If you are a restaurant owner, you must know how important an element ice is in your restaurant, it helps you to keep your water, drinks as well as cocktails fresh and also to keep your food fresh. Therefore, in order to get high quality ice, it is very important to clean your ice machine regularly. If your machine is producing thin, cloudy, or incomplete ice, there may be scale buildup that is preventing it from functioning properly. In addition, if your ice tastes bad or has a bad odor, you should take care of the problem immediately.

Here are some easy steps for you to follow in order to clean your ice maker. Cleaning your ice machine will not only make your ice clear, but it will also help you reduce your energy use and expenses, especially in commercial kitchens. And the maintenance cost of the machine will also be much less. You should consider thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing your ice machine every six months, and this cleaning cycle will vary with your machine's surroundings. If there are many contaminants around the machine, then the cleaning frequency should also be increased appropriately. Also if your ice machine shows certain signs, that is a reminder that it is time to clean your machine.

Ice machine cleaning video

Watch the video below to learn how to clean a commercial ice machine. We've also included a detailed step-by-step checklist to guide you through the process.

What you need to clean your ice machine

Cleaning supplies

• Cleaner - For cleaning the inside of the ice machine.
• Distilled white vinegar (optional) - For cleaning the inside of the ice machine.
• Baking soda/soapy water - To clean the disassembled parts.
• Disinfectant - For disinfecting the interior and exterior of the ice machine.
• Warm water - Used to mix with the cleaner and disinfectant and to clean the ice machine components.

Cleaning tools

• 2 soft cloths - One for wiping with wet water and the other for wiping dry water stains.
• A measuring cup/spoon - Acontainer for mixing the water with the cleaner and sanitizer.
• A spray bottle - For spraying water to clean the ice machine ice tray
• Cotton swab/toothbrush - For brushing the crevices inside the ice machine that are not accessible.
• Soft bristle brush - For condenser cleaning.
• Personal protective equipment - Including rubber gloves and

How to clean your ice machine

Cleaning requirements for ice machines vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but most ice machines have a similar cleaning process. Before cleaning your ice machine, please check the owner's manual to understand your ice machine cleaning procedure. Based on most ice machine cleaning processes, we have summarized the following steps.

1. Remove excess ice and water from the freezer: During the cleaning and sanitizing process, all ice must be removed from the storage refrigerator. Use an ice scoop to remove all ice, or wait for the ice to completely melt and drain the water.
2.Press the "Clean"button: Once this button is pressed, when the sink is full of water, the display indicates to you that it is time to add the cleaner. The process of adding water to the sink usually takes 1 minute.
3. Add a mixture of water and detergent to the water tray or tank: Dilute your cleaner with warm water, checking the manual for the proper amount of solution to mix. Generally, the ratio of water to cleaner is 1 gallon of warm water to 16 ounces of cleaner, this ratio depends on the dirt build up inside the machine. The more dirt buildup, then the more cleaner you will need.
4. Run the cleaning cycle and wait for the cycle to complete: After adding the mixture, the machine will automatically enter the cleaning cycle and wait for the cycle to complete before proceeding to the next step.
5. Turn off/unplug the power supply: The cleaning cycle usually lasts 20 minutes and the power can be turned off or unplugged when the cycle is complete. Next, you can start disassembling the ice machine components.
6. Remove and clean removable parts: After parts are removed, clean all parts with a mixture of half water and detergent. Wipe each part with a damp cloth or soak it in the solution for a while and then rinse with water.
7. Clean food area surfaces: Use the other half of the mixture to clean all food area surfaces and the ice storage bin or dispenser of the ice maker. Use a damp cloth to thoroughly clean all aspects of the ice maker, including the side walls, the area above the sink, the plastic parts of the evaporator, and the ice storage bin or dispenser.
8. Rinse: Rinse all cleaned areas with clear water to ensure that chemicals have been removed from the parts and to prevent contamination of the ice.

How to sanitize the ice machine
1. Prepare the sanitizer:Mix the sanitizer with warm water to get a diluted mixed solution. You should have to understand that the mixing ratio of water and sanitizer is 3:2, which is3 gallons of warm water and 2 ounces of sanitizer.
2. Disinfect the disassembled parts:You have to use half of the mixed solution to disinfect all the parts you disassembled, wipe them with a cloth or soak them for some time. Use a spray bottle to sanitize the ice tray by spraying the solution on it. Do not rinse with water after these steps are completed.
3. Sanitize the remaining machine surfaces: Use the other half of the solution to wipe down all food area surfaces on the exterior surfaces of the ice maker, the storage refrigerator and the dispenser (if equipped). Make sure that the side walls of the ice machine, the base, the entire plastic parts of the evaporator, the ice storage bin, and the dispenser are sanitized.
4. Reinstall the sanitized parts: After sanitizing is complete, you should reinstall the disassembled parts.
5. Restore power and turn on the water source:After installation, turn on the power supply again and press the "Clean" button to enter the automatic cleaning state. When the sink is full of water, pour in the sanitizer.
6. Run the ice making action:Wait for the cleaning to be completed, we can start to run the ice making. This process usually takes 20 minutes.
7. Observation:It is recommended to observe two cycles, i.e. to complete the ice making process twice, and the ice produced must be discarded. The ice making process needs to be tested for the length of time the ice is frozen and harvested to ensure that your ice maker is in proper operation.

