How to Get the Most From Your Commercial Dishwasher

Investing in a commercial dishwasher is paramount for any commercial kitchen. To help save time and energy, almost all restaurant owners invest in a heavy duty dishwasher for good reason. It does all of the work for you and helps you save plenty of time, energy, and water. Commercial dishwashers are relied on to clean even the dirtiest of dishes and while it’s extremely beneficial, it can cause accelerated wear and tear. Continuous heavy use of your dishwasher will result in reduced efficiency because of all the food scraps and oily residue it accumulates. This means that your dishwasher’s components will deteriorate much faster if you don’t take care of it properly.

Since it’s an expensive investment, it should be in your best interest to conduct regular maintenance on your commercial dishwasher. This helps prevent breakage and ensures that your dishwasher delivers consistent results after each use. Commercial dishwasher components are expensive to replace so if you want to save on costs, make sure to follow these 8 tips to get the most from your industry leading commercial dishwasher.

8 important tips on how to get the most from your commercial dishwasher

1. Don’t forget to scrape your dishes. Scraping your dishes does two things. First, it prevents the accumulation of food scraps and gunk and secondly, it helps conserve water and energy because you don’t have to run longer wash cycles to clean your dishes thoroughly. Make it a habit to scrape your dishes first, ideally by using a spoon and scraping them in running tap water.

This reduces the amount of oily residue and gunk buildup inside your dishwasher that can cause stinky odours. Scraping your dishes also prevents the wash arms from getting clogged up by food debris, allowing your dishwasher to run more efficiently.

2. Deodorize your dishwasher. Over time, gunk and grime buildup will cause nasty odours inside your commercial dishwasher. To stop funky dishwasher odour in its tracks, slice a lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto the liquid detergent compartment. Then sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom of the dishwasher before running a short cycle. The combination of the lemon juice and baking soda will act as a dual cleaning action by sanitizing and deodorizing your dishwasher.

You can use vinegar as an alternative to lemon juice if you don’t have one. Vinegar is great for fighting off gunk and bacteria buildup inside your dishwasher.

3. Check your chemicals regularly. Commercial dishwashers require adequate amounts of detergent and rinse aid in order to thoroughly clean your dishes. Before using your commercial dishwasher, check your chemical levels. Having sufficient amounts of rinse aid means that your dishes will dry much faster and it’ll prevent water streaks and visible stains from the surface of your dishes.
4. Select the correct cycle. Commercial dishwashers come with a plethora of wash cycles and each cycle will affect how your dishes are cleaned. Make sure to always select the correct cycle when washing your dishes. For example, if you’re washing heavily soiled dishes, a power wash will remove even the most caked-on plates by spraying concentrated jets of water. If you’re washing delicate chinaware, choose a light wash with a medium drying cycle to prevent cracking and scratching of your plates.

Always read the instruction manual and use the correct cycle when washing your dishes. Doing so will provide optimum results when cleaning your dishes.

5. Regularly clean your dishwasher. Your commercial dishwasher requires regular cleaning in order to run efficiently. Ideally, you want to clean your dishwasher once the day ends. It only takes a couple of minutes and it helps prepare your dishwasher for the next day. Grab a sponge and a bucket of soapy water. Remove the racks and scrub the insides thoroughly. Pay attention to the wash arms, the seals on the dishwasher door, and the corners of the dishwasher. This helps reduce the wear and tear on your dishwasher’s components and helps prolong its lifespan.
6. Clean the dishwasher trap. The dishwasher trap is located on the bottom of your dishwasher where all food scraps and debris are collected. It’s important to keep the dishwasher trap clean to promote proper drainage and avoid foul-smelling odours. Usually, all it takes is a quick rinse with running water, but if you haven’t taken it off for weeks, the gunk might not come off quickly.

To remove stubborn food bits, use a soft brush and scrub the filter gently. Use warm, soapy water to soften the gunk and dislodge any stuck food particles on the filter. Ideally, you want to clean your filter once a week to prevent excessive gunk formation.

7. Replace chipped, rusty dish racks. Dishwasher racks are often coated with paint for durability. With constant usage, the paint will inevitably come off, exposing the metal parts of the rack. The chipped paint might cause a few issues like blocking the sprayer arms and even clogging up the food trap. Consider replacing your dishwasher rack with a new one if it’s completely worn out. New dishwasher racks are more stable and will hold your dishes much better when running a wash cycle.

8. Have a technician conduct repairs on your dishwasher. It can be quite difficult to repair a commercial dishwasher on your own since it uses plenty of complicated parts. It’s best to leave the repairs to a qualified technician so you don’t break any of the components. The technician will assess the overall condition of the dishwasher and recommend which parts need replacing. Have your dishwasher checked every 6 months to maintain it in good working order.

Conclusion

Commercial dishwashers are a convenient and efficient way of washing multiple dishes at once. It’s important to keep in mind that dishwashers need constant care and maintenance to ensure optimum cleaning results. These 8 tips will help get the most from your dishwasher so you can maximize its efficiency and rely on it for years to come.