When astronauts are asked what they miss most while in space, NASA reports that ice cream is always one of the top three things mentioned. Ice cream is so popular, in fact, that vanilla ice cream has its own National Vanilla Ice Cream Day: July 23rd. Soft serve is by far the most popular choice of ice cream in America, with seven out of 10 people preferring it to hard ice cream.
If you serve ice cream or hope to do so, you’ve undoubtedly taken the time to research the right ice cream machine, looking for a Taylor soft serve machine for sale or for a great yogurt machine. But that Taylor soft serve machine for sale won’t serve you well if you don’t keep it clean. Here’s how to do it right:
Understand the Issues
Any kind of frozen dessert will leave bacterial remnants. These bacteria and the byproduct they sit in find their way into the backs of units over time. The result is odor, sludge, and eventually a breakdown of the machine. It can also contaminate the product that you’re selling, putting your customers at risk for illness and you at risk for liability. You can avoid all this by properly sanitizing.
More Than Just a Heat-Treatment
That Taylor soft serve machine for sale likely comes with a heat-treatment cycle that keeps bacterial under control if you’re faithfully running it every day. This allows you to take the machine apart for a full cleaning a lot less often, but it does not mean you can avoid taking the machine apart entirely. This still has to be done every 14 to 28 days, and the machine should still be properly wiped down every day.
First Steps
The first step in cleaning your machine is to turn it off and wait for the product in it to soften. Wash your own hands thoroughly, then engage the draw valves. This will drain the leftover product: if you do this into a bucket and the ice cream mix is still fresh, you may be able to put it back in. Once the machine is completely empty, thoroughly rinse the hoppers and drain out the water and wipe away residue. That Taylor soft serve machine for sale should also have a wash mode which allows the scrapers to turn without turning on the freezing cycle. Just be sure to never run them without some kind of liquid in there, even if it’s just water. If there is no wash mode on your soft serve machine, look at the operator’s manual for the right cleaning procedure.
Sanitizing
There are different sanitizing agents available, so make sure you’re using one approved by the manufacturer. Pour this into the hopper and run the machine in wash mode. This run should last about 10 minutes, after which you can drain the sanitizer and flush the machine. Be sure to flush at least two or three times to make sure all the sanitizer has been removed. You’ll then need to take the machine apart so the little star caps, cylinders, and other nooks can be sanitized as well. Let these parts air dry while you clean the condenser filter.
Lubricate
As you put the machine back together, lubricate the moving parts, handles, and pins in the way the manufacturer recommends. Be sure to never use petroleum jelly as a lubricant, as it will damage the machine over time. Always use a food-grade lubricant approved by the machine’s manufacturer. Also check for any parts that might need to be replaced, such as filters, belts, O-rings, or gaskets. If you stock up on these sorts of common items in advance, you’ll be able to replace them when you notice an issue rather than wait for a technician every time.
Before you spring for that Taylor soft serve machine for sale, be sure you’re ready to put in the time and effort to take good care of it. Take care of your machine and it will provide you with sweet ice cream profits for a long time to come.
