Glasswasher Maintenance Checklist for Pub Operators: Daily, Weekly, Monthly

Running a glasswasher badly is one of the quickest ways to fail an EHO inspection or start putting cloudy pints in front of your customers. At Teal Farm, we push around 180 covers on a Saturday and the glasswasher runs almost continuously from 6pm to close. A machine that goes down on a busy night is not an inconvenience — it’s a crisis. This checklist keeps that from happening.

Print it off. Laminate it. Put it next to the machine.

Running this problem at your pub?

Here's the system I use at The Teal Farm to fix it — real-time labour %, cash position, and VAT liability in one dashboard. 30-minute setup. £97 once, no monthly fees.

Get Pub Command Centre — £97 →

No monthly fees. 30-day money-back guarantee. Built by a working pub landlord.

Daily Checklist (Every Service)

Contents

Before opening:

[ ] Remove and rinse the filter basket — hold it under the tap, clear any debris, check for damage
[ ] Check wash and rinse aid chemical levels — low rinse aid means spotted glasses and customer complaints
[ ] Check detergent dosing unit is primed and drawing correctly
[ ] Check water level in the wash tank — if it’s low, investigate before running
[ ] Wipe door seals with a clean cloth — debris here causes leaks and seal deterioration
[ ] Run a blank cycle and check spray pattern looks even from both arms
[ ] Check drain is clear and draining freely after that blank cycle

After last service:

[ ] Drain the machine fully
[ ] Remove and rinse filter basket again
[ ] Leave door open overnight — this prevents mould and odour buildup inside the chamber
[ ] Wipe down exterior including door handle and control panel

Weekly Checklist

[ ] Deep clean the filter housing — remove all components, scrub with a soft brush, rinse thoroughly
[ ] Remove spray arms (top and bottom), check nozzles for blockages, clear with a cocktail stick or pin
[ ] Check descale requirement — if you’re in a hard water area, you may need to descale more frequently than monthly. Look for white limescale deposits on the tank walls and heating element
[ ] Check chemical dosing tubes for kinks, cracks or air locks
[ ] Inspect door gasket for tears or compression issues
[ ] Clean the exterior with food-safe sanitiser including the lid/door edges
[ ] Check wash temperature is reaching manufacturer specification — most commercial machines should hit 55–60°C wash and 82–85°C rinse

Monthly Checklist

[ ] Remove spray arms fully and soak in descaler solution for 20–30 minutes
[ ] Inspect all door seals and gaskets — replace if cracked, compressed or no longer forming a proper seal
[ ] Full descale cycle using a commercial descaling product appropriate for your machine
[ ] Check inlet hose and connections for signs of wear or weeping
[ ] Check chemical dosing pumps are calibrated correctly — your chemical supplier should do this, but verify
[ ] Log water temperature readings for your due diligence records — useful for EHO visits
[ ] Book or confirm your next planned engineer visit

The Drain Pump Rule

Always check your drain pump is working before you sign any lease or purchase agreement on a glasswasher.

A failed drain pump means standing water, failed washes, and a machine that backs up mid-service. Drain pump replacement on a commercial glasswasher typically runs £150–£350 in parts and labour. On older leased machines, check who is liable for that repair — it is often you, even under a service agreement with exclusions buried in the small print. At Teal Farm I learned this the hard way on an older undercounter unit. Check the pump. Run a full drain cycle. Watch it empty completely. Then sign.

Keep the Paperwork

Every descale, every engineer visit, every temperature log — record it. A 5-star EHO rating is not luck. It’s documentation. Our NSF audit in March 2026 passed partly because we had 18 months of machine maintenance records to show.

Before you sign anything, know your numbers. Pub Command Centre: real-time labour %, VAT and cash position from day one. £97 once.
👉 https://smartpubtools.com/5684-2/

Looking for a pub to take on? Browse our directory of 697 independently assessed UK pub opportunities — every one with real financial data and operator assessments. View the UK Pub Directory →