Sticky, clogged soda dispensers and bar guns can ruin the taste of your beverages and frustrate customers. Many restaurants are missing critical steps in their cleaning procedures. This leads to poor performance and potential health hazards. What is the best way to clean a soda fountain? How often should restaurants sanitize the syrup lines? Owners must know the answers to these questions.
How to Clean a Soda Dispenser Machine
Soda dispensers must be cleaned at least once per day for optimal performance and taste.
1. Get Your Tools and Wash Your Hands
Employees must wash their hands in warm, soapy water to prevent bacterial spread. They should then prepare the sanitizer solution—using either Kay-5 or an equivalent—get a clean cloth and grab whatever specialized brushes they need.
2. Turn off the Machine and Begin Disassembly
The soda dispenser must be off before disassembly begins. The process for detaching nozzles varies depending on whether they are twist lock or O-ring. Employees must follow the manufacturer’s instructions to remove the drip tray, grate and ice chute.
3. Clean, Soak, Rinse and Air Dry the Parts
Each part needs to be washed with warm, soapy water until no visible grime or residue remains. Then, they must be deposited into the sanitizer solution to soak for a few minutes. After a quick rinse, they should rest on a clean towel to air dry.
4. Thoroughly Clean the Machine’s Exterior
Even if the exterior isn’t visibly unclean, it must be wiped down daily. Workers must dip a clean towel into sanitizer solution and scrub the housing, paying particular attention to high-touch surfaces like touchscreens, beverage levers and cup rests.
5. Reassemble and Test the Dispensers
After reassembly, employees should test each dispenser to ensure they work correctly, letting the liquid flow for a few seconds straight. Testing is essential to ensure the soda is adequately carbonated and flavored.
How to Clean a Soda Gun and Its Holster
Employees can complete this five-step cleaning process in minutes once they get accustomed.
1. Get Your Tools and Wash Your Hands
Employees must wash their hands, scrubbing vigorously for at least 20 seconds before rinsing and drying. They must prepare a sanitizer solution using Kay-5 or fill a dedicated bucket with warm water and mild detergent.
2. Disassemble the Bar Gun and Holster
Disassembly involves removing the nozzle and holster following the original equipment manufacturer’s instructions. Workers must separately clean any parts that remain affixed to the counter.
3. Clean, Scrub and Soak the Components
Employees must clean the bar gun nozzle and holster, soaking them in a sanitizer solution for a few minutes. Meanwhile, they will use a clean cloth dipped in the solution to wipe down the diffuser, handle and sheathing. Soaking these parts isn’t advisable, as it will cause the buttons to stick.
4. Clean the Spill Tray, Ice Bin and Chill Plate
Drip trays, chill plates and exterior splash areas should also be cleaned daily with the sanitizer solution. Workers must also empty and sanitize the ice bin. They should rinse all the soaked parts with clean water before placing them on a clean towel to air dry.
5. Reassemble and Test the Bar Gun
Testing is necessary post-reassembly to ensure the bar gun is working properly. If parts don’t air dry by the time the night crew goes home, the morning crew can take over. Their job is to ensure the syrup and soda are dispensed correctly and are at the right temperature.
How to Deep Clean Syrup Lines and Ice Dispensers
Sanitizing nozzles, ice chutes, cup rests, drip trays and splash areas daily is not enough to keep soda dispensers and guns sparkling. Restaurant owners should have their employees perform weekly and monthly deep cleans of hard-to-reach areas and critical components.
Cleaning hoses and connections should be a weekly task. What should restaurants use to clean the syrup lines? Once they disconnect the syrup boxes or bags, they should place the intake end of the line in a bucket of sanitizer solution and dispense until it runs clear. Afterward, running clean, warm water through ensures no cleaner remains. Of course, a test taste is also necessary.
Ice dispensers only need a deep clean once per month. Workers must pour warm water over the ice to melt it, spray a sanitizer solution, scrub the panels down and let everything air dry. This process takes time, so it should happen during off hours or when business is slow.
Tips for Keeping Soda Dispensers and Guns Clean
Employees often unthinkingly exercise poor behaviors that soil soda machines much faster than normal. Dispensing liquids over the ice bin, using the bar gun to break up ice, keeping the lid open when not in use and storing garnishes in the ice are common bad habits. Owners and managers should put up visual reminders to help things stay cleaner for longer.
One tip many restaurants overlook is practicing proactivity. Even though some parts can go weeks or even months between cleanings, that doesn’t mean they should. What happens when an ice dispenser’s temperature fluctuates and subsequently grows mold? Employees should check each component daily even if they don’t clean it that often.
Restaurant operators should also consider shielding their soda machine’s exterior to mitigate the need for nonessential cleanup. For instance, they can use liquid-tight flexible metal conduits to protect cords against dirt, dust and debris. These tubes also prevent moisture damage, potentially extending the soda dispenser’s life span.
Best Practices for Cleaning Soda Machines and Guns
Following the best practices for cleaning soda dispensers and bar guns can extend equipment lifespan, improve hardware performance and ensure optimal flavor. Restaurant owners should remind employees to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions and follow posted guidelines to minimize human error.
Even the best-performing team gets fuzzy on the details. Considering around 75 percent of restaurant owners agree hiring and retaining employees is their greatest difficulty, it is in their best interest to train employees periodically. In addition to covering basics like avoiding paper towels for their clog risk or not soaking parts overnight, they should cover best practices.
Another best practice is to equip the night crew with the tools for success. Specialized nozzle brushes, sturdy stepping stools, dedicated sanitizer buckets and a stock of clean towels make the nightly cleaning routine easier, incentivizing them to follow procedure instead of leaning toward apathy.
Decision-makers should consider incorporating preventive measures into the night crew’s monthly responsibilities. Checking the carbon dioxide and syrup levels, adjusting the soda-to-syrup ratio and calibrating the dispensing components can help them get the most out of their machines.
Regardless of how well employees keep things clean, periodic audits are necessary to eradicate human error and ensure optimal cleaning procedures. Restaurant owners should get an independent inspector or technician to review their soda machines regularly—even if nothing appears out of the ordinary.
Cleanliness Requires an Ongoing Effort from Both Shifts
If the morning and night crews continuously push cleaning tasks off on each other to make their jobs easier and end their shifts sooner, the restaurant and its customers will ultimately pay the price. Management must ensure both teams work together to ensure optimal cleanliness and sanitation.
Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized Magazine. She has over five years experience writing for the food and beverage industry.
