Proper Dishwashing Machine Operation

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The dishwashing machine is one of the most important appliances inside a commercial kitchen.  It is also one of the most used.

Repairing or replacing a dishwashing machine can be very costly, so if a restaurant wants to save some money, then the Stewarding Department and its kitchen stewards should be very careful in using the dishwashing machine.  For this reason, here are the tips and the proper steps on dishwashing machine operation.

Before using the dishwashing machine, the kitchen steward should make sure that the machine is very clean.  He should see to it that the wash arms as well as the scrap tray are clean.  He should also make sure that the final rinse jets are clean as well.  If they are, he can then place these on their proper places on the unit.

Once they are in position, the kitchen steward then has to close the drain valves, making sure that they are tightly closed.  After doing so, he can then open the filling valves to fill it up to the appropriate water level.  Once at the correct level, the filling valves can then be shut off, after which he can then switch on the heater for all of the tanks as well as for the final rinse, making sure, too, that the dry rinse reservoir or the dry rinse bottle are filled.  If not, then he needs to fill it up accordingly.

Once done, he can then switch on the motors for the dishwashing machine, including the electronic dispensers.  If the red light for the electronic dispenser is blinking, then that means that more detergent should be added to the unit, so the kitchen steward has to fill it up with the correct detergent amount.

Prior to loading in the soiled kitchen items such as dinnerware, silverware, or glassware, the kitchen steward has to first make sure that the tank temperatures are in their correct levels.

1. The pre-wash tank should have a temperature of about 38 to 50 degrees Celsius.
2. The wash tank should have a temperature of about 70 to 80 degrees Celsius.
3. The power rinse tank should have a temperature of about 75 to 85 degrees Celsius.
4. The final rinse tank should have a temperature of about 82 to 90 degrees Celsius.

Of note, the water in the tanks should be changed every two to four hours of normal use.

If the dishwashing machine will no longer be used, the kitchen steward can then switch if off.  He should switch off all powers to the heaters as well as to the electronic dispensers.

Once done, he can then remove the dishwashing machine curtains to clean them.  To do so, the kitchen steward only needs to scrub the curtains with a scrubber, detergent, and water.  After washing them, he can then return them to their original position, making sure to inspect the curtains to see to it that they are in good working condition.  If they are not, then the kitchen steward needs to notify his supervisor immediately.  If they are, then they can be left there to dry overnight.

After cleaning the curtains, he can then proceed to cleaning the scrap trays.  These need to be removed from their original position and washed.  The kitchen steward also has to wash the pump screens as well as wash the overflows.

Once done, he can then wash the wash and power rinse arms.  For this, he needs to remove the arms and clean them.  The final rinse jets should also be cleaned by pushing out any obstructions.

After this, he can then wash the inside of the dishwashing machine by flushing it with a hose.  He should also spray the inside of the unit with a detergent sanitizer.

Once the unit is clean, he can then proceed to cleaning the exterior of the dishwashing machine.  He should make sure to wipe the top as well as the sides of the unit.  He should also thoroughly scrub the worktables with scrubber, water, and detergent before rinsing them and wiping them dry.

Lastly, the kitchen steward then has to wipe the floor up of any liquid spills so as to avoid accidents.