Ice cream is perfection.
Or, at least, it is a hot summer day. It has increased. It is fresh. It is beautiful. It can come with all kinds of flavors and all kinds of toppings. This adaptation suits your particular taste. It also comes in lactose-free versions!
While ice cream is universally preferred, there is one aspect of ice cream making that is less than most appealing: cleaning your Ice Cream Machine.
It is not necessarily "panicked", but we will assume that it is the most. It is time-consuming and must be met frequently to meet health code standards.
In this post, we want to help make this work a little less cumbersome by outlining the four steps that must be completed to completely clean it up and we've given some tips over the years to make it easier.
Step 1: Ice Cream, Done
Before you can begin the cleaning process, you should completely empty the ice cream machine from its contents. This means removing any unused mixture that has been left in the freezer section of the machine as well as cleaning any ice cream that has been left behind by the scraper blade. Wipe off the walls of the freezer and scraper blade, causing the machine to empty completely.
Step 2: Take It Apart
Once the machine has been ejected and emptied completely, it is time to start the disassembly process. This can be intimidating for those who have not acted before. But, for those of us who are giants in the food industry, we can probably complete this task in no time, maybe even close our eyes!
To begin, remove any moving or non-moving parts that are detachable and that have been exposed to ice cream. These components will need to be soaked later to ensure that the ice cream machine is meeting hygiene requirements.
Once you separate the straight and non-moving parts that come into contact with the product directly, consult your Ice Cream Machine Manufacturer manual to see if any additional parts need to be removed. Which parts are recommended for the detachment are model and brand specific, so check your Ice Cream Machine Manufacturer manual will help ensure that you are removing all the parts that need to be removed and only those Parts must be removed. There is no need to do extra work on your own!
Step 3: Roll Up Your Sleeves And Get Ready To Clear!
Removable parts can be soaked at this time. This will remove ice cream residue from the parts more quickly and make the cleaning process easier. To speed up the process and ensure that it is properly cleaned for commercial use, soak the parts in warm, soapy water.
After soaking them, go over them with a gentle scrub brush and clean the interior of the machine. Rub the machine parts and interiors thoroughly so that residue of soap does not remain on the components (we do not want soapy ice cream!).
Step 4: Put It Back Together
Once the components have been soaked, cleaned, rinsed, and dried, the time has come to reassemble the machine! As before, this step is brand and model specific, so please check with your Ice Cream Machine Manufacturer’s manual to learn how to put parts and parts back inside the machine.
Once the machine is reclaimed, it is ready to be used again. It is recommended to complete this task one to two times a day during the busy season to ensure that the machine remains clean, the product remains fresh, and the customer does not pass on any dirty food borne pathogens. Let's take it.
Additional Tips
One way to make this process easier is to have a cleanup program in place so that employees know when to do it and who is responsible for completing the task.
Also, be sure to check all components, including belt drives and drains, if the machine is in disassembly. While they do not need to be maintained in the same way, it is a good idea to check them regularly to ensure that each part of the machine is fully functional for operation. You can adjust the belt drive to the correct tension and align the drive pulse as required, following your owner's manual.
Completing these steps will help ensure the safety of your customers and the best tasting soft service possible!