How Often Should A Commercial Ice Machine Be Cleaned?

Author: Bruce Smith

Maintenance of commercial ice machine is exceptionally important for the health and safety of your customers. Whatever may be the business - bar, hotel or restaurant, if you have not cleaned your machine until now, it will become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold. Cleaning your commercial ice machine is an indispensable part of your general maintenance, to maintain the sanitation of your business and to preserve the quality of the ice you supply.

Why Should You Clean Your Commercial Flake Ice Machine Often?

According to the regulations of the FDA, Ice is treated as food. It specifies that the ice machines must be cleaned at the recommended periods as specified by the manufacturer, usually 2 to 4 times per year. FDA inspects the following – the plumbing structure to prevent the contamination of water supply, sanitation of the water supply, and the overall ground sanitation. Frequent cleaning of the commercial ice machines avoids the formation of biofilm, which protects harmful viruses.

Signs that indicate the need to clean your commercial ice machine

A commercial flow ice machine recommends cleaning once in every six months, for a trouble-free operation. Apart from this, you need to watch out for the following signs to clean your ice machine –

  • You get a smaller quantity of Ice quantity than normal
  • The ice is too cloudy
  • The ice does not form fully
  • The ice emits a strong odor or taste
  • Ice melts fast or is very soft

During the cleaning procedure, the mineral deposits, scale and lime is removed, along with rust treatment. The sanitizing procedure also removes harmful biofilm, pathogens and algae.

How to Sanitize Your Commercial Ice Machine

The following are the steps to sanitize your flake ice machine -

  • Dilute the sanitizer solution with the correct ratio of water
  • Soak the removed parts with the sanitizer solution
  • Don’t rinse after sanitizing
  • Restore the removed components
  • Wait for the disinfectant to work
  • Connect the machine to power and start the cleaning process
  • Fill with water and set your machine to start making ice
  • Dispose the first batch of ice made after cleaning

Tips to Keep Your Ice Machine Clean

  • Avoid using your ice machine as a refrigerator. Never store food, bottles or cans in the ice bin.
  • Always keep the ice scoops out of the bin and clean it up regularly.
  • Use gloves and never handle ice with your bare hands
  • After you take ice out of the bin, do not drop the unused ice back into the bin.

A commercial ice machine is an essential part of your organization. So it is necessary to clean and keep your ice machine sanitized for maximum efficiency. Moreover, use only sanitizers and approved ice machine cleaners to avoid the growth of biofilms.

The author is a dealer of flake ice machine. He is also a frequent blogger who writes on various maintenance tips with regard to commercial ice machines in his blog. Visit https://iceandoventechnologies.com for more details.