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How to Clean a Commercial Ice Maker: Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve come across those videos online of customers finding the ice machine at their favourite restaurant or convenience store hasn’t been cleaned in what seems like … well, ever, welcome to the club. Viral shock factor aside, these videos are a stark reminder of why proper machine maintenance matters, especially when it comes to commercial units.

Learning how to clean a commercial ice machine isn’t just about protecting your reputation; it keeps your ice safe, your equipment running efficiently, and your customers happy. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to clean a commercial ice maker, how often you should be doing it, and what you’ll need to get the job done. With a few simple steps, you can help prevent contamination, avoid system inefficiencies and say goodbye to that icky off-tasting ice.

How to Clean a Commercial Ice Maker
Why Regular Ice Maker Cleaning Matters

Why Regular Ice Maker Cleaning Matters

Cleaning an ice machine plays a major role in both food safety and the performance of your equipment. It prevents bacterial and mould growth, removes limescale buildup, maintains the clarity and taste of the ice and reduces strain on the machine’s compressor. In short, a clean machine lasts longer and produces consistently high-quality ice.

How Often Should a Commercial Ice Maker Be Cleaned?

As a general rule of thumb, you should clean your café, restaurant or bar’s ice machine every 3 to 6 months. How often to clean an ice maker, specifically, depends on how frequently it's used, the quality of the water being used to make ice and also the environment. An ice maker in an area with oil or other contaminants, like at a fast food restaurant, may need cleaning more regularly than, say, one in front of the house at a café.

If you’re not sure how often you should clean your ice maker, keep an eye out for some common signs, such as cloudy ice, strange odours, reduced ice output or visible residue inside the bin. All of these indicate it’s time to get those cleaning gloves on.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

One of the most important things to do before performing any commercial ice maker maintenance is to read your model’s manufacturer's manual. This will give you any model-specific information. However, in general, you will need:

  • A manufacturer-approved ice machine cleaner and sanitiser
  • Soft cloths or brushes
  • Gloves and protective gear
  • Warm water and buckets

With these ready, you can move on to cleaning your ice maker following the steps below.

How to Clean a Commercial Ice Maker Safely and Effectively

Step 1: Turn off your machine.

Before you start to clean your ice machine, make sure it is empty of any ice, turned off and unplugged from the wall. This is important for your safety during the cleaning and process, so don’t skip it.

Step 2: Disassemble removable parts like trays and panels.

Every ice maker is a little different, so what you need to remove will depend on your model. However, remove anything that can be removed, such as trays and panels.

Step 3: Wash all components with cleaner and warm water.

Once your ice maker is turned off and empty, you can start to clean all the different components and the inside of the machine. For any built-up mould, grime or minerals, try soaking the components for a few minutes to help it come loose when you give it a scrub.

Step 4: Run a cleaning cycle if the unit has one.

Again, this step depends on your particular machine. Your manufacturer’s manual will tell you if you have a cleaning cycle and if it needs to be used.

Step 5: Rinse thoroughly to remove residue.

Before putting anything back together, make sure you thoroughly rinse everything you cleaned with fresh water to make sure any residue is off the parts and outside of the machine.

Step 6: Sanitise interior and exterior surfaces.

You can now reassemble the machine, giving all the surfaces a wipe down to sanitise them, ready to make ice.

Step 7: Run a few batches of ice.

When you’re finished cleaning and the machine is back together, you should run a few batches of ice and discard them to ensure purity. Make sure you check your last batch for any signs of cloudy ice, strange smells or different taste.

Tips to Keep Your Ice Maker Running Efficiently

Besides cleaning an ice machine every few months, there are some other maintenance tasks you can do to keep it running smoothly, such as:

  • Replace the filters every 6 to 12 months
  • Keep the surrounding area clean and ventilated
  • Avoid storing items on or near the ice maker
  • Schedule a professional service if output declines

Staying on top of your commercial ice maker maintenance doesn’t just give you clean, safe ice, but also helps you save time on breakdowns and reduces repair costs, too.

When to Call a Professional Technician

So, you’ve cleaned your ice machine, changed the filters and kept on top of maintenance, but you’re still having problems? It may be time to call in a professional technician. If you notice any of the below, get in touch with a professional as soon as possible to keep your ice safe and usable:

  • Persistent odours or build-up after cleaning
  • Fault codes or electrical issues
  • Water leaks or ice production failures

Your manufacturer’s manual will also outline how often you should call a technician for a professional service to keep your machine running like a dream.

Explore Commercial Ice Machines at AGC Equipment

Like any equipment, even the highest quality commercial ice machine won’t last forever. If you’re in the market for a new machine, take a look at our range of commercial ice machines, designed for performance, hygiene and reliability for cafés, bars, restaurants and other business needs.

Browse Commercial Chest Freezers

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