Commercial refrigerators are essential for many businesses, particularly in the food service industry. Keeping them clean not only ensures the safety and quality of the food stored inside but also extends the lifespan of the equipment. This guide offers practical tips and efficient strategies for cleaning a commercial refrigerator. Whether running a restaurant, a cafeteria, or any establishment with a commercial fridge, these guidelines will help you maintain hygiene and functionality, ensuring your refrigeration unit operates at its best.
Commercial Refrigerators and Maintenance
Many businesses rely on commercial freezers, coolers, and refrigerators to continue working if they sell food, beverages, or other products that need a cold environment. Due to its importance to businesses, it is also important for these businesses to understand how to maintain and keep them. What makes them work efficiently is the maintenance as well as other factors like the model and size of it. Due to this, businesses need to pay attention to the tips for cleaning a commercial refrigerator.
What is The First Thing to Do Before Cleaning the Refrigerator?
Preparation is half of the process. Due to this, it is important to understand what to do before cleaning a commercial refrigerator, cooler, and freezer and act accordingly. The first thing to understand is what to use for cleaning.
Simple cleaning products like soap, water, and a good absorbent sponge will be enough to clean the commercial refrigerator cooler and freezer if the device is cleaned at least once every week for two weeks, as only a little dirt will build up. However, different types of cleaning solutions may be necessary to clean more difficult dirt and waste.
Knowing if the dirt can cause issues in the air ventilation or not is important. By determining this beforehand, you can understand if you need professional help cleaning the commercial refrigerator, cooler, and freezer.
What are Don’ts in Cleaning the Refrigerator?
There are other important things to understand before cleaning a commercial refrigerator, cooler, or freezer, which one should only do in some circumstances. One of them is not to keep any product that has gone bad in the commercial refrigerator for a long to prevent having more difficulty during cleaning.
Another not-to-do tip for cleaning a commercial refrigerator is to use harsh cleaners for simple cleaning, which do not require harsh chemicals. Harsh chemicals are not recommended for cleaning commercial freezers other than anything that needs those chemicals to clean. This is also not recommended due to the health risks of the harsh chemicals.
Last but not least, for safety purposes, it is recommended to unplug the commercial freezer, cooler, and refrigerator before cleaning the coils. If these mistakes are avoided, it is guaranteed that the commercial freezer will continue working without issues. After understanding what is not to be done and what needs to be prepared beforehand, it comes to cleaning the device.
Tips for Cleaning a Commercial Refrigerator
There are many tips for cleaning a commercial refrigerator, as cleaning is a huge part of maintenance other than frequent check-ups and repairs. These tips include important but mostly overlooked details on cleaning a commercial refrigerator:
- Clearing Out the Refrigerator Shelves
- Unplug the Commercial Refrigerator
- Use Warm Water with Soap or Vinegar
- Check and Clean the Products Inside
- Sanitizing the Exterior of the Refrigerator
- Maintaining the Seals of Refrigerator Doors
1. Clearing Out the Refrigerator Shelves
Before starting the cleaning process, it’s crucial to completely clear out the shelves of the commercial refrigerator. This step removes all food items, containers, and removable parts like trays or racks. It’s not just about creating space for cleaning; it’s also an opportunity to inspect and sort the contents. Check for expired or spoiled items, and organize what needs to go back in. This simplifies the cleaning process and helps maintain an organized and efficient storage system within your refrigerator.
2. Unplug the Commercial Refrigerator
One of the most important tips for cleaning a commercial refrigerator is to unplug the freezer for safety. This is especially important for cleaning the commercial refrigerator, cooler, and freezer coils. Unplugging prevents any type of accident, especially electrocution, which can have grievous consequences.
Unplugging the commercial refrigerator is simple and quick. Still, it’s also crucial to preventing accidents at work and should not be overlooked for the safety of the workers. This is one of the most important tips for cleaning a commercial refrigerator, cooler, or freezer to prevent anyone from getting hurt.
3. Use Warm Water with Soap or Vinegar
Another important tip for cleaning a commercial refrigerator, cooler, and freezer is to use simple cleaning solutions, such as warm water with vinegar or soap. Apply these cleaning solutions with a good, absorbent sponge and clean up any excess water on or in the commercial refrigerator, cooler, and freezer. Using warm water with non-harsh chemicals prevents health issues for the customers and workers. It is crucial to clean the device thoroughly regardless of the cleaning solutions used.
4. Check and Clean the Products Inside
Cleaning a freezer is required to prevent dirt and odor. One of the most missed but important tips for cleaning a commercial refrigerator is to clean the exterior of products stored in the commercial cooler, freezer, and refrigerator. This can be applied only to the products stored in wrapping and can be cleaned without going bad during the process. This is especially important to prevent odor caused by the dirt or bacteria on the products’ exterior caused by moisture. Due to this, checking up and cleaning the products before placing them back is one of the important tips for cleaning a commercial refrigerator, freezer, and cooler.
Maintenance is the key. It is important to apply these tips for cleaning a commercial refrigerator to both make the cleaning process better and prevent any probable issues from occurring. These tips may need to be bigger and more important. However, each detail that is missed during cleaning could cause serious refrigerator problems to occur.
Maintenance is important for using commercial freezers, refrigerators, and coolers as much as the model and age of the device to make it work as efficiently as possible. More than just getting high-quality commercial refrigerators, freezers, and coolers from trustworthy manufacturers like Greencooler is needed for the device to work efficiently. Due to this, these maintenance tips for cleaning a commercial refrigerator, freezer, and cooler should be noticed.
5. Sanitizing the Exterior of the Refrigerator
Maintaining the cleanliness of the exterior of your commercial refrigerator is just as crucial as the interior. Regularly sanitizing the outer surfaces not only enhances the appearance of your kitchen but also prevents the spread of bacteria and grime. Use a gentle, food-safe cleaner and a soft cloth to wipe down all external parts, including handles and doors. This process should be part of your daily cleaning routine to ensure a hygienic and visually appealing kitchen environment. Remember, cleaning a commercial refrigerator reflects the overall cleanliness of your food preparation areas.
6. Maintaining the Seals of Refrigerator Doors
Regular maintenance of your commercial refrigerator’s door seals or gaskets ensures an airtight closure. This not only keeps the cold air in, maximizing energy efficiency but also prevents the accumulation of dirt and food particles that can lead to contamination and inefficiency. Gently clean these gaskets with a mild soap and water solution, carefully inspect them for any signs of wear or tear, and replace them if necessary. This simple yet vital task can significantly extend the lifespan of your refrigerator and maintain its optimal performance.
Deep Cleaning Tips for Your Commercial Refrigerator
Cleaning a commercial refrigerator requires more than just cleaning its interior spaces. Deep cleaning specific components is crucial to ensure its longevity and optimal performance. These are:
- Vacuuming the Condensing Coil: Regular vacuuming of the condensing coil is essential. Dust and debris can accumulate on the coil, reducing the refrigerator’s efficiency. Use a soft brush attachment to gently vacuum the coil, ensuring it’s free from obstructions and operates at peak efficiency.
- Cleaning the Evaporator Coil: Like the condensing coil, the evaporator coil plays a key role in the cooling process. Turn off the refrigerator and use a coil cleaning solution or a mild detergent to clean the coil. This maintains proper airflow and temperature regulation.
- Clearing the Drain Lines: Over time, the drain lines of your refrigerator can become clogged with debris, leading to water buildup and potential health hazards. Regularly flushing these lines with a cleaning solution helps maintain clear and hygienic drainage, preventing mold and odor buildup.
You can read our previous article from http://greencooler.international/choosing-a-suitable-cooler-for-wine-storage/.