Commercial refrigerators are one of the most crucial and essential components of our modern food service and restaurant industries. Businesses rely on them to properly cool all those foods and beverages that they serve to their guests and patrons, and that means it’s incumbent on business owners to ensure they’re properly maintained.
Without proper maintenance and cleaning, these machines that are so instrumental to the success of your business can be a costly liability, from both a financial and environmental perspective.
The daily utilization of a commercial refrigerator inevitably leads to stains, grease, and mold buildup that needs to be cleaned on a routine maintenance schedule, extending the longevity of your investment.
In this article, we’ll show you how easy it is to properly clean your commercial refrigerator and ensure smooth operation for years to come.
Why is it important to routinely clean your commercial refrigerator?
Commercial refrigerators are capital investments. By having a routine cleaning and maintenance schedule in place, you are maximizing the potential ROI on your capital investment.
Mold and bacteria
If food debris is allowed to build up throughout your refrigerator, it can harbour the growth of mold and bacteria. Before you know it, a few crumbs and spills here and there can quickly turn into an unsightly, stinky, and sticky mess. This may also violate health codes in your area, so keep your fridges and freezers as clean as possible.
Increased humidity
As more food debris settles and starts to rot in your commercial refrigerator, it starts to emanate heat and moisture. A more humid internal environment can cause condensation, strong smells, mold, and other problems for your fridge down the line. Read more about condensation in your commercial refrigerator and how to avoid it
here.
Blocked vents and drains
The inside of a commercial fridge or freezer can quickly become a horror show if left unattended. Puddles of water, blood from raw meat, grease from cooked foods, soil from fresh produce, and other substances can quickly accumulate. If left unattended, food debris can block the drains inside your units, and mold particles can spread far and wide, even into the intricate vents and components of your refrigerator.
Commercial display fridges
A display fridge should showcase your display items beautifully. If customers approach your display fridge and they see smears and marks on the glass, condensation build up inside the door, bits of food on every shelf or piling up on the bottom, liquids running down the sides, strange smells emanating from your fridge, they’re going to be turned off! They will think the business owner cuts corners where it matters. And keeping food stored in a hygienic environment definitely matters to a customer! They want the peace of mind knowing that their food has been safely stored and good to eat.
If you’re looking for a high quality commercial glass display fridge that is easy to clean and will showcase your products clearly, check out Novachill’s range of display refrigerators. There’s a lot that goes into proper food storage, but keeping your commercial refrigerator clean, tidy, and smelling fresh will go a long way.
How to Clean Your Commercial Fridge or Freezer
Empty the Refrigerator
Step one is to take everything out of your fridge or freezer. Put the items somewhere cool and safe, and organise them in a way that makes it easy to put everything back in the right spot. Dispose of any products or items that have clearly gone off or are out of date. Frozen items may need to be placed on a towel or in a spot where water can safely run off.
Unplug the Unit
Save power costs by unplugging your appliance before you get started cleaning it out. There’s no point in having your fridge or freezer running if there are no items to cool. If your freezer has frozen over, unplugging the unit will allow the ice to melt and run out of the unit, allowing you to give it a proper clean.
You can also safely wipe around any lights or wires if the power to the unit is off.
Wipe Down the Refrigerator Interior
Start by spraying the inside of your refrigerator with warm soapy water. The soap will help you wipe away any grease, and if you find some dried food or sauce that is hard to remove, spray a lot of soapy water on it and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. The warm soapy water will soften the stubborn stain, allowing you to clean it without straining yourself unnecessarily.
Avoid using scourers, steel wool, and abrasive brushes on the interior of your fridge. If your freezer has frozen over, allow the ice to melt away completely before wiping out all the water with a dry cloth. Do not stab at ice in your fridge or freezer with a sharp object as this can damage the delicate components of your refrigerator.
Using a soft, damp cloth that is non-scratch, begin wiping out the inside of the refrigerator, starting with the top ceiling. Work your way down the side walls and wipe every bit of food, sludge, and dirt you encounter on every shelf. Wire shelves allow for maximum airflow and cooling, but boy do they get dirty. If you come across some nooks and crannies where food is stuck, you can gently scrape it out using a soft to medium bristled brush. You can also take away any removable shelves or drawers to give those tight places a deep clean. Go over the condenser coils and other components carefully.
Finish off the interior by wiping the inside of the refrigerator door. If you have a glass display fridge, make sure the inside of the glass is cleaned of all marks as they will show through the glass.
Disinfect
Once you’ve wiped away all the food particles and cleaned up any stains, go over the inside of the fridge again with some disinfectant and give it one final thorough clean. Make sure every surface is clean and dry, as a dirty and moist environment is most conducive to bacteria and mold growth.
Clean door gaskets
Take a moment to marvel at your beautifully clean refrigerator! But before you close the door, give the gaskets, or rubber door seals a really good scrub. If any dirt or food particles get stuck to your door gaskets, this can make them less effective and allow cold air to seep out of your refrigerator. You want the fridge door to be a nice, tight seal. It’s good to check over your seals every once in a while to make sure they’re not dirty, broken, loose, or bent out of shape.
Clean the exterior
Now that the inside of your commercial fridge or freezer is completely cleaned out, close the door and give some attention to the exterior. It’s amazing how much dust settles on the sides of a refrigerator, especially if it’s in an enclosed area. Run a feather duster or soft cloth over the sides of your fridge to get rid of any dust.
Using a damp cloth, polish away any finger marks on the door handle, front and sides of the fridge. The bottom of the fridge door can easily get splattered so make sure you give that area a good scrub.
If you have a glass display fridge or freezer, pay particular attention to the exterior of the glass. Make the glass sparkle by buffing out any finger marks with a soft microfiber cloth.
Clean the condenser coils by removing the filter and giving it a good vacuum to remove any dust and debris. It’s important to keep the condenser coils clean as the build up of dirt and debris can clog the filter up and cause problems for your refrigerator down the line.
The castors under your fridge tend to collect hair and debris, and all manner of food and objects get kicked under refrigerators. To finish off, move the refrigerator and clean the back using a feather duster for any dust or cobwebs, and use a damp cloth for any other dirt you find. Before you put the refrigerator back in its place, clean the floor and walls around it too.
Return food to the refrigerator
Before you put everything back in the fridge, take a moment to think about how you want everything to be organised. Make sure everything is visible, clean, easy to access, and spaced out neatly and evenly for maximum airflow and cooling. If your items are soiled and need to be cleaned before going back on display, then give them a wipe over with a damp cloth. Wipe down the bench once everything is back in the refrigerator.
Cleaning your commercial refrigerator may seem like a daunting task, but you can make things easier by cleaning away spills and debris as they happen, rather than letting them build up and become a bigger headache in the future.
Cleaning your fridge or freezer is also a good way to look over your entire machine to make sure all components are in good condition and working properly.
