The Restaurant Steamer Cleaning Guide

At Vulcan, we know that a clean kitchen is a productive kitchen. With today’s guests looking for fresher, healthier options, commercial steamers play a vital role in helping you deliver quality food fast. But just as important as what goes into your steamer, is the care you put into cleaning and maintaining it.

Here’s our guide to help you keep your Vulcan steamer in peak working order while ensuring food safety and minimizing downtime.

Consistent cleaning isn’t just about appearances, it’s about serving safe, delicious food and maximizing your investment. From leftover food to residual chemicals, anything left behind in your industrial food steamer can be passed along to diners. Not only can contaminants impact the taste of your food, but it’s also a potential health hazard. A dirty or poorly maintained restaurant steamer is also unlikely to achieve optimal performance resulting in longer cook times and often times, premature replacement.

Bottom line: Proper, technical cleaning methods help ensure your kitchen stays compliant with health codes, produces top-quality food, and keeps your Vulcan Steamer running efficiently for years to come.

Ready to get started? Here’s exactly how we recommend cleaning your Vulcan steamer.

Daily Cleaning Procedures

• Power Down and Safety First

1. At the end of each day, disconnect electrical power and follow lockout/tagout procedures before cleaning.
2. Let the cooking compartment cool, but be aware surfaces and water may still be hot. 

• Drain and Clean the Cooking Compartment

1. Inspect the compartment drain daily for blockages.
2. Remove all particles and debris from the perforated strainer. For heavy use, clean more frequently.
3. If you’ve cooked greasy foods or seafood, flush residual oils by closing the compartment door and running the steamer empty for 25-30 minutes, then pour a solution of warm water and non-chloride detergent (1/2 gallon) down the drain. Follow with 1/2 gallon of hot water to rinse.
    

• Clean All Surfaces and Door Gasket

1. Use only non-abrasive tools: soft cloths and plastic scouring pads are ideal.
2. Wash the interior compartment with a solution of warm water and a non-chloride detergent.
3. Rinse all cleaned surfaces thoroughly with warm water and dry with a clean, soft cloth.
4. Wipe the exposed exterior surfaces (sides, front, door, and top) with a damp cloth, and polish daily.
5. To remove discoloration, use a non-abrasive cleaner following the grain of the stainless steel.
6. Pay attention to high-touch spots like doors, latches, control knobs, and handles.
    

• Door Gasket Care

1. Never use solvents, sharp instruments, or steel wool on the gasket area.
2. Wipe the gasket and its sealing surface with a cloth dipped in mild detergent and warm water, then rinse and dry. Do not apply any food oils or petroleum-based lubricants, which can reduce gasket life.
    

• Leave the Compartment Door Open

1. After cleaning, leave the compartment door slightly open so the interior dries fully. Never latch the door shut when the unit is not in use, as this can deform the gasket and shorten its life.
    

• Drain the Steam Generator

1. At the end of each day, drain the steam generator completely to flush out minerals and help prevent internal scale buildup.
2. The generator will drain automatically for approximately 15 minutes after switching the main power off. Ensure power supply to the unit remains on for 15 additional minutes to finish the drain cycle.

Because steamers use water, you are also likely dealing with lime build-up. This requires special attention. However, more efficient models – such as the Vulcan LWE Steamers – use up to 90 percent less water than traditional models, often requiring less filter maintenance and deliming.

The key point when it comes to cleaning and maintaining your commercial steamer is to clean and de-lime on a regular basis. Filters too must be changed regularly (around every six months). Once scale deposits get a hold of the steamer, is may be too late to restore your steamer to its original level of performance. Routine checks for loose covers, cracked seals and faulty controls will support the regular maintenance and upkeep of your steamer. 

Additional Recommendations

• Perform routine checks for loose covers, cracked seals, or faulty controls.
• Inspect your compartment drain screen for clogs. Remove any blockage right away.
• Replace a damaged or leaking door gasket immediately.
• If you notice performance issues like longer cook times, failed heating, or persistent leaking, consult with an authorized Vulcan service provider for troubleshooting or advanced maintenance.

Protecting Stainless Steel Surfaces

• Always use recommended cleaning agents. Avoid any products with chlorides or hydrochloric acid.
• Scrub in the direction of the polish lines to maintain the finish.
• Dry all surfaces after cleaning and allow to air dry for best corrosion resistance.
• Never use steel pads or metal scrapers.

When in doubt, read the manual of your specific model for more cleaning tips.

If your steamer continues to lose efficiency, shows extensive scale buildup, or cleaning and maintenance no longer restore performance, it may be time to consider replacement. We’re here to help you make that assessment—read our guide on “When Is it Time to Replace Your Commercial Kitchen Equipment” for a detailed checklist.

Need more specifics? Reach out to the Vulcan team or your local authorized service provider for support, detailed maintenance schedules, or troubleshooting unique to your model. We’re here to help you keep cooking great food, day in and day out.