How do you clean a water dispenser?
- Turn off and unplug the appliance.
- Prepare what you need.
- Buy or make your cleaning solution.
- Drain all water from the reservoir.
- Scrub the exterior of your dispenser.
- Clean the components of the reservoir with your cleaning solution.
- Rinse the reservoir with clean water.
- Check that there is no aftertaste.
- Return components to the machine and plug back in.
A water dispenser may look tough to clean, and unfortunately, many people neglect to do so simply because it seems like a lot of work.
But in reality, it’s not hard at all! It’s one of the easiest things to maintain in your kitchen!
Whether you have a top-loading or bottom-loading water dispenser, the steps are quite straightforward, and only slightly change depending on your specific water dispenser model. Here’s how to clean a water dispenser.
Turn off and unplug the appliance
The first step is, of course, turning off and unplugging the appliance to avoid any issues with electricity.
Remember you will be working with water, which is a conductor, so you should take extra care to make sure that your water dispenser is off and isn’t connected to any outlets.
Prepare what you need
To clean your dispenser, you’ll need a scrubbing brush, a washcloth, gloves, disinfecting wipes, cleaning solution (which you can buy or make, and we’ll discuss it further in the next section), the instruction manual for your machine, and maybe a screwdriver, depending on your unit.
Buy or make your cleaning solution
For the cleaning solution, you can buy bleach, disinfecting solution, or mildew remover from any supermarket or store. You can also make a simple solution out of vinegar and water: 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts water, mixed well and placed in a spray bottle for easy application.
Drain all water from the reservoir
This is imperative to make sure your cleaning solution doesn’t become diluted. Make sure that there is no water left in your reservoir by turning on the tap until no water comes out.
Scrub the exterior of your dispenser
Spray on your cleaning solution and use a washcloth to scrub the exterior of your dispenser. After rinsing the washcloth, soak it in the cleaning solution and wipe down the valve where water comes out, as well as the place where the bottle goes.
Clean the components of the reservoir with your cleaning solution
For a top-loading machine: To clean the internal parts of the reservoir, remove the filter and water guard / no-spill adapter (where the water jug rests upon), and remove the baffe and drip tray.
Clean these thoroughly with a scrubbing brush, or you can wash them with gentle dishwashing soap and water. Fill the reservoir with your cleaning solution and scrub its sides clean, then drain the solution out.
For a bottom-loading machine: Pour your cleaning