Commercial dishwashers and glasswashers are very expensive catering equipment for the professional kitchen and this is why maintenance is an essential part of owning a commercial dishwasher or glasswasher to ensure you don’t have to spend money on unnecessary breakdowns or replace a machine after it fails prematurely.

Too often we see commercial dishwashers and glasswashers break down from lack of maintenance and misuse because staff employed in kitchens do not properly care for the equipment and are not taught to maintain the machine when necessary.

To enhance your maintenance routine and ensure that your staff is taking proper care of your dishwasher or glass washer, I recommend that you provide your staff with this list and the machine maintenance quick instructions manual.

1. Rinse dishes beforehand

When washing dishes in a dishwasher, it’s always a good idea to pre-wash dishes before putting them in the machine. This will not only ensure that you get the best washing results from your machine, but it will also help keep the inside of the machine clean and prevent food debris from building up and blocking filters, pumps and pipes. No need to spot-clean dishes, just wash off any large clumps of dried-on food before putting them in the dishwasher.

2. Blocked pumps and filters

Beware of blocked pumps and filters. In a commercial dishwasher, teaspoons, lemon wedges, and other food debris can be lost during the loading phase. If you are having a problem with your machine not filling, not draining, or producing poor wash results, simply lift up the filter baskets and stick your finger into the pump hole (when the machine is off!) to check that nothing is blocking the pumps and filters.

3. Use the Right Detergents

There are many detergents available on the market and although most are of adequate quality today, there are many cheap alternatives that are not up to the task. Buy chemicals where you got the machine from, as the supplier will always want to give you a proven chemical that works well with their machines. Alternatively, shop around and try a few different brands. One brand may work well in your area of ​​water but worse in another, so don’t rely on recommendations. Generally, as a rule, you get what you pay for when it comes to rinse aid and detergents.

4. Keep your water softener topped up

The main purpose of a commercial dishwasher or glasswasher is to make sure your water softener is full and working. Commonly overlooked, making sure there is a good salt level and that salt is replaced regularly in your softener is key to maintaining your machine. Lime can build up in places you can’t see and damage your elements, boilers and pumps. One sign that you have a limescale problem is if the machine inside turns white, or if you see white water marks on dishes and glassware.

5. Run the limescale remover

Regularly, say once a week, run a capful of scaler through your machine to keep it in top condition. This is economical and will help extend the life of your machine.

6. Consider an alternative to SupaWash

If you have difficulty getting your staff to follow these instructions or simply find it too difficult, consider an alternative. A supawash glasswasher allows you to not worry about limescale, water softeners or even detergent.