Deep fryers are essential for adding flavor and texture to favorite foods in restaurants and food service operations. However, if fryers are not cleaned on a regular basis, the delicious crunch may be compromised.
Cleaning and maintaining your deep fat fryers properly will ensure that your customers have a delicious and safe dining experience every time they visit.
Cleaning commercial deep fryers on a regular basis has an added operational benefit: energy savings. Carbonization on the walls and coils of fryers makes machines work harder to heat up. It saves energy, time, and money to keep them clean. And of course, if it is the best commercial deep fryers you have ever had, it will looks fresh again after you clean your commercial deep fryer.
Read below for deep fryer cleaning procedures that will keep equipment performing longer and customers coming back for more.
Supplies You’ll Need to Clean a Commercial Deep Fryer
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): heat-proof gloves, protective eye glasses, protective apron
- Nyco® Deep Fat Fryer Cleaner: liquid or packets (for interior surfaces)
- Nyco® Attention Clinging Oven & Grill Cleaner (for exterior surfaces)
- Synthetic scrub pad
- Long handled brush suitable for high temperatures
- Pail for fresh water or water hose for rinsing
- Paper towels/clean cloths
- Fryer clean out rod
- Oil pan drum
Directions to Clean a Commercial Deep Fryer
For optimal performance, deep fryers require regular “boil-out” cleanings. This means you’ll drain the old oil, add water and a commercial deep fryer cleaning solution, and bring it to a boil inside the fryer to get rid of grime and stuck-on food. Boil-outs in the deep fryer should be done about once a month. Boiling out high-use fryers more frequently, perhaps once a week, is recommended.
PRO TIP: Check your oil. When fryer oil becomes darker in color, changes consistency, or has an off-odor, it’s time to change your oil.
Interior Cleaning / Boil-out
- Turn off your commercial deep fryer; close the gas supply inlet and turn off the pilot light (if gas)
- Let your deep fryer unit, including the oil, cool completely
- Place an oil pan drum under the drain and drain the cooled oil; remove any large debris from inside including anything blocking the drain valve
- Close the drain valve; wipe the interior of the unit with clean paper towels or cloths
- Fill your deep fryer tank with cool water
- Add 4 oz. of Nyco® Deep Fat Fryer Cleaner liquid for every gallon of water. This solution is a powerful foam cleaner that works to loosen baked on grease and oil. Alternatively you can use convenient Nyco® Deep Fat Fryer Cleaner Portion Control Packets, with one packet for every 2 gallons of water.
- Turn on the heater and slowly boil water with cleaning solution for 20-30 minutes. Very heavy carbon deposits in your fryer may take longer. Do not leave your fryer unattended. Be careful not to let water boil too high as it may splash out and could cause burns.
- Turn off the fryer and let water cool completely
- Place a large pan underneath the drain valve and slowly drain water into it; scrub the interior walls with a long-handled brush while water is draining to remove any remaining soils
- Flush the fryer thoroughly with water to remove all cleaning solution; then wipe the interior dry with paper towels or cloths and allow all parts to dry completely
- Close the drain valve
- Fill your fryer with recycled or fresh oil, depending on the oil quality (see above PRO TIP)
PRO TIP: Leave or place your fryer baskets inside the deep fryer during boil-outs, as the cleaning solution will clean them too!
Exterior Cleaning
- Clean exterior surfaces with Nyco Attention Clinging Oven & Grill Cleaner. This sprayable gel cleaner and degreaser will remove baked-on grime and carbonized food.
- Scrub stubborn spots with a synthetic pad
- Wipe clean with a damp cloth, and dry it completely
- Use Sure Grip Daily Floor Cleaner Degreaser to clean the floor surrounding your deep fryer of any splattered grease
PRO TIP: Oil and water don’t mix! Keep oil from spattering by making sure all machine parts are dry before putting back in fryer.
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