How to clean the exterior of ice machine

If you think that cleaning the outside is not important, you are wrong. When you clean your ice machine, it's important to focus not only on the machine itself, but also on the area around it. Failure to keep the area around the ice machine clean can lead to a build-up of dirt and grease. There can also be contaminants such as mold and mildew, and these bacteria can contaminate the inside of your machine at any time, leading to unhealthy food. Below, we explain how to clean the exterior of your commercial ice machine.
1. Pay attention to the environment around the machine: Clean the exterior of your ice machine and the area around it as often as needed. Doing so will keep your ice machine clean and allow it to operate efficiently.
2. Use the right cleaning materials:Wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt from the exterior of the ice machine. Do not use abrasive paper or hard brushes.
3. Clean any residual grease:If grease remains after cleaning, clean with a damp cloth dampened with a mild detergent and water solution. See your machine’smanual for restrictions. Do not use chlorinated, citrus or abrasive cleaners on exterior panels and plastic trim.

How to clean the condenser and filter of an ice machine

A dirty or clogged condenser can block normal air flow, preventing heat from escaping, causing the machine to operate at high temperatures and causing components to malfunction, and reducing the machine's ability to make ice. For efficient operation of the ice machine, the condenser and its filter should also be cleaned every six months. Please follow these steps:

• Turn off the power: Disconnect the power to the ice maker (and the remote condensing unit, if applicable).
• Check for dirt: Shine a flashlight on the condenser and check for dirt between the fins.
• Remove the lower access panel, run a soft bristle brush along the condenser fins to remove any dirt and lint inside, brush the fins with a special condenser cleaner and wipe dry.
• Put the lower access panel back on.
• Clean the filter: Blow on the condenser with compressed air to remove dirt from the filter. You can also rinse it from the inside out with mild soapy water. If the filter is filtering water less effectively, it is recommended that you replace the filter element.
• Double check: After you have gone through the process of identifying and removing the dirt, check to see if there is any residue. If there is, it is recommended that you contact a professional maintenance person.

How often should I clean my ice machine?

Generally speaking, the best cleaning cycle for ice machines is twice a year to keep the machine running properly, so you can plan when your ice machine should be cleaned better. According to our recommendation, you'd better clean your ice machine thoroughly in spring and autumn. Because in summer is the busiest time for ice machines, it is better not to clean your ice machine during this period if you don't want to delay your money.

The importance of cleaning ice machines

Ice is a category of food, so we must make and take care of it in the same way we treat other food products to ensure food safety for our customers. And cleaning your ice machine regularly is the most important part of the process, it prevents scale from building up on the evaporator, prevents heat transfer from being blocked, keeps your machine harvesting for a shorter period of time and can help keep your machine running at full capacity. Cleaning your machine regularly can reduce many breakdowns and thus reduce the cost of expensive repairs.

Signs that remind you to clean your ice machine

Since the appearance of bacteria and dirt is a process that accumulates over time, it can be difficult to determine when your ice machine needs to be cleaned, but it is generally considered appropriate to clean your machine when the following conditions occur.

• Ice machine is not producing ice or is slow to produce ice
• Ice maker does not automatically cycle through the icemaking-deicing-ice making process
• Ice is of poor quality (flimsy or opaque)
• Ice has a bad smell or impurities
• Output ice cubes are thin or incomplete
• Low ice capacity

Ice machine cleaning tips

If you are inexperienced in cleaning this type of appliance and feel confused and unsure about how to effectively clean your ice machine, here are some cleaning tips we have listed that may help you.

• Choose the right cleaning product: A good cleaning product and appliance can help you clean the machine effectively to the maximum. You can either choose the specific or approved cleaners and disinfectants that the manufacturer requires to be used on their machines, or you can choose to buy what you think or what the experts recommend as a good cleaning product, both of which will produce the same effectiveness.
• Use the right cleaning tools:When cleaning the machine, there are small crevices inside the ice machine that you may not be able to reach by hand, so you will need a cotton swab or a toothbrush, both of which will help you clean the crevices.

• Follow the cleaning procedure in the owner's manual:When cleaning, you must follow the procedure in the ice machine manual. This is because the steps above are general quasi-tests that apply to most machines.
• Keep chemicals separate:For your safety, do not mix cleaning agents and sanitizer solutions. This may cause the chemicals inside to fuse, resulting in some chemical reactions that can cause unnecessary injury.
• Use protective gear: When handling cleaners and disinfectant solutions, you should wear protective gloves and safety glasses to avoid splashing chemical solutions on your hands and in your eyes.
• Monitor the water quality of your water source:If your ice machine is requiring more and more maintenance, then you should check the water quality of your ice machine water source and may need water treatment or a new filter.
• Manage controls: Do not leave the control switch in the service position for long periods of time if the water tank is vacant during cleaning of the machine, as this may damage the pump.

In Summary

By cleaning and sanitizing your ice machine, you will be able to keep your machine running efficiently, prevent increased maintenance costs, and produce cleaner and safer ice that you can use whenever you need it. Remember to clean and sanitize your ice machine at least once every six months, and don't forget to refer to your ice machine manual for special instructions!

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