Commercial Ice Machine Upkeep
A network of bacterial organisms is referred to as a biofilm. A biofilm can compromise the quality of ice that is produced by commercial ice machines. Maintenance guidelines and cleaning aids can be used to sanitize a machine.
Signs That You Should Clean It
Ice cubes that have a cloudy surface, small or irregular-shaped cubes, and ice that has a foul taste and odor are indicative of a bacterial buildup. Mineral deposits and lime may also form on internal and external parts of an ice machine. Deposits and lime may affect the quality of ice. There are a series of guidelines that a commercial ice owner/operator should follow. These guidelines are often governed by local health departments.
A restaurateur, a store owner, or another business owner who fails to keep ice machine equipment clean could be fined if they sell contaminated ice products to a consumer. General upkeep should typically be performed a couple of times a year unless there are visible signs that the quality of ice has already been compromised.
When unhygienic conditions are evident, it is important to forego the standard cleaning schedule and to immediately tend to the upkeep of a machine. Ice production should be halted and any existing ice cubes that are located in a machine's bin should be disposed of.
Upkeep Tips and Cleaning Equipment
An ice machine manufacturer may supply a cleaning manual. Some steps that will be described in a manual will include the removal of dust from a unit's coils and surface treatments for internal and external parts.
A machine's automatic cleaning function will administer a cleaning solution to mechanical components. The solution will be spread evenly across surfaces that need to be treated. A consumer can use a manual cleaning process to clean a machine's cabinet, trim, and ice tray. Ice machine cleaning solutions are nickel-free and contain a small concentration of phosphorous.
An ice machine dealer may sell liquid cleaning agents that can be poured into machines that possess an automatic cleaning function or that can be wiped onto dirty surfaces. The ice bin, the lid cover, trays, and other materials that are not fixed should be removed from a machine, before applying a cleaning agent.
A lint-free cloth should be used to wipe internal or external surfaces. This type of cloth will prevent lint buildup and will stop scratches from forming on surface materials. Compressed air can be used to remove dust buildup from a machine's coils and its filter.
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