Why is it important to keep your commercial refrigerator clean?

Commercial refrigerators are critical for any business that sells or prepares food. It’s important to keep these appliances clean and in good working order. A clean fridge is essential for businesses that serve fresh ingredients, and food is more likely to stay fresh if stored in a clean fridge well maintained fridge.

On the other hand, a dirty commercial refrigerator can cause major problems for your business. It can make your food look and smell bad and cause bacteria and other contaminants to grow. This can lead to your customers getting food poisoning or other illnesses, which can be costly and damage your reputation.

Build up of dirt and dust around the refrigeration system especially the condenser getting blocked as well as fans and the compressor will result in a drop in performance and efficiency, increase in energy consumption and reduction in service life of the fridge.

A dirty commercial refrigerator can also be a fire hazard. The coils can get hot enough to ignite flammable materials, so keeping them free of dust, lint, and other debris is vital.

That’s why it’s important to clean your commercial refrigerator regularly. 

What problems can a dirty commercial refrigerator cause?

Whether you work in the retail, catering, hospitality or foodservice sectors, keeping your commercial refrigerator clean is critically important. First and foremost, it will help you maintain the quality and freshness of the food you store, so you can focus on serving fresh, quality produce and ingredients to your customers.

It will help prevent premature wear or corrosion of the refrigerator’s parts and reduce the risk of breakdowns or faults. It will also help you maintain your business’s reputation, standards and appearance, including your kitchen, dining and customer service areas.

Here are some of the benefits of a clean commercial refrigerator:

Food safety

Refrigeration is one of the most vital pieces of equipment in a hospitality, catering or foodservice operation. It stores your food and helps keep it safe to eat.

For a refrigerator to do its job properly, it needs to be clean. When you think about it, a refrigerator can be a pretty dirty place. Not only does it store food, but it also accumulates spills, drips, and crumbs. If it’s not cleaned regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

That’s why keeping your refrigerator clean is vital if you want to ensure food safety. A clean commercial refrigerator will also help protect you and your customers from food-borne illnesses.

Visual appeal

In food and drink businesses – from high-end restaurants or hotels to local cafes, delis and takeaways – reputation is everything. Your customers want to be sure the food you serve is safe to eat and has been prepared in a clean and hygienic environment.

A dirty refrigerator can let your business down. It’s visually unappealing to customers and can lead to food safety problems.

You wouldn’t serve your customers food on a dirty plate, right? So why would you serve them food from a dirty fridge?

Energy efficiency

A dirty commercial refrigerator can increase energy consumption and running costs by 30%. If the evaporator is dirty and clogged up this will reduce the efficiency of your fridge, leading to higher energy consumption, a severely blocked evaporator can cause a refrigeration system to overheat and fail which will either be very costly to repair or may mean your fridge not being economical to repair. And because dirty commercial refrigerators break down more often than clean ones, your business will have to spend more money on repairs or replacements. So, it makes good financial sense to keep your refrigerator clean.

Food quality

While maintaining safety and hygiene is one thing, a clean commercial refrigerator can also help you maintain the quality, flavour and freshness of your food, produce and ingredients. Foods stored in a clean refrigerator are less likely to spoil or suffer from contamination from residue food.

How to clean your commercial refrigerator

Dirty commercial refrigerators spread bacteria growth and other contaminants. These can cause everything from food poisoning and unpleasant smells to spoilt food, higher energy bills and unnecessary repair costs.

To avoid these problems, it’s essential to keep your commercial refrigerator clean at all times. This means cleaning the inside and outside of the unit and the shelves and drawers. Here are some tips to follow:

• Clean the condenser and any filters regularly. This will help keep the fridge cool and reduce the amount of dust and dirt that builds up over time. Refer to the user manual or the manufacturer on how to do this. 
• Wipe the inside of the fridge daily with a disinfectant cleaner to help eliminate bacteria, mould and mildew.
• Clean up any leaks or spills promptly.
• Use only a soft cloth to clean the inside of your refrigerator. Do not use a wire brush or any abrasive tool.
• Remove any obstructions from the back of the fridge so that air can circulate properly.
• Wipe down the external surfaces of the fridge regularly to keep it clean and sanitary.
• Dispose of any expired food or products that have been exposed to excessive heat.
• If there is any build-up of grime or grease, use an appropriate degreaser to tackle it.
• Get your refrigeration serviced by a qualified refrigeration engineer to keep it working efficiently

How can TEFCOLD help?

If you have a problem with your commercial refrigerator, we’re here to help.

As the UK’s largest wholesaler of commercial refrigeration and catering equipment, we’ve been at the forefront of the industry in the UK since 1967. We continue to lead the market in innovation and customer service by importing and wholesaling leading brands from around the world.

Our nationwide network of dedicated service engineers means we offer the highest levels of service to all our customers. So, if you’re worried about the performance of your existing commercial refrigeration and thinking about upgrading or are just after some expert advice about the best ways to keep your units clean, get in touch today.