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Originally Posted by ryan1088

I think I might hit the boss up and give it a shot. As long as I can keep up with all of my refrigeration pms. Our guy who usually does them also does our winterization/anti-freezing and is pretty busy in the fall and winter.

My only gripe about it is that all of our machines are in the lobby, so it's difficult to clean and be discreet about it. I try to get to them every couple months, but with 15+ units, and all my other duties it's hard and sometimes don't get to one till it's down.

I hate trying to work around people, but in the food service industry,,, sometimes I have no choice..

Yeah the only issue I have with the maintenance on the machines is it not gonna get you anywhere or possibly get you into some issues with the customer is openly providing dates of the last cleaning. How does that approach ever seem to work in your benefit and in the mean time can get employees talking and owners upset. That being said it's nauseating to find the stuff growing in machines. Matter of fact I gashed my hand really bad removing the rubber hose connecting the pump out of under the plates on a hoshizaki cuber. I finished the cleaning after disinfecting the machine and wearing a few pairs of medical gloves. Two days later the boss forced me to go to my doctor cause my hand had blown up to twice its size. Lucky I did as the doctor was almost gonna make me go straight to the ER, but gave into me me leading not too and prescribed antibiotics. I still have both hands but I know now where to find some pretty toxic bacteria. One final point, ice machine cleaner doesn't feel good when it's in you eye and it's not friends with bleach. Haha

Originally Posted by 2sac

Get to spend the next 3 1/2 days cleaning ice machines

OH nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooo

I think I might hit the boss up and give it a shot. As long as I can keep up with all of my refrigeration pms. Our guy who usually does them also does our winterization/anti-freezing and is pretty busy in the fall and winter.

Originally Posted by ryan1088

Ice machines is one thing I don't do that really make me curious. The guy that does it for us does a lot of parts changing. Do any of you guys enjoy working on them?

Most are realy not that difficult. If you understand how they work, you will understand how they break. Water is what kills most machines.

Love the trouble shooting part, but hate the cleaning. I try to schedule my regular customers during the winter, slower time and it's inside and warm!

Originally Posted by ryan1088

Ice machines is one thing I don't do that really make me curious. The guy that does it for us does a lot of parts changing. Do any of you guys enjoy working on them?

I sure don't.

Ice machines is one thing I don't do that really make me curious. The guy that does it for us does a lot of parts changing. Do any of you guys enjoy working on them?

Originally Posted by 2sac

These are in break rooms at the coporate offices of a very well known national company.

very well known national companies is where i find the most effed up nasty ice machines .... ever since big name stuff got involved with facilities maintenance type companies and gave local guys the boot, everything went downhill in regards to maintenance

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Originally Posted by 2sac

Get to spend the next 3 1/2 days cleaning ice machines

I need some practice...can I help?

Pete838, I beg to differ. First off I never told anyone how bad it was. I also told those who asked, the parts they are seeing

are not touching the ice or water they are ingesting.
Let them ruffle some feathers. This company should know better. Funny you mention the flu. Signs were posted in every breakroom about getting flu shots. Not to mention the obligatory "This is not your kitchen so please clean up after yourself" signs. Do as we say, not as we do...

Originally Posted by 2sac

"How often do you clean it?" "This is the first time for us, but it should be cleaned every 6 months. It hasn't been cleaned in 8 years" I think I ruffled a few panties.

Baaaad idea to make management look bad or expose them to liability. Not only are you now subpoenable when some employee gets the flu and calls their attorney, you (or your company) will likely never work on their equipment again. My philosophy is only make comments and suggestions to your point of contact only and STFU. If the employees see the dirty machine is one thing, but you telling them how awful it is will get you fired.


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Originally Posted by VTP99

And I still get ice at restaurants ! What's wrong with me ?

I quit getting ice in restaurants years ago, I believe it was right after I cleaned my first ice machine.

I don't think these machines will ever be used again. Over the last 2 days people walked in and I heard words like "disgusting" "that thing should be thrown out" "does that have a filter" and so on. More than once I was asked about cleaning. "How often do you clean it?" "This is the first time for us, but it should be cleaned every 6 months. It hasn't been cleaned in 8 years" I think I ruffled a few panties. I had a woman ask me today if it would be safer to drink water out of the faucet. Got to hand it to Hoshi. They can take alot of abuse.

I do like that management likes your idea of cleaning them every six months. We do our rentals that way and it makes cleaning them a breeze. Compared to the owner that brags to others that their ice machine is awesome cause they haven't done anything to it in over three years. sometimes it works like that. Its like one of those sealed biospheres in glass. Everything works in perfect harmony. The mold and slime know that as long as they don't interfere with the making of ice and let their presence known, they will be able to thrive and live in peace.

Originally Posted by Cmstech

At least Follett isn't the worst to clean

The units in the cafeteria are folletts. The ones in the pics are Hoshis.

Originally Posted by VTP99

And I still get ice at restaurants ! What's wrong with me ?

These are in break rooms at the coporate offices of a very well known national company.

At least Follett isn't the worst to clean

And I still get ice at restaurants ! What's wrong with me ?

Originally Posted by royd2

maybe its because i am still learning but i think ice machines are awesome

I don't know about awesome, but they sure can get nasty. ,
Being in food service, I try to get to them pretty frequently, because they can get nasty,,,