirt or debris. You can clean it by blowing air through the hose of the condenser. In addition to that, you can also rinse it with water beginning with the inside. If there is still some dirt left, you will have to call the service to come and do it professionally.

Sanitize Your Ice Machine

Now that after you are done with cleaning the machine, you can begin with sanitizing it. For this process, you will be needing a sanitizing solution and lukewarm water as instructed in the package. Start with sanitizing the individual parts first. Use a spray bottle to soak or put down the parts into the sink filled with the solution and water. Allow them to remain that way for a few minutes. While the parts are soaked, use the solution to clean the individual parts and remember to use a generous amount for the purpose.

After you are done, just replace the components and for this step, you do not need to clean them with water afterwards. Wait for 20 minutes and then plug the ice machine and turn it on. Push the “clean” or “wash” button and wait for the machine to tell you when to put in the sanitizing solution to the trough containing water. Set the machine to make ice, after the cycle of sanitizing has finished. This may require a bit of time. Run another cycle by throwing out the first batch of ice and check the freeze.

In the End

The process may seem complicated at first but after that everything should be easy. Neglecting to get an ice dispenser repair Alexandria and cleaning service will only make things difficult for you and your staff later on. Because a small issue will grow to become a bigger problem with bigger cost of repairs.