While the most common food code violations deal with issues such as temperature control of food, cross contamination, hand hygiene and sanitizing, your commercial freezer can also incur code violations if it needs cleaning and /or is determined to be a health or safety/slip-and-fall risk.
It is important to be pro-active and stay ahead of any build-up on freezer surfaces. The timeframe for freezer cleaning depends on the use. Those freezers with more foot traffic and activity will need more frequent cleaning.
At the end of each day, the freezer should be checked for any immediate clean-up of spills and check to make sure storage shelves are neat and orderly.
On a regular basis, clean the floors and surfaces with a specially formulated freezer cleaner, such as GLACIER CLEAN, as it eliminates the need for defrosting or rinsing. The bio-degradable formulation is VOC compliant, has no unpleasant odors and can be used on all cold storage and freezer surfaces including plastic, concrete and most metal. It is ready-to-use so no mixing or dilution is needed and is effective to -20°F.
Before cleaning, protect all food products in case of overspray or wayward splashes and discard any expired products. Sweep the floor to remove any loose debris. To clean, it is recommended to start at the top of the freezer area and work your way down to the floor
First, the shelves can be cleaned by using a sprayer or a sponge to apply GLACIER CLEAN. Scrub or brush aggressively, then wipe to mop up the soiled product.
Walls can be cleaned by applying GLACIER CLEAN with a sprayer or sponge. For surfaces with a build-up of ice or frost, let the product dwell for approximately five minutes or until the ice/frost start to melt. Use a squeegee to wipe off the soiled product or wet vacuum. Some people find using a flat microfiber mop efficient for a final wipe-down.
Floors can be treated using either an autoscrubber, rider scrubber, rotary floor scrubber, sprayer or mop. When applying with a machine, use a heavy-duty or steel wire pad. Otherwise, apply GLACIER CLEAN with a sprayer or mop, then scrub with a heavy-duty or steel wire brush. Let the product dwell for at least five minutes or until you see the ice and frost start to melt. Scrub a second time, then remove the used solution by mopping or with a wet vacuum.
In addition to maintaining the cleanliness and good organization of a commercial freezer, condenser coils need to be checked, cleaned and maintained in good condition. To clean the condenser unit and coils, remove the protective grill and brush dirt from the coils and fan then vacuum to remove.
For a deeper coil cleaning, consider a foaming coil cleaner such as SIDEWINDER Foaming Cooling Coil Cleaner. Just spray and let it work. No rinsing is required.