Bonnie Mulligan
For health-conscious consumers and fruit-loving families, juice has become so much more than an optional breakfast accompaniment or youthful snack time treat. For many, juice has become a part of their daily routine. Back in 2015, Americans consumed 6.6 gallons of juices per capita, making juice an incredibly popular add-on to any meal or as a midday pick-me-up.
But whether you’re opening a juice bar or are simply adding fresh fruit and vegetable juice to your restaurant’s offerings, you need to make sure your commercial fruit juicer equipment is kept in excellent working order. And a big part of that is making sure you know how to properly clean it. Otherwise, you could end up sacrificing the quality of your juice — and the safety of your customers. To make sure your commercial juicer machine works the way it should, here are a few tips to follow.
Develop a Daily Cleaning Plan
Running any kind of business requires you to develop a plan. Otherwise, you’ll end up making costly mistakes along the way. It may sound unnecessary, but you’ll want to develop a daily cleaning plan for your commercial juicer too. This is especially imperative if you have employees who will be responsible for operating your professional juicer. You’ll need to come up with a clear list of steps to take after making juice and train your employees on the importance of cleaning it.After each juice employees make, they should run a cup of water through the juicer to make sure the flavors stay pure and that any residue is removed. It’s also fairly simple to rinse out the basket of your commercial fruit juicerduring the day. As a general rule, never let a dirty juicer simply sit; if you do, you’ll end up with dried-on pulp and other remnants that are more difficult to clean. After the day is over, you’ll want to take out the bowl, basket, and pulp retainer ring and place them in warm water with soap. You can then use a nylon bristle brush to clean these components. Clogged juice baskets can be put in a bowl with a combination of water and lemon juice or white vinegar overnight, followed by a good washing with soap. Be sure to write out this process and keep it somewhere accessible for your employees.
Be Safe At All Times
When operating and cleaning your commercial juicer, the safety of both your customers and your employees is a top priority. You’ll want to wash all fruits and vegetables properly before juicing them, of course, as bacteria can transfer from the outer part of the produce into the juice you make if you aren’t careful. Bacteria can also grow inside of your juicer components if they aren’t cleaned often or thoroughly enough.In addition, you should clean your commercial fruit juicer prior to using it for the first time and remain safe while cleaning it every time. You must always unplug your commercial juicer prior to cleaning it — no exceptions. You should also refrain from using a high-pressure water spray to clean your juicer, as this can cause water to seep in to parts of your juicer that should not get wet. The base of your juicer should never be immersed in water. Remember to take caution when cleaning and to protect yourself from sharp equipment parts.
Seek Out Assistance
Regular juicer maintenance should be relatively straightforward. But even if you do everything right, your juicer may need some TLC every now and then. Although your juicer will come with an operations and safety manual (which you should read and hang onto!), you may find you need some help with troubleshooting. At Juicernet, we provide maintenance service and part replacement as part of our offerings. We also have equipment manuals and helpful links for you right on our website, for your convenience. If you’re ever uncertain about a cleaning technique or think your commercial fruit juicer might need repairs, just contact us and we’ll be there to assist you right away.Keeping your juicer clean is a time investment, but it’s the best way to ensure your juice is flavorful and healthy for your customers. Want to know how we can help you with your business? Get in touch with us today.
