A Guide to Commercial Refrigerator Cleaning

Cleaning the restaurant refrigerator is one of the most important to-dos on any restaurant owner's list. But it's not as simple as throwing out old food and using cleaning wipes. Here are some key points to remember when cleaning out commercial refrigerators.

First, when cleaning the inside surfaces of the refrigerator, it's vital to be conscientious of what kind of cleaning agents and materials are being used. Anything that is abrasive, contains harmful chemicals, or is ruled as non-food-safe should be avoided. It is recommended to instead use either designated food-safe sanitizers or water and soap. Overall, cleaning supplies deemed gentle or of lower strength are preferable to high-strength cleaners like bleach.

Cleaning a commercial fridge doesn't end at cleaning the places where food items are kept, though that is extremely important. Restaurant operators should also make sure that the condensers and coils inside the fridge are maintained regularly as well. These components are responsible for proper climate control, which is obviously key to food preservation. Foreign contaminants, specifically dust and other external materials, can clog the condenser and coils. Clogs can eventually lead to overtaxing these components or outright breaking them. Thus, cleaning the fridge's condensers and coils regularly is a must.

Finally, the fridge drain lines should also be cleaned regularly. The drain line is where moisture is flushed out from the inside of the fridge. Due to constant interaction with wetness and water particles, drain lines can potentially be harbingers of mold—a surefire way to infect and contaminate the food inside the fridge. The drain line should be checked at least once a year to avoid such a situation, and refrigeration specialists should also be consulted when performing maintenance.

Published by:
Christian Dantes

REWrite Blog