We’re here to provide you with more information or help answer any questions you might have. Send us a note and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Culinary Clean: Industrial Warewashing Ingredients & Specialty Chemicals
Solutions for commercial kitchen cleaning and sanitation
Wash, rinse, sanitize, repeat. Restaurants and other hospitality spaces know that a superior sparkling dish and clean utensils cannot be understated. Consumers looking for the ultimate experience in dining expect that cleanliness will be served as the centerpiece.
Going beyond the scrub, chemicals are essential products used in commercial kitchens to keep food staff and customers healthy, clean, and safe. The ultimate goal for industrial warewashing formulators is choosing the right chemicals to help cleaning brands deliver a spotless, sanitized clean consumers trust.
Three essential kitchen cleaning products
Powered by key ingredients from Dow
Concentrate Detergent
All-purpose, high-performance warewash
Formulated with solvent, chelating agent, crystal growth inhibitor, pH regulator, and nonionic surfactant ingredients from Dow, this formula can be used as an "all-in-one" warewash detergent.
Featured Products:
Commercial Detergent
Hard water warewash base
Formulated with scale inhibitor and detergent builder ingredients from Italmatch, Dow and PQ Corp., this warewash base is optimized for high performance under hard water conditions.
Featured Product:
Warewash Rinse Aid
Spotless, streak-free warewash rinse aid
Featuring alcohol alkoxylate, a nonionic surfactant ingredient from Dow, this optimized warewash rinse aid lowers the surface tension of rinse water to eliminate water spots and streaks.
Featured Product:
Download Formulations
What is warewashing?
An effective warewashing program helps ensure kitchenware cleanliness, enhances guest satisfaction, and saves money through efficient and sustainable wash cycles.
Warewashing is the term associated with cleaning and sanitizing any kitchenware used in the preparation, serving, or storing of food. This includes pots and pans, cutlery, glasses, serving pans, and trays. Warewashing can be done by automatic dishwashing machine or manually. This process is a key factor in ensuring that a commercial kitchen provides a clean and safe dining experience for heir customers.
Washing, rinsing, and sanitizing are the three essential goals of an effective kitchen cleaning cycle, but not all detergents and sanitizers are created equal. Finding the right warewashing ingredients for effective cleaning processes at an affordable cost is key.
"The costs of running a food service operation can be high, with as much as 20% of that cost dedicated to warewashing alone. This cost is split between chemical costs, water and energy, labor, and ware replacement. Any program you run is going to depend heavily on the chemistry selected, and you need that chemistry to accommodate hard water conditions, reduce labor, increase throughput, and not damage your ware or equipment. The chemical component is only a portion of a proper warewash program, but it is a critical one that can directly impact your operation costs and ultimately your customer’s experience. No one wants to receive a dirty, spotted dish!"
– Brandon Beyer
Manager of Application Development, Homecare & Industrial Cleaning for Univar Solutions
Cleaning vs. sanitizing in hospitality cleaning
As a first step, cleaning removes food and other debris from the surface of an item, such as a plate or fork. Sanitizing is the next step to kill the microorganisms and germs on the cleaned surface, making it safe for food contact.
To promote a superior clean and sanitation, all warewash users must resolve the following technical challenges by selecting the right cleaning aids and formulas that support commercial success:
- Dishes not coming clean
- Spotting on silverware
- Lime scale build-up and anti-corrosion
- Increasing chemical costs
Culinary clean for commercial kitchens
Every food service establishment cleans wares just like in any home sink – with a detergent. Restaurant dish crews must wash plates and utensils with a commercial-grade detergent, then rinse, and sanitize in water that contains 200 parts per million of sanitizer. This last step often causes the most challenges. For example, if the water is too hot, the sanitizer will not be maintained at the appropriate level.
Commercial dish machines also require less labor and, especially in large establishments, are much more efficient than manual washing. But there are still procedures and maintenance that need to be performed. Every situation is unique. This is why it’s important for operators to work with an experienced supplier, one that will take the time to determine the best cleaning system for their needs.
Using the right detergents and chemicals for the machine type is another important factor. The warewashing system components operate together, so substituting or leaving out products will cause problems and can result in health code violations.
"A clean dish means so much in a commercial kitchen. First, it can mean food safety which is priority number 1 in the kitchen. Your guests are paying you money in agreement that what you serve them will not hurt or harm them. Second, it can mean exceeding expectations. Water marks, spots, and improperly cleaned items can ruin the guests' experience and lose a chance at a repeat customer. Finally, it can mean a quality standard. Your guest may be paying a hefty price for their meal, and a clean plate confirms that you cared enough about the process to not overlook the fine details, making their experience worth the value."
– Chef Mike Haracz
Corporate Chef and Culinary Development Lead for Foodology at Univar Solutions
Featured products
Featured products
Need a product quote or sample?
Request nowLooking to develop your own product?
Work with our lab & technical servicesAdditional action
CTA Link
Specialty lab services
Innovating at the intersection of science, technology and consumer trends, Univar Solutions partners with customers and suppliers to create high-performing products and sustainable formulations.
