Cleaning a Commercial Oven
Once the money has been spent on choosing the right commercial oven, it’s time to ensure that the oven is cared for adequately with cleaning to ensure efficient cooking. No matter how much care is taken with ovens, spills and crumbs will occur.
Regular Oven Cleaning
Regular cleaning will ensure that grime and residue never builds up on the oven and it will continue to stay efficient as well as allowing the smells of your food to come through when cooking instead of the smells of burnt on food stuck to the bottom of the oven. Like anything, some jobs will need completing several times a day, while others will be a once a month job. Sufficient care of an oven will ensure that it carries on working efficiently for the long-term.
Energy Efficiency
A clean oven is more energy efficient too, as it distributes heat more effectively than a dirty oven. A clean oven needs less energy to heat up and maintain a constant temperature. There will be no need to keep opening the oven door to check progress either - every time this is done, heat escapes and the oven temperature drops.
Oven Door Care
The first step to take with an oven is to always be sure the doors close tightly so that no heat escapes. To help ensure that the oven doors always close tightly, guard against broken door hinges and cracks. As ultimately this will allow heat to escape and to prevent this further clean all crumbs and encrusted matter from around the opening. The door to the oven should always be closed properly; avoid slamming or standing on oven doors.
Maintaining Oven Seals
The oven door seals should be carefully maintained. Make sure the seals around oven doors are in good shape and seal snugly with the face of the stove. Worn or loose-fitting seals allow heat from the oven to escape.
Cleaning an Oven
An oven lasts longer and operates at maximum efficiency when regularly cleaned. Encrusted bottoms and linings destroy sheet metal, so be sure to clean ovens regularly. When the oven is cleaned, be aware that caustic cleaning agents don’t get on the thermostat tube.
Cleaning up Boilovers
No matter how carefully items are watched on a stove, items can and will boil over causing a mess on the hob. It may be tempting to leave boilovers until the oven is given a proper clean, but this isn’t advisable as the spill can become harder to clean up. Instead wait until the oven is cool and then clean up boilovers and spills promptly before they have time to carbonize. Use a damp cloth to wipe the bottom and linings; you should not pour water on the decks to cool them.
Clear Debris
As well as ensuring the door hinges and cracks are free of crumbs, also ensure that debris at the bottom of the stove is cleaned out, especially in the front where the door seal meets the stove. The accumulated material can prevent the door from sealing properly.
Cleaning Oven Hoods
In any kitchen oven hoods can quickly accumulate greasy and dusty residue. Even if restaurants don't do a lot of oven cooking or frying, grease can build up in the interior of the hood and mix with dust to create a sticky substance that can clog exhaust openings and create flammable conditions.
Cleaning the Exhaust Filters and Grease Pans
When it comes to cleaning the hoods, take down the exhaust filters and grease pans and dispose of any dripping grease into the rubbish. Wipe the interior and exterior of filters and pans with a damp paper towel to loosen any grease and debris. Apply soap to the exterior of the exhaust and pans, scrubbing with a wet nylon scrub to loosen grease before rinsing in clear water. Spray the filter and pan with degreaser and wipe them to remove any residual grease. Before putting the components back into the hood, ensure that they are completely dry.
To clean the hood, scrub the exterior first with a nylon scrub, hot water and soap before wiping down the interior of the hood with a damp rag to remove soapy residue. Scrub the pipes inside the hood with warm soapy water, then wipe them down with a damp rag and dry well, as water left to dry can cause water spots and rust. Spray pipes and the interior of the hood with degreaser and quickly wipe down with a wet rag and dry with a towel.