These eight quick tips will help commercial kitchens maintain their food preparation equipment - keeping it cleaner, more hygienic and more efficient. Following these quick tips will also mean that your equipment lasts for longer.

Fill out the warranty card or register the product online

Not only does this protect you as the customer, but it often results in a longer warranty. Some warranties such as extended parts and labour are only enforceable if you have registered your ownership of the item with the manufacturer.

Read the manual

Making sure you have read the manual thoroughly will ensure you look after your equipment exactly as you should.

Train staff on using equipment

Make sure staff members are fully trained on equipment and that includes you as the owner or head chef. Some companies, such as those that sell or lease Italian coffee machines, may actually offer to send staff out to demonstrate.

Cleaning after each use

All commercial kitchen equipment should be cleaned after each use (as opposed to cleaned once a day). This means that should you change use within a day (i.e. chopping vegetables in the morning and then different vegetables in the afternoon or cooking something different on a hob), it requires cleaning down after each of these uses. Obviously this doesn't apply to the inside of fridges and ovens, as they are used continually, but in a different way.

Weekly cleans

Certain items such as fridges or ovens need a thorough clean once a week. These weekly cleans will prevent the build-up of dangerous bacteria, but also prevent the build-up of ice, burnt on grease and so on.

Using the right scrubber

Be careful not to use abrasive cloths or sponges on metal commercial kitchen equipment; this will cause it to degrade much quicker and can also be unhygienic, as scratches in the metal could end up harbouring dangerous bacteria. Always check the manufacturer's manual for advice on what to clean equipment with.

Servicing

Certain items of commercial kitchen equipment, especially larger ones, will require services to check they are running effectively and safely. These services may come as part of your lease package, or indeed your warranty. Sometimes, however, you may need to pay an individual or contractor to give your equipment a service. Just like a car, equipment which is regularly checked deep inside by a professional will ultimately last longer and run more smoothly.

Replace worn out or broken parts

This is really important. Leaving a piece of commercial kitchen equipment with a worn out part such as a fan, hose or blade will ultimately cause the rest of the item to degrade quicker. Be sure to replace or fix broken and worn out parts as soon as they are noticed.

Following these eight simple tips will help you maintain your catering equipment and will result in a more hygienic and efficient kitchen as well as increase the lifetime of your equipment.