How to Clean a Winston Fryer

Winston fryers help commercial foodservice kitchens produce some of the most beloved menu items, and to keep these fryers running smoothly they require regular cleaning. Keeping your Winston fryer clean is an important step in ensuring your equipment stays efficient and continues to produce delicious food products. Below are step-by-step guides to keeping your Winston fryer clean each day.

This cleaning guide is for the Collectramatic Series of Winston fryers, including open fryer and pressure fryer models PF46, PF56, LP46, LP56, OF49, OF59. Specific cleaning instructions for each type are noted where applicable.

Supplies List

• Gloves
• Spatula
• Teflon Brush
• Displacer Tool
• Basket Drain Hook

Daily Cleaning Procedure

It's important to keep your fryer clean to avoid debris in the oil and ensure a long life for your unit. Here's how to get started:

• Step 1—Turn the fryer off or disconnect the power to the fryer.
• Step 2—Scrape the crust line from the cookpot with a spatula and brush heater coils.
• Step 3—Place a metal pan under the open collector space.
• Step 4—Carefully drain the hot oil into metal containers. Then place a container or shortening tender under the drain valve, flip the handle down and open the valve. Let the oil cool down before removing.
• Step 5—With safety gloves on, remove the heat plate carefully with basket drain hooks and place it in a safe area to cool down.
• Step 6—With safety gloves on, keep the drain valve open and use a displacement tool to force enough cooking oil up and out of the drain valve. This will allow for a safe removal of the collector.
• Step 7—Close the drain valve.
• Step 8—With safety gloves on, remove the collector with a basket drain hook placed in the collector lifter loop.

Maintaining & Cleaning the Gasket

Getting the gasket and accessories clean is also crucial. To prolong the life of the gasket, there are a few tips on handling, cleaning and maintenance:

Maintenance Tips

• Tip 1 - Keep a spare set of gaskets to alternate through nightly. Make sure they’re lubricated with clean cooking oil before using.
• Tip 2 - Clean the gaskets daily and store the clean gaskets in a container of clean water in the cooler.
• Tip 3 - Refrain from stretching gaskets more than necessary. This avoids premature cracking or breaking.
• Tip 4 - Do not strike the cookpot or collector with a spatula or another utensil as this can cause damage to the gaskets.

Cleaning Procedure

• Step 1—Remove and clean the collector gasket.
• Step 2—Do not proceed with a “boil out” cleaning method, and do not fill the fryer with any other liquid other than cooking oil. Instead, continue on with the following procedures.
• Step 3—Scrub the heater coils with the white Teflon brush, then clean the heaters, heater holders and the entire cookpot. Do not use steel wool as a cleaning aid.
• Step 4—Using clean cooking oil, rinse the inside of the cookpot.
• Step 5—Wash accessories like the gasket, collector (be sure to clean gasket groove), utensils, heat plate, basket, etc. in a sink with hot water only. Wipe to dry.

Cleaning the Exterior

There's more to cleaning the exterior than gaining a glistening fryer. Here's what you should clean daily on the exterior:

• Step 1—Clean the outside of the fryer with a damp cleaning cloth and wipe dry. Do not splash water on or hose down the outside of the fryer. This runs the risk of not only getting electrical components wet but also getting water into the hot cooking oil, which can cause a boil over.
• Step 2—For pressure fryer models, remove the muffler while wearing safety gloves, empty and wash in a sink. The muffler may be hot from the steam condensation. Handle with caution.
• Step 3—Remove the deadweight and clean according to fryer type:
  • PF Models—Remove the deadweight and wipe out the vent block and vent components. Clean the deadweight at the sink, towel dry and then place back into the vent assembly.
  • LP Models—Remove the deadweight by lifting it from the main vent assembly on the backside of the fryer. It will be located under the tube. Rinse the deadweight and tube thoroughly with hot water in the sink and towel dry. Reassemble the deadweight and tube, checking the o-ring where the vent tube connects.

Pressure Fryer Lid Daily Cleaning

• Step 1—Remove the lid and disassemble as shown in the diagram (located below instructions, labeled “Figure 25”). Make sure to remove the retainer from the lid valve before removing the handlebar and lid lock. The lid lock will keep the lid valve in place while the retainer is being unscrewed.
• Step 2—Wash all the components except the lid valve, pressure gauge and pressure relief valve and towel-dry. Wipe down the outside of the lid valve and gauge with a damp cloth and wipe dry when done.
• Step 3—Lubricate the o-ring with clean cooking oil and reassemble the lid, tightening the retainer by hand. When reassembling, the flat end of the spring faces the retainer on PF models, while the large end of the spring faces the retainer on LP models.
• Step 4—Lubricate the lid gasket with clean cooking oil and place the lid in the groove.
• Step 5—Reassemble the lid, checking to make sure the lip on the lid lock is in the correct position in the slot of the lid valve.

For more cleaning and troubleshooting information about your Winston fryer, explore our large collection of Winston manuals and diagrams.

Please contact a local factory authorized service agent who can help with this specific unit and all your commercial kitchen equipment needs.