Maintain your door seal

Door seals are a very important part of a commercial kitchen as this is designed to form an airtight seal- keeping warm air out and keeping the cool air inside. A well fitted and maintained door seal helps regulate the internal temperature of the appliance. If the door gasket isn’t sealing properly or is split or broken, your appliance won’t keep its cool which can lead to high energy bills and the food spoiling or at risk of becoming contaminated. Door seals also form part of an environmental officers’ inspection and split, or bad fitting seals can affect your hygiene rating.

Keeping your door seal in good condition is an important preventative measure to save you time and money in the future. Regularly cleaning the door seals are a must. They encounter several substances which can cause a breeding ground of disease and mould. PVC which the seals are made from has become more sensitive to lipids (animal fats) which can cause the seal to harden, lose its flexibility and be more susceptible to splitting.

Cleaning your seals should form part of your kitchen’s regular maintenance to help prolong the life span of your door seals.

Do's

• Use a soft brush or sweep away any food particles and dirt trapped in the door seal.
• Use a prescribed cleaner for PVC or one of our water-based methods below
• Let it sit on the seals for at least 30 seconds before wiping clean with a dry, soft cloth.
• Repeat as many times as needed until seals are clean

Don't

• Don’t use anything sharp like a knife, even placed inside a cloth, to try and get in between the folds of the gasket. Simply use a soft cloth or toothbrush to gently clean out the stubborn areas.
• Don’t use hard detergents such as bleach and ammonia directly onto the gasket.
• We don’t recommend taking off the seals and washing them or putting them in a dishwasher. Both methods can damage the seal and affect longevity.

There are many methods to clean a door seal here are a few of our suggestions:

A fragrance-free, professional cleaner for cleaning P.V.C seals in all types of refrigeration equipment.

Or:

A vinegar solution will aid in removing any mould or bacteria, but will not be too harsh on the gasket. Use a mixture of one part vinegar to two parts water to clean the gasket.

Use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Lightly stir the mixture. Use a wet sponge and/or toothbrush to remove any stuck-on food. Lightly dry with a paper towel.

Or:

Use a solution of bleach and water, 1 part bleach to 7 parts water. This can be sprayed onto the gasket and rubbed carefully with a soft cloth or again use a wet sponge and toothbrush.