Wells Soup Kettle Cleaning Instructions
Wells soup kettles’ impressive production capacity makes them valuable pieces of equipment in any foodservice setting. Since proper maintenance of essential units is important, these Wells soup kettle cleaning instructions will help you care for your soup cooker so you can improve its performance and extend its life.
This guide is for countertop food warmers and soup cookers, such as the DeLuxe and SC-11 models. For more information on how to keep your unit in good working order, see our Wells soup kettle troubleshooting article.
Supplies
Minimize electrical hazards when cleaning your Wells soup kettle by not splashing or pouring water into or over any control panel or wiring, as well as by not submerging the unit in water. Also, avoid using steel wool or harsh cleaners on the surfaces so you don’t damage the unit.
Pre-Cleaning Procedure
- Step 1. Power down the unit - Cut power to the unit by either pressing the power switch to off or turning the control knob to off.
- Step 2. Unplug the kettle - In order to avoid electrical hazards, disconnect the power cord from the electrical outlet.
- Step 3. Allow the unit to cool down - To avoid burns, let the soup cooker cool down before removing any insets, pans and/or adapter tops.
- Step 4. Make a cleaning solution - While waiting for the soup warmer to cool down, make a cleaning solution of 10 parts warm water to 4 parts vinegar.
- Step 5. Take out the small parts - Once the unit has cooled down, remove any insets, pans and/or adapter tops.
- Step 6. Drain water from the well - If necessary, remove the water from the well, too.
How to Clean the Kettle
- Step 1. Wash all surfaces - Wipe down all interior and exterior surfaces with warm water, mild detergent and a clean cloth or soft sponge.
- Step 2. Scrape stubborn areas (if necessary) - If there are any hardened food residues or mineral deposits, use a plastic scouring pad to remove them. Be sure to not use steel wool or other abrasive cleaning pads so you don’t damage the unit.
- Step 3. Rinse kettle with the cleaning solution - Use the prepared water and vinegar cleaning solution to neutralize and rinse away any remaining soap suds in or on the unit.
- Step 4. Inspect the warmer tank for damage - Since damage to the body can allow water and grease to enter the unit and create fire and electrical hazards, check the warmer tank for damage. If there’s damage, call an authorized technician for service.
- Step 5. Rinse the exterior surfaces - Wash away any remaining residues or suds on the exterior surfaces with warm water and a clean cloth.
- Step 6. Dry the exterior surfaces - Finalize the cleaning procedure by drying the exterior surfaces with a clean cloth.
Resuming Normal Operation
- Step 1. Plug in the unit - Restore power to the unit by plugging the power cord into an electrical outlet.
- Step 2. Turn the soup cooker on - Use the power switch to turn the kettle on.
- Step 3. Add water to the unit and check for proper operation - To make sure the unit is working properly, add water to the warmer tank and see if the water heats up; if the water heats up to the desired temperature, the cooker is operating normally.
- Step 4. Resume normal operation - Once proper operation is confirmed, drain the water and use the kettle normally.
For more information about caring for your Wells soup kettle, take a look at the extensive collection of Wells soup kettle manuals on our site.