Commercial Oven Cleaning and Maintenance Tips

While they can vary in use, commercial ovens are an integral piece of equipment in the restaurant industry. Making sure your commercial oven is functioning efficiently can be a key factor in your success as a restaurateur. Of course equipment can fail and parts need to be replaced after wear and tear, which is why we stock replacement parts from various commercial oven manufacturers like Bakers Pride, U.S. Range, and many more here at Parts Depot. 

While you’re most likely going to find yourself replacing some aspect of your commercial oven at some point, there are plenty of maintenance and cleaning procedures you can perform to keep your oven operating optimally for a very long time:

Cleaning Tips:

Cleaning your restaurant oven is a pretty straightforward process, but making sure to clean it regularly can make all the difference when it comes to minimizing the risk of fires, smoke, or worst of all…bad tasting food.

·         Clean the interior daily – The cleaner the interior is, the better your oven will perform. We know it can be tough with late closing times, but aim to clean the interior of the oven at the end of each day with a mild detergent. Any crumbs should be removed from the bottom of the oven, as those will eventually burn. Make sure to remove the oven racks and clean them separately. Wipe up any spills immediately to ensure the food doesn't bake on to the oven, making it harder to clean later on.

·         Clean the exterior weekly – To avoid grease and other by-products of your oven use from building up, clean the outside of your oven once a week. Most commercial ovens exteriors are stainless steel, so for these you should use a mild soap with a soft cloth or soft brush to scrub. More abrasive materials can damage the finish of your oven and cause corrosion.

·         Monthly Deep Clean – View this like you would an oil change for your car, every so often you flush out the old dirty oil for a fresh new one to keep your engine running optimally. The same goes for your oven, once a month you should thoroughly scrub the interior of the oven and follow procedures listed in your owner’s manual for approved chemicals and steps to follow.

General Maintenance

Along with regular cleanings, follow these procedures for maintenance to keep your oven working at its full potential for you:

·         Regularly Check the Seal – Heat can and will escape if the door isn’t sealing as it should. Escaping heat means it will take longer to cook your food, and in turn causing your utility bill to go up. You can easily check the condition of your seal by sliding a dollar bill between the door and the jam, if the dollar bill slides out easily, then you have a seal issue and should replace the gasket.

·         Accuracy of Temperature – If the temperature of your oven is off, food will either take longer to cook, or over cook. You should inspect the calibration of your oven temperature every few months. Use an oven thermometer to make sure that the cabinet of the oven is as hot as the digital display or knob says it is. If temperatures are off, you either need to adjust the calibration of the controls, or the oven thermostat is malfunctioning and must be replaced.

·         Don’t Leave Heavy Objects on the Door – While most commercial oven doors open by swinging down, and are equipped with hinges strong enough to hold a lot of weight, and just because you can use it to hold items, doesn’t mean you should. The longer a heavy object is left on the door, the more strain will be put on the hinges. This will cause them to wear out quicker.