Cleaning a Commercial Ice Machine

Most restaurants, cafes and convenience stores serve soft drinks and beverages, stock salad bars or blend frozen cocktails. In order to do so, they need a commercial ice machine.

Maintenance of a commercial ice machine can be overlooked from time to time due to other tasks. Here are a few simple procedures to keep a commercial ice machine clean and running.

Invest In Antimicrobial Protection

Slime and mold growth are concerns when using commercial ice machines. Many commercial ice machines have an antimicrobial protection built-in to the ice production and are guaranteed to inhibit the growth of slime and mold for the life of the machine. These units have a protective coating on the ice holding surface that will last the entire life of your ice machine and never needs replacement. If you own a unit that does include this protection then an external filter is not needed. If not, and you want to prevent mold growth from happening, invest in an antimicrobial filter. It sits in the ice machine, they are easy to replace, and need to be changed twice as often as the water filter.

Sanitize Your Machine Regularly

Water, air filters and condenser fins are important to extending the life of your machine and should be replaced every six months. Replacing the water filter and using antimicrobial protection will reduce unpleasant tastes and odors, filter out sediment leading to clogs and downtime, while removing minerals creating deposits on the evaporator. A clean air filter or condenser fin will keep the condenser free from grease, dirt and lint. Failure to keep it clean will decrease the machine’s ability to operate and reduce the ice production.

Your ice machine should also be emptied and thoroughly sanitized every six months. Clean the machine using a nickel-safe scale remover and ice machine sanitizer. Clean the exterior of the ice machine with diluted bleach to reduce mold growth.

On a side note, poor water quality may require more frequent cleaning, sanitizing and filter replacements. If your ice machine requires frequent cleaning, contact a qualified service professional to have the water quality tested.

Visit the Schubert Equipment Sales online store for a complete commercial equipment package, including design assistance and installation where required. Contact us on social media or comment below with any questions on cleaning your machine.