Commercial Range Maintenance

Without a doubt the commercial range is the most versatile piece of equipment you have in your kitchen not only because it’s available in a wide range of configurations, but also because it comes in different widths. Other features include charbroiler tops, French tops, but also hot tops, griddle tops and open burners. As you can see, these are very important aspects that make the commercial range very unique, but they do also require special care in order to last for as long as possible.

Whenever you spill something, you need to clean it right away from the range. You should also talk to your staff and make sure they carefully inspect the range at the end of the shift in order to ensure it’s clean. Below we’re going to take a better look at some of the cleaning tips they should consider to keep the range as clean as possible:

Clean it when it’s cool: The commercial range should first of all be turned off and be cool prior to anyone attempting to clean it.

Clean as you go: Whenever something is spilled on the range, you should consider cleaning it right away. By doing so, the food won’t get baked onto the surface making it a lot harder to clean. There are also cases when certain spills may extinguish the gas range’s pilot light. When this happens, you need to ensure that the pilot orifice and the burner heads are properly cleaned before trying to relight them.

Clean the grates: Regardless if you have an electric or gas range, you need to ensure the burners are always properly removed prior to cleaning it. For instance, if you have cast iron grates, you can just use a wet cloth in order to clean them. However, there are also cases when they may need to be cleaned more thoroughly. Because of that, you need to soak them in soapy and warm water so that the grease can break up.

If you use an electric commercial range, then calrod heating elements are very common on these and when it comes to cleaning them, you should use the same method we previously described. One thing though is that you shouldn’t plug the elements if you soak them unless they’re perfectly dry.

Clean under the burners or grates: When you need to clean your burners or grates, you should also not forget to clean under them. As for the stove, be sure to remove the drip trays (if yours has any) and wipe them down properly. Again, if required, you should use some warm, soapy water to soak them prior to cleaning them. If you have a gas range, you need to clean the area under the grates very well.

Empty scrap trays: Any excess product should be scraped off the griddle using a scraper. This should be done on a daily basis and every time you finish cooking something that causes the griddle to get dirty. One more thing: When your shift is over, you should pour water on the griddle and then heat it up to one hundred and fifty and up to one hundred and seventy five degrees F and use a thick cloth to wipe it clean.

Clean the oven interior: If you have a range that features an open base, ensure that the oven is properly cleaned every month. You should clean it even more often if spillovers occur. A soft cloth and mild detergent should be used for metal interiors, while a standard oven cleaner should be enough for a porcelain enamel interior.

When it comes to commercial ranges, you can choose from a wide range of top configurations and the truth is that in order to maintain their cooking efficiency, each of them needs to be cleaned in a certain manner.

Cleaning a French top: Throughout the day the French top needs to be spot cleaned and wiped up in order to ensure heat transfer is maintained. For more thorough cleaning, soak a cloth in soapy, warm water and wipe down the top properly. In general, this type of cleaning should be done at end of the day.

Cleaning a griddle top: The griddle should be degreased every week and cleaned with a grill brick every day. If required, the griddle needs to also be re-seasoned.

Cleaning a hot top: While it’s warm, use a coarse cloth in order to wipe down the cooking surface and if there’s any burnt-on food, be sure to carefully scrape it off using a scraper. There are also cases when the top may be very dirty and in this situation, it’s better if you remove and wash it in a sink full of soapy, warm water. After the top is dried, use a piece of cloth dampened in oil to wipe it down (this helps prevent rust).

Cleaning gas open burners: The burner grates need to be cleaned and dried properly at the end of each day. Use a wire brush to clean the burner ports, but if one or more of the holes are clogged, then you need to remove the burner to clean them more thoroughly. Check the flame every time you finish cleaning a commercial gas range and ensure that it’s a steady blue.

Turn off the burner if the flame is jumpy and ensure that the flame shutter screw is properly adjusted. You should have a strict schedule for de-scaling dish machines, checking refrigerator temperatures and calibrating the ovens. If you get a white or yellow flame, try improving airflow by opening the shutter a little bit. After you get the desired flame, ensure that the screw is carefully tightened around the shutter. Keep in mind that if the port is clogged, then the pilot won’t stay lit. To clean it, you need to unplug the range first.

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