Griddles are excellent for cooking a broad range of meals in a food establishment, but they need attention and care to function properly. Skipping griddle care may be disastrous not just for your equipment, but it can also harm the flavor and quality of food you serve. 

Fortunately, maintaining and cleaning the griddle is a simple process. Trying to keep your griddle clean reduces the possibility of pollutants getting into cooked food and causing illness. Consistent washing also enhances food taste by reducing the likelihood of flavors transferring from one menu item to another. 

Regularly removing oil and food particles from griddles and grills allows surface heat to transmit more evenly and effectively. In turn, this prolongs the life of your equipment and provides you the greatest return on your investment.

How Often Should Griddles Be Cleaned?

Griddles should be maintained regularly throughout the year to ensure optimum performance. The following is a helpful guide on when and how you should complete each griddle cleaning job: 

• Daily – Most manufacturers suggest scrubbing the griddle at least once per day and more often if it is used regularly. Empty, wash, and disinfect the waste drawer at the end of each day, or sooner if necessary.
• Weekly – Unplug the griddle once a week and set it aside to cool completely. Clean the surface with a clean cloth and non-abrasive kitchen degreaser, then properly rinse with water.
• Monthly – Every few weeks, use a surface thermostat or laser surface thermometer to examine and adjust the thermostat.
• Quarterly – Examine the metal for stress fractures. A professional should repair any damage as soon as possible since fractures may enable oil to leak into the gears and harm the machine.
• Twice a year – Perform a visual check of the griddle’s top and bottom. Inspect the pressure on gas griddles and have a qualified service technician evaluate the amp reading on electric griddles.

How Can I Properly Clean Griddles?

Accumulated oil and dirt may create a sticky coating that ultimately carbonizes into a very difficult-to-remove material. Therefore, regular griddle cleaning will help kitchen workers save time in the long run. Moreover, you should make sure that you are using the best cleaning products and suitable for your griddle surface, whether non-chromium, stainless, chrome-plated, or double-plated.

To guide you in properly cleaning your griddles, here are some steps you can follow: 

• Start with a griddle that is warm but not hot to the touch. Keep in mind that your griddle may include a “clean” feature that signals when the equipment is at a safe temperature. Nonetheless, you should never use ice to cool or clean a griddle. The cold cubes react with the heated surface, causing a fast temperature shift that may cause stress cracks. When the griddle warms up, the fractures widen, enabling oil to leak into the internal dynamics that ultimately lead to costly repairs.

• To remove any food accumulation, follow these steps:

1. Use a heat-resistant rubber scraper or spatula.
2. Scrape into the grease trough and throw away.
3. Before using any abrasive cleaning equipment or a kitchen degreaser, test them on an inconspicuous area first, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

• When applying a cleaning solution to the griddle surface, follow instructions to break up any tenacious food and oil particles. 

• Scrape the griddle surface with a griddle brush, pad, or stone in tiny, concentric circles until the cooked-on food has been removed and the carbon has been cleansed. Know the kind of griddle surface you have and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. 

• Clean the sides and front of the griddle and the area surrounding the burner and the burner air shutter, using clean cloths. 

• Rinse any cleaning residue from the griddle using a clean, damp cloth or water and a rubber squeegee. Avoid spraying high-pressure water near griddle controllers to protect the equipment. 

• To polish and season steel and prevent rust, rub the surface with a clean cloth soaked in cooking oil.

Final Thoughts

Make griddle cleaning a core part of your kitchen routine. Doing so will save your workers time scraping food particles and oil off the surface. You will also have more peace of mind knowing that your equipment is less likely to break down or require replacement. The essential benefit to this is that it makes your foodservice business a safe and pleasant place for your customers to enjoy their favorite foods. 

Make your griddle sparkly clean by using the best cleaning products! Trust only Reliance Chemicals to provide you with unique cleaning materials to keep your kitchen in shape. Drop us a message and learn more!