Restaurant and catering equipment can be expensive, as any business owner will agree. If you are a restaurant or catering business owner, your equipment is an investment – and it’s an investment which you surely want to last. But in order for your equipment to last a long time, one thing you should do is make sure that you clean and maintain it as regularly as possible. And cleaning and maintaining your commercial gas cooking equipment can be daunting if you are not sure of what you are doing. If you want your equipment to have a long lifespan and excellent performance, here are the best tips for cleaning and maintaining your commercial gas cooking equipment.
- Clean it every day
Of course, your best recourse would be to wipe down spills as soon as they happen, but in a busy kitchen, this is not always possible. When you are in the midst of meal service, any residue, crumbs, grease spots, or spills can stay for hours on your cooking equipment before somebody can wipe and clean them up. But as the saying goes, better late than never – make it a point to wipe up spills and clean up residue at the end of the day with the use of a non-abrasive sponge and a gentle cleaning solution. Do this each and every day; if the spills and stains stay for too long on the surface of your cooking equipment, this can lead to the corrosion of the metal surface as well as the growth of bacteria.
- Don’t use harsh cleaners
When cleaning and maintaining your cooking equipment, avoid the use of harsh and abrasive cleaners. If the solution you use is too harsh, this can actually leave a hazy or bluish mark on the shiny surface, and it can even lead to scratches. Avoid cleaning solutions which are harsh and caustic such as sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, as well as ammonia and borate.
- Avoid the use of scouring pads or steel wool
Again, it’s best not to use products which are too abrasive, and this includes rough scouring pads or steel wool. Using scouring pads or steel wool can lead to scratches on the metal surface. Use a soft cloth as well as a cleaner which is non-abrasive.
- Clean out trays every day
If your gas cooking equipment has a tray which is designed catch grease or crumbs, make it a point to clean or empty it out every day. If too much grease or residue collects in the tray, the unit can become a fire risk. Once the range or cooker has completely cooled, remove its tray and empty any residue or crumbs and wipe up any grease. Then wash the tray under running water and clean it using a soft sponge and a gentle cleaner.
Of course, your commercial gas cooking equipment needs yearly checks and maintenance as well, and a qualified gas engineer can do this. Make sure the gas engineer you choose has a Gas Safe Register ID, however, just like the gas engineers at Gasway Commercial and other reputable companies providing commercial gas services London offers. When the gas engineer is appropriately qualified, you can be sure that your equipment will be thoroughly checked, not only for performance but, more importantly, for safety as well.