Kitchen equipment can be your best friend. Proactive maintenance of your cooking, refrigeration and kitchen equipment helps ensure proper performance and can save you an estimated 12% to 18% over a reactive maintenance program. Or, it can be your worst enemy. Improperly maintained equipment is more prone to failure, and that means problems like downtime, emergency charges, food spoilage and unhappy residents.

Keep your kitchen equipment running at peak performance to ensure staff can deliver high quality meals that help residents thrive and turn heads during walk-throughs and tours.

Complete the Following Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Tasks at Least Semiannually

Cooking Equipment

Stoves & Ranges

Recommended product: For dependable degreasing and disinfecting of hard, non-porous cooking equipment surfaces — like stove exteriors, oven doors, and combi-oven panels — use Spray Nine® Heavy-Duty Cleaner/Degreaser w/ Disinfectant, 32 oz. It’s EPA-registered and NSF C-1 rated for foodservice use, providing powerful cleaning without harsh solvents.

  • Clean and inspect burners as well as connections for cracks or damage
  • Check oven seal and door alignment
  • Refer to your owner’s manual for manufacturer-suggested guidelines specific to your equipment

Steamers & Combi-Ovens

Recommended product: For descaling mineral buildup in steamers and combi-ovens, use a foodservice delimer such as Luster™ Professional Liquid Delimer ZP. Always follow your equipment manufacturer’s instructions and verify material compatibility before use.

Any equipment using water requires descaling with a frequency based on mineral counts within your local water

Along with frequent deep cleanings, it’s recommended to check for mineral buildup or chloride corrosion

Look for buildup of scale greater than the thickness of a business card or peeling (in layers)

Follow manufacturer-specific guidelines or request service from an authorized provider

Check door gaskets for wear and reverse or replace when needed

Clean or replace filters

Using Convotherm combi-steam ovens? For cleaning cycles on compatible stainless-steel interiors, use the manufacturer’s cleaner like Convotherm ConvoClean Forte (stainless-only; avoid aluminum/galvanized components).

Dishmachines

Recommended product: To address mineral and lime scale buildup in booster heaters and dishmachine interiors, use Cleveland 109811 Descaler (Clv Dissolve Dynamix). Always follow the equipment manufacturer’s cleaning instructions and verify that the cleaner is compatible with internal surfaces.

See the Steamers & Combi-Ovens section for guidance on determining the need to descale booster heaters and interior of units

Follow manufacturer-specific guidelines or request service from an authorized provider

Calibrate flow switches and maintain sensors to ensure proper performance

Clean or replace filters