Clean a steam table every day by turning it off, letting it cool, draining the wells, washing them with detergent, rinsing and drying. Once a week, or sooner in hard water, descale the wells so mineral build-up does not slow the heating.
Shop the equipment in this article: countertop bain marie food warmer, steam tables and drop-in hot food wells. Freight is included on every order.
Before you start
Read the manual for your model first. It tells you whether the wells take water at all, how they drain and which cleaners are safe. Then:
- Turn the controls off. Unplug an electric table or switch off its breaker. On a gas table, turn the burner controls off.
- Let the water cool until it is safe to handle. Hot well water scalds.
- Move the food pans to the dish area.
Open wells and sealed wells
Steam tables are built two ways, and it changes how you clean them. Sealed wells hold water directly in the well and usually have a drain. Open wells have an exposed element or burner below and use a separate spillage pan to hold the water. We sell both kinds, in two to five well sizes, gas and electric. Check the product page or the data plate if you are not sure which you have. Never pour water into an open well without its spillage pan.
Daily cleaning
- Drain the water. Use the drain valve if there is one, with a bucket or floor drain under it, or lift out the spillage pans and empty them.
- Take out any food that fell into the well. It burns onto the bottom and smells the next day.
- Wash the wells or spillage pans with warm water and a mild detergent, using a soft cloth or nylon pad.
- Rinse with clean water and wipe dry.
- Wipe the top, the front, the cutting board shelf and the control knobs. Do not spray water at the controls.
- Wash, rinse and sanitize the food pans, lids, adapter bars and ladles in the three compartment sink or dish machine.
- Leave the wells empty and dry overnight.
Weekly descaling
White or grey crust in the wells is mineral scale. It insulates the water from the heat, so the table takes longer to come up to temperature and works harder to hold it.
- Use a descaler or delimer made for food equipment, mixed as its label says. Do not mix it with other chemicals.
- Fill the wells to cover the scale and let it sit for the time on the label. Some products ask for warm water.
- Scrub with a nylon pad, drain and rinse until no cleaner is left.
- In hard water areas you may need to do this more than once a week.
What not to use
- Steel wool, wire brushes or metal scrapers. They scratch stainless steel and leave particles that rust.
- Bleach or other chlorine cleaners left sitting in the wells.
- A hose or pressure washer on an electric table.
- Oven cleaner on aluminum spillage pans.
Sneeze guards and the outside
If your table has a sneeze guard, clean the glass or plastic with a cleaner that is safe near food and a soft cloth, on both sides, and wipe the brackets. Check that the guard is tight on its mounts. We list sneeze guards made for steam tables in 30, 48, 60 and 74 inch lengths, and buffet tables that come with a guard fitted.
Gas tables
Keep water and cleaner away from the burners and pilots. If the flame is yellow or uneven after cleaning, or a pilot will not stay lit, stop and call a gas technician. Do not poke the burner ports with anything that can break off in them.
Why cleaning affects food safety
The FDA Food Code sets hot holding at 135 F or above, which we read today in a state adoption of the code. A scaled well or a low water level makes that harder to reach. A steam table holds hot food. It is not built to reheat cold food, so bring food up to temperature on the range or in the oven first. Check food temperatures with a probe thermometer during service and keep a log. Your local health department has the final say on holding rules.
Signs the table needs more than cleaning
Tell the manager if a well takes much longer than the others to heat, if a drain valve drips, if a knob is loose or a pilot keeps going out, or if water appears under the table. These are repair jobs, and cleaning will not fix them.
A closing checklist
- Controls off, power or gas off
- Pans, lids and utensils to the dish area
- Wells drained, washed, rinsed and dried
- Top, front and controls wiped
- Sneeze guard cleaned
- Anything damaged or not heating written down for the manager
Frequently asked questions
How often should the water be changed?
At least once a day. Draining and cleaning every night is common practice, and the manual for your model may ask for more.
Can I leave water in the wells overnight?
It is better not to. Standing water leaves scale and can smell by morning. Drain and dry the wells at closing.
Does a smaller warmer need the same care?
Yes. A countertop bain marie food warmer and a drop-in well are cleaned the same way: drain, wash, rinse, dry and descale.
What do you sell for hot holding?
Gas and electric steam tables from two to five wells, drop-in hot food wells, heated display cases and heat lamps and strip warmers. Freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price, powered equipment has a 7 day return window, and financing is offered on orders from 500 dollars.