In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic some operators are choosing to delay cleaning in order to save money. Typically combi steamers should be cleaned every day as part of the kitchen routine

Trevor Lath, national service director of Rational UK, said:  “We are already seeing an increase in service call-outs arising from this. It’s a problem that will be affecting all combi steamer brands.

 “The problem is that some operators are ignoring the iCareSystem’s alerts, on the assumption that delaying a clean and descale will save them money and won’t really do any harm. This is not the case.”  

By not cleaning the combi it may even compromise HACCP food safety. Deferring cleaning routines can lead to the build-up of dirt and scale, which can compromise cooking results, increase energy consumption and make running costs go up.