Clean up your act

ALMOST EVERY pub operates with a glasswasher, but for those pubs which are expanding the food side of the business following the smoking ban, there may not have been the need for a dishwasher before.

A few cups, saucers and sandwich plates could have been dealt with by handwashing. Expanding into full meal service may mean that this is no longer practical.

There are two thoughts that will probably spring to mind to a pub owner seeing the cost of a commercial dishwasher: can dirty plates be washed in the glasswasher and why not save some money by buying a domestic dishwasher?

Unfortunately, neither are viable options.

Glasswashers are designed for the light soiling glassware gets, with lipstick the worst thing they ever have to tackle. This means wash cycles are much quicker and detergents formulated differently than those for dishwashers which have to deal with heavy food soiling and lots of grease.

That apart, putting soiled food plates into the same washing machine as glassware will give huge problems in leaving greasy streak marks on the glasses, which will mean hand polishing or rewashing. Using a glasswasher to wash crockery may also invalidate a manufacturer¹s warranty.

A domestic dishwasher is cheaper than a commercial one because the build strength is completely different. The difference in water pump power is enormous. A commercial dishwasher can wash and rinse a basket of dirty tableware in as little as three minutes. A domestic machine can take up to two hours to complete a wash cycle, which is just not practical for a busy pub.

There are two types of dishwasher suitable for a pub. A hood or pass-through machine is intended for very busy food operations, since these machines can have a wash rate as high as one basket a minute.

Pass-through machines are more likely to be suitable for a pub upgrading its dishwashing capacity, rather than for a pub that is new to serving food.

The most popular pub dishwasher is an under-counter model. While designed to fit on the kitchen floor under work surfaces, they can also be put on a bench.

There are three sets of measurements to study before choosing a dishwasher.

Firstly, of course, the exterior dimensions have to fit into the position allocated for the machine. Check the basket size width and breadth. Most are industry standard at 500mm x 500mm, but some entry-level machines may be smaller. The size of the basket determines the load the machine will take.

Lastly, check the internal height of the wash chamber. Check that the height is going to take the size of plates being used.

Every dishwasher needs a water softening system to remove limescale from the wash water. Some dishwashers may have this as an in-built feature, for others it will be an external fitting.

It is important to use only recommended detergents. Buying cheap products can lead to the machine failing to wash properly. As with all catering equipment, a dishwasher has to be regularly serviced as part of a planned maintenance programme.