How to Clean a Hoshizaki Ice Machine
A Hoshizaki ice machine runs best when cleaned thoroughly on a regular basis. If you want to learn how to clean a Hoshizaki ice machine, this guide outlines the steps clearly and concisely so you can keep your unit working as properly and efficiently as possible.
This guide contains cleaning instructions for Hoshizaki MAH, MWH and MRH modular crescent cubers, such as the KM-901MAH. This article also has directions for maintaining Hoshizaki self-contained cubers, like the AM-100BAE.
Supplies
- Warm Water
- Safety Glasses
- Liquid-Proof Gloves
- Dish Detergent (For periodic cleaning of ice bin parts)
- Chlorine Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)
- Hoshizaki Scale Away Cleaner
Hoshizaki Modular Crescent Cuber Cleaning
The following instructions are for Hoshizaki modular crescent cubers, including KM-340/515/600/650/901/1100/1340/1601MAH, MWH and MRH models.
Pre-Cleaning Procedure
- Step 1. Put on protective wear - To avoid contact with hazardous chemicals, put on safety glasses and gloves before beginning the cleaning process.
- Step 2. Prepare the machine – Detach the front panel and turn the control switch to "OFF." Wait a few minutes before flipping the switch back to "ICE" and reattaching the front panel. After a few minutes, remove the front panel again and flip the switch to "OFF."
- Step 3. Remove the ice from the machine – Remove all the ice from the storage bin. If the unit has a dispenser, make sure to turn the power supply off after dispensing ice.
- Step 4. Drain the water from the water tank – Detach the base cover and disconnect the water pump hose/overflow pipe. Once the water tank is drained, reconnect the hose. Flip the control switch to "ICE" and reattach the front panel. Wait a few minutes to let the tank refill with water. Then, remove the panel and flip the control back to "OFF."
Descaling the Ice Machine
- Step 1. Add cleaner – Slowly pour Hoshizaki Scale Away cleaner into the water tank. Use 14 fluid ounces in KM-320/340/515/600/650/901 models and 30 fluid ounces in KM-1100/1340/1601 models. Once cleaner is added, open the cleaning valve by turning it all the way to the left.
- Step 2. Activate the washing sequence – Wait a minute before beginning the washing sequence to prevent excessive foaming. Then, flip the control switch to "WASH" and reattach the front panel. Allow the cleaner to circulate for about half an hour before removing the front panel and flipping the switch to "OFF."
- Step 3. Remove the cleaner – Detach the water pump hose/overflow pipe and allow the water tank to drain. Once it drains, reattach the hose/pipe.
- Step 4. Clean the surrounding parts (if necessary) – If water conditions are harsh, turn off the power supply and remove the float switch, cube guide, water supply tubes, spray tubes and spray guides. Clean the parts using 5 fluid ounces of Hoshizaki Scale Away per gallon of warm water. Then, rinse, dry and reattach the parts before turning the power back on.
- Step 5. Rinse the machine – Close the cleaning valve by turning it all the way to the right. Flip the control switch to “ICE” and reattach the front panel. Give it about 3-4 minutes for clean water to circulate. Remove the front panel and flip the control switch to “OFF.” Open the cleaning valve by turning it all the way to the left and flip the control switch to “WASH.” Reattach the front panel and wait about 5 minutes. Then, remove the front panel and flip the control switch to “OFF.”
- Step 6. Drain the water tank – Detach the water pump hose/overflow pipe and allow the water tank to drain. Once it drains, reattach the hose/pipe. Proceed to the sanitizing instructions below.
Sanitizing the Machine
- Step 1. Clean the machine – Before sanitizing, thoroughly clean your machine following the procedure above.
- Step 2. Refill the water tank – Close the cleaning valve by turning it all the way to the right and then flipping the control switch to "ICE." Reattach the front panel and wait about 3-4 minutes for water to enter. Then, remove the front panel and flip the control switch to "OFF."
- Step 3. Add chlorine bleach – Pour chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) into the water tank. Make sure the bleach sanitizer has no additives. Use 0.78 fluid ounces in KM-320/340/515/600/650/901 models and 1.7 fluid ounces in KM-1100/1340/1601 models. Once cleaner is added, open the cleaning valve by turning it all the way to the left.
- Step 4. Activate the washing sequence – Wait a minute before beginning the washing procedure to prevent excessive foaming. Then, flip the control switch to "WASH" and reattach the front panel. Allow the cleaner to circulate for about 45 minutes before removing the front panel and flipping the control switch to "OFF."
- Step 5. Drain the unit of sanitizer – Detach the water pump hose/overflow pipe and allow the water tank to drain. Once it drains, reattach the hose/pipe.
Rinsing the Machine & Resuming Normal Operation
- Step 1. Rinse the machine – Close the cleaning valve by turning it all the way to the right. Flip the control switch to “ICE” and reattach the front panel. Allow 3-4 minutes for clean water to circulate. Then, remove the front panel and flip the control switch to "OFF.” Open the cleaning valve by turning it all the way to the left, and then flip the control switch to “WASH.” Reattach the front panel and wait about 5 minutes. Then, remove the front panel and flip the switch to “OFF.”
- Step 2. Drain the water tank – Detach the water pump hose/overflow pipe and allow the water tank to drain. Once it drains, reattach the hose/pipe.
- Step 3. Clean the dispenser or storage bin (if necessary) – Clean the dispenser or storage bin liner with a neutral cleaner. Make sure to rinse the bin liner thoroughly.
- Step 4. Turn on the ice-making process – Close the cleaning valve by turning it all the way to the right, flip the control switch to "ICE” and reattach the front panel. If the unit has a dispenser, remember to restore the power supply.
- Step 5. Use the unit normally - Once the unit is clean and the ice-making process is turned on, resume normal operation.
Hoshizaki Self-Contained Cuber Cleaning (Water System)
The following instructions are for Hoshizaki self-contained cubers, including AM-100BAE and AM-150BAF/BWF models.
Powering Down the Machine
- Step 1. Put on safety glasses and gloves - Remember to wear safety glasses and gloves in order to avoid contact with hazardous chemicals
- Step 2. Prepare the cleaning solution – Mix about 1 gallon of water with 5 fluid ounces of cleaner, such as Hoshizaki Scale Away. This will dilute the cleaner before application.
- Step 3. Remove the ice from the machine – Start by removing all ice from the storage bin. To remove ice from the evaporator, detach the lower front panel and turn the control switch on the control box to "OFF." Switch it back to "ICE" after a few minutes. When the defrost cycle begins, the cubes will leave the evaporator.
- Step 4. Turn off the machine – Turn off the ice machine by flipping the control switch to "OFF." Then, close the water supply line shutoff valve.
Cleaning the Water System
- Step 1. Drain the water tank and add the cleaning solution – Remove the water tank and dispel the remaining water. Reattach the tank in the proper position. Once reattached, slowly pour the cleaning solution into the tank.
- Step 2. Activate the washing sequence – Flip the control switch to "WASH." Allow the cleaning solution to circulate for about half an hour before flipping the switch to "OFF."
- Step 3. Remove the cleaning solution – Remove the water tank and dispel the cleaning solution. Then, reattach the tank and open the shutoff valve.
- Step 4. Reactivate washing sequence – Rinse the machine by flipping the control switch to "WASH." Allow about 5 minutes for clean water to circulate. Flip the switch to "OFF" and back to "WASH." Repeat the rinsing process a few more times.
Sanitizing the Water System
- Step 1. Prepare the sanitizing solution – Mix about 1 gallon of water with 0.5 fluid ounces of chlorine bleach. This will dilute the chlorine-based cleaner before application.
- Step 2. Turn off the machine – Turn off the ice machine by flipping the control switch to "OFF." Then, close the water supply line shutoff valve.
- Step 3. Drain the water tank and add the sanitizing solution – Remove the water tank and dispel the remaining water. Reattach the tank in the proper position. Once reattached, slowly pour the chlorine-based sanitizer into the tank.
- Step 4. Activate wash cycle – Flip the control switch to "WASH." Allow the sanitizer to circulate for about 15 minutes before flipping the switch to "OFF."
Rinsing the Water System
- Step 1. Drain the sanitizing solution – Remove the water tank and dispel the sanitizing solution. Then, reattach the tank and open the shutoff valve.
- Step 2. Reactivate the wash cycle – Rinse the machine by flipping the control switch to "WASH." Give it about 5 minutes for clean water to circulate. Flip the switch to "OFF" and back to "WASH." Repeat the rinsing process two more times.
- Step 3. Turn on the ice-making process – Flip the control switch to "ICE" to start the automatic ice-making process. Then, reattach the lower front panel
Hoshizaki Self-Contained Cuber Cleaning (Bin, Slope & Scoop)
As with the previous section, these instructions are for Hoshizaki self-contained cubers, including AM-100BAE and AM-150BAF/BWF models.
Preparing the Unit for Cleaning
- Step 1. Power down the unit – First, detach the lower front panel. Then, turn the control switch on the control box to "OFF" and unplug the ice maker.
- Step 2. Remove the ice from the machine – Open the bin door and remove all the ice from the storage bin.
- Step 3. Detach the slope – Take off the slope by carefully bending the center and releasing it from the shafts. The slope should be free from the storage bin.
Cleaning & Sanitizing the Bin, Slope & Scoop
- Step 1. Clean and sanitize the bin area – Clean and sanitize the storage bin space as well as the slope, scoop and other surrounding parts that are accessible to the bin.
- Step 2. Remove and clean the separators – Detach each separator by lifting into a horizontal position and pushing inward. Once they're off, clean and sanitize them thoroughly.
- Step 3. Remove and clean the water tank – Detach the suction tube from the water tank to drain it. Unfasten the thumbscrews on the tank, and pull it out. Once it's removed, clean and sanitize the tank.
- Step 4. Remove and clean the water plate – Pull the discharge tube from the water plate. Then detach the plate by pulling toward you. Once removed, detach the caps and clean the plate. Use a wire brush to clean the nozzles if they're clogged.
Resuming Normal Operations
- Step 1. Reinstall the parts – Reattach the parts and components properly on the machine by following the process in reverse order. For detailed instructions, consult the manual for your specific model.
- Step 2. Turn on the ice-making process – Plug the ice machine back in, and flip the control switch to "ICE" to start the automatic ice-making process. Then, reattach the lower front panel.
- Step 3. Resume normal operation - Once the ice machine is clean and the ice-making process has started, use the unit normally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is Cleaning My Ice Machine Necessary?
Cleaning your ice machine helps to remove lime and calcium scale buildup inside the unit that can cause parts to fail. By making sure that your unit is well-maintained, you can not only extend its working life but also lower maintenance costs.
How Often Should I Clean My Hoshizaki Ice Machine?
It’s recommended to clean and sanitize your Hoshizaki ice machine or bin at least once a year. If the water in your area has high mineral content, more frequent cleaning will be needed.
How Often Should I Clean Ice Storage Bin Parts?
For self-contained Hoshizaki cuber units with ice storage bins, it’s important to clean the ice bin liner, bin scoop and bin door as part of unit deep cleaning. Periodic cleaning with a mild, ph-neutral dish detergent should also be part of normal maintenance:
- Ice Bin Liner - At least once a month
- Ice Bin Scoop - At least once a day
- Ice Bin Door - After removing ice from the unit
Are There Any Safety Concerns When Cleaning My Unit?
When cleaning your ice machine, it’s important to be aware of:
- Protective Equipment - Since cleaning chemicals can cause skin irritation, burns and eye injuries, always wear safety glasses and liquid-proof safety gloves when cleaning your unit.
- Electrical Hazards - To avoid the risk of electric shock, be sure to follow the instructions and turn your unit off when necessary.
- Ammonia-Based Cleaners - Avoid using ammonia-type cleaners since they can cause injury.
- Mixing Chemicals - Combining cleaning and sanitizing chemicals can cause dangerous chemicals to form, so never mix these chemicals.
How Can I Avoid Damaging the Ice Machine While Cleaning?
To avoid accidentally damaging your unit, remember to never use ammonia-based cleaners. Also, if the tank is empty, don’t leave the control switch on “WASH” or “SERVICE” for extended periods of time as doing so can damage the water pump seals or the water pump itself.
Where Can I Find More Information About Cleaning Hoshizaki Ice Equipment?
For more information about caring for your Hoshizaki ice machine, check out some of our other equipment articles and manuals:
- Hoshizaki Ice Bin Cleaning and Maintenance
- Why is Your Hoshizaki Ice Maker Beeping
- Hoshizaki Ice Machine Manuals