The importance of cleaning and maintaining your water coolers

Water coolers offer an instant and convenient supply of fresh, clean drinking water for your colleagues, staff, or guests to your premises. However, if they aren’t well-maintained and cleaned regularly, they won’t work properly or offer safe, clean drinking water. There are many reasons why you should keep your water coolers clean and maintained and below covers the most important ones!

Factors influencing the cleanliness of your water coolers

The water in most coolers is sourced from fresh springs, at Selsius we source our bottled water from the deepest borehole of any 19-litre source in the whole country. Water, fresh from the source goes through as little processing as possible ensuring a fresh, pleasant taste with natural minerals still intact.

However, all water dispensers and coolers can be impacted by environmental factors and need to be cleaned and maintained to avoid this. The following factors can influence the quality of water in your coolers, further highlighting the importance of regular cleaning and maintenance.

Sunlight

If water is left in direct sunlight, even for a short period of time, it will begin to turn green, and algae may form. This isn’t just when water is exposed to air, bottle water on a cooler placed by a sunny window can be a breeding ground for algae and bacteria. When installing our coolers, we can advise the best location for your coolers to ensure direct sunlight is not a problem. Or if you’re concerned about sunlight, we do recommend our bottle water cover which helps to preserve the freshness of the water.

Humidity

Water cooler mechanisms generate heat and this in time will lead to humidity building up within the system’s components. The mechanisms and interior of the machine should be cleaned periodically to minimise the build up of humidity and the potential for bacterial growth in these areas.

Contact contamination

While there are touchless water coolers available, many models require touch to activate them and, in all likelihood, will be touched in passing by many people throughout the day. Similarly, when bottles are transferred there is a small possibility of germ transfer or contamination at the point where the bottle connects to the dispenser. You cannot be sure of the hand washing regimens of all people who come into contact with your coolers, so regular cleaning really is essential to ensure they are properly maintained.

Airborne contamination

Like all surfaces, dust and grime can and will settle on your water coolers. Regular wipe downs keep the machine clean and in good working order, as it minimises the risk of the dust getting inside the machine and impacting its ability to work.

Deep cleaning your water cooler

To ensure a clean and healthy supply of water you’ll need to consider every element of your cooler and ensure it is sanitised and thoroughly cleaned to ensure any risk of harmful bacteria is removed. The exterior of the unit should be regularly wiped down while the interior of the machine may need to be cleaned by professionals when carrying out a full service or using a cleaning function built into your machine.

Bacteria thrive in drip trays as they provide the perfect breeding ground, so ensure stagnant water is never allowed to build up and clean your trays out as regularly as possible. Taps also require regular cleaning as they are a high-contact surface, used so frequently and as already mentioned, you can’t check the handwashing habits of everyone who uses them. Finally, remember your water cooler filters should also be changed at least every six months or in line with your cooler manufacturer’s guidelines. If left, they can impact the quality of the water and over time, it can even become undrinkable.

Professional cleaning and maintenance for your water coolers

While you can, and should, carry out the most basic cleaning and care for your water coolers, when it comes to deep cleaning and internal maintenance, it makes best sense to work with a professional partner. Experienced engineers like those in our team know exactly what issues to look for and how to provide a full service, as well as required maintenance for your coolers.

Renting your water products from Selsius includes our expert-level installation and maintenance services. Our friendly British Water Cooler Association (BWCA) accredited engineers will provide regular maintenance and servicing, ensuring your products are in the best condition and thoroughly clean.

Offering refreshing drinking water to everyone in your workplace is a great idea, but only if you can ensure what you’re offering is definitely fresh and clean. Without regular cleaning and maintenance, you can’t make this guarantee.