Ice maker machines are widely used in our daily life. Regular and correct cleaning of ice machines is essential for safe production of ice cubes and prevention of deterioration of ice cube quality. Regular maintenance can reduce scale accumulation, prevent bacterial growth, and ensure efficient and long-term operation of the machine. Whether you use it for commercial or industrial ice making, knowing the correct way to clean the ice machine can increase the service life of the ice machine and make your ice making business run more smoothly.
This guide will show you the complete ice machine cleaning process to help you understand how to clean your ice machine
Why Cleaning Your Ice Maker Machines Is Important？
Ignoring the cleaning of the ice maker machines will lead to bacterial contamination and scale accumulation, which will cause the ice to have an odor and affect the quality of the ice. In particular, when the ice machine is severely damaged, it will cause health problems for the consumer. Regular cleaning can prevent:
- Prevent bacterial growth and scale accumulation
- Mineral accumulation affects ice quality
- Filter clogging causes machine damage
Regular cleaning can extend the life of the machine and prevent machine failure
Ice Maker Machines Cleaning Process
1. Preparation
- Before cleaning the ice maker, disconnect the power supply and water supply to avoid safety risks caused by water and electricity leakage
- Make sure there is no ice left in the ice maker
- Read the ice maker manual to understand the important cleaning parts and know the cleaning plan
2. Disassemble The Washable Parts
Remove the refrigerator, sink and other parts that are prone to bacteria and scale accumulation according to the operating manual:
- Use professional ice machine descaling agent and warm water to clean these objects.
- Use soft cleaning tools to clean them thoroughly, and rinse them with clean water when cleaning. After they are completely air-dried, assemble them back into the machine according to the operating manual.
Machines used for edible ice production need to replace water filters regularly. As the use time increases, the filter will accumulate pollutants and reduce water quality. This will lead to poor ice making effect and affect ice making quality.
Therefore, it is necessary to replace the filter regularly. It is recommended to replace it every six months or ask the manufacturer for advice.
Just take out the old filter and replace it with a new one. After the new filter is installed, it needs to be rinsed with circulating clean water before ice making.
3. Clean The Inside And Outside Of The Ice Machine
Mix warm water with ice machine cleaner and use a soft cloth or sponge to wipe the inside and outside surfaces. Avoid using abrasive or chlorine-containing cleaners because they will damage the surface of the machine.
If the ice machine has an ice tray or ice price, you need to remove it and clean it carefully, rinse it with clean water and dry it before reinstalling it
4. Clean The Inside
Check whether the drain pipe is blocked and rinse it with warm water.
If ice machine has a water pump, you can use a diluted acidic detergent to clean it to remove scale and impurities, and rinse it with clean water after cleaning to avoid detergent residue.
Clean the evaporator and cooler: These parts may accumulate dust or scale and need to be wiped carefully.
Check the seals and other parts: Make sure all seals are intact to avoid water leakage.
5. Reassemble And Test Ice Maker Machines
Make sure all cleaned parts are rinsed with clean water before installing them back according to the ice machine manual, and use disinfectant spray to thoroughly disinfect them.
After the disinfectant spray evaporates, connect the ice machine to the power supply and water supply, and use the cleaning system several times to thoroughly clean the machine before officially making ice. Finally, you can set your machine to make ice again.
Conclusion
Regular cleaning not only helps to extend the service life of the ice maker, but also ensures the quality and hygiene of the ice. If conditions permit, it is best to perform a comprehensive disinfection and descaling treatment every time you clean it. This will extend the service life of your ice maker. If you don’t know how to clean the ice maker or have questions about the use of the ice maker, you can ask the professional ice maker manufacturer–Pecold. We have fourteen years of experience in ice maker manufacturing and professional engineers to answer your questions.
FAQ
How often should the ice maker be cleaned?
Home ice makers are not used too frequently and only need to be cleaned once every 1-3 months
Commercial ice makers are used more frequently and it is recommended to clean them once a month to ensure that there are no hidden dangers to eating
Industrial ice makers are cleaned and air-dried before long-term non-use and then stored
In hard water areas, scale accumulation will be more serious, so it is best to clean it once a month
How can I know that the ice maker needs to be cleaned?
The ice cubes have a strange smell, the machine’s operating efficiency becomes low, and the ice cube production speed decreases.