How To Clean A Meat Slicer

The most common places you will find some of the best meat slicers are cafeterias, buffets, and delis. Meat slicers are becoming popular even in households due to their versatility. These tools can slice meat, cheese, and even vegetables.

After use, it is necessary to clean the meat slicer to prevent food contamination. The slicer comes into contact with raw meat, which could trigger bacteria growth when left on the slicer for long. Therefore, it is vital to keep this equipment clean.

I have compiled a guide on proper cleaning of your meat slicer, some helpful cleaning tips, and how to maintain it properly.

Tips When Cleaning a Meat Slicer

The meat slicer calls for caution when cleaning. Ensure you do not ruin the experience with your perfect meat slicer by following the following tips.

• Before digging into cleaning your meat slicer, ensure you have read the manufacturer's manual and follow the guide.
• Do not use any abrasive pads or steel wool as they may leave scratches on the slicer.
• Never submerge the cutter in water.
• Always wear cut-proof gloves because you will be working on really sharp blades.
• Ensure your slicer is unplugged before touching it with wet hands.
• Do not clean the meat slicer in a dish machine.
• Do not pressure wash the slicer.
• Do not use harsh soaps. It could eat away some slicer parts, making them easily susceptible to rusting.
• Always wear food handling gloves when cleaning other parts of the slicer to minimize germs spread.

How to Clean a Meat Slicer?

Meat slicers need to be cleaned regularly after every use, especially if switching to a different food type. Cleaning and maintaining after use is the best way of maintaining your perfect meat slicer in its ideal state for as long as possible.

1. The first step to take before you start cleaning your meat slicer is unplugging it from the power source. Ensure that the slicer's power cord stays away from cleaning supplies.
2. Wear protective gloves to prevent any accidents when cleaning the sharp blades. 
3. Set the meat slicer blade to zero to recess the blade's sharp edges when cleaning. 
4. If your slicer has a knife-removing tool, use it to remove the slicing blade. 
5. Clean off the large food particles stuck on your slicer with a non-abrasive pad or brush.  Clean all the parts: blade guard, the food tray, slicer handles gauge plate, ring guard mount, slice deflector, and the slicing blade. Check all the nooks as food particles tend to hide in the hidden corners.
6. The next step is adding hot water to a washing basin. Add some dish detergent into the water to clean any stuck food particles that were hard to get rid of in the first place.
7. Get a sponge and clean the slicer parts. Carefully clean all the parts thoroughly, and a degreaser spray can also be used. 
8. Wipe off the other machine parts well with a clean cloth. You can also use a clean toothbrush to remove any stuck food on crevices. 
9. The next step is sanitizing the equipment. You will either need a sanitizing spray or make a mixture of cold water and unscented bleach. Pour the mixture into a spraying bottle, and you can begin the sanitizing process.
10. Spray all parts of your meat slicer machine generously to ensure that any bacteria harboring in it are dead.
11. Leave the equipment to air-dry for a couple of hours. The bleach evaporates, leaving the equipment safe to be used for the next task. If the equipment needs to be used almost immediately after cleaning, then use paper towels and wipe off the water with it.
12. Lastly, reassemble your meat slicer parts carefully and slowly. Do not rush anything as this may cause unwanted accidents. 

Blade Maintenance Tips

Ensure you clean the blades before you sharpen them. Sanitize them after the sharpening.

• Read the manufacturer's guide and service the blades routinely.
• Clean and sharpen the blade regularly.
• Apply some oil to the blades after cleaning for easier use when slicing.
• Always use the recommended lubricant on the moving parts of the slicer.

Advantages of Keeping Your Meat Slicer Clean

There are several advantages one reaps from keeping his/ her meat slicer clean. They include:

1. Prevents food contamination

Meat slicers slice raw meat. If the meat debris stays for too long on the slicer, then there will be bacterial growth. Slicing foods on a dirty slicer can contaminate the food and cause foodborne illnesses. Keeping your meat slicer clean will ensure that your health is superb.

2. The slicer runs smoothly.

Keeping your meat slicer clean is one of the maintenance tips to keep it running smoothly. A well-maintained slicer gives you a long useful life. Clean equipment has lesser issues than dirty ones. You’ll thus have a seamless job.

On the other hand, a messy slicer can be harder to clean as the food and juices have stuck onto it. Such a slicer will have attracted bacteria onto it, and it might not work as efficiently as it should.

3. Passing health inspections

Health inspections ensure that the consumers' safety and health when eating at your restaurant are well adhered to. Clean equipment relates to food health and gives you a pass in health inspections. Now imagine if your meat slicer is dirty, with debris stuck all over it? You will have negative feedback from the health inspectors.

4. Looks good on camera

Social media is one of the most widely used platforms to market food joints. You will need some pictures and videos of the kitchen area and the dining. The meat slicer will definitely appear in the videos demonstrating how it works. A clean, shiny meat slicer will complement your kitchen.

How frequently should I clean a meat slicer?

It is crucial to clean your meat slicer every day after use. This will ensure that there is no food remains stuck on the machine overnight. You can also clean the slicer when changing meats, cheese, and other products. Generally, the more you use the meat slicer, the more frequently you should clean it. 

Conclusion

A clean meat slicer will keep your consumers safe from illnesses and will keep the workforce healthy and motivated. So, ensure that you train your employees to clean this equipment well by hand instead of dishwashing it. Meat slicers easily damage when tossed in the washer.  Learn more kitchen maintenance tips here!

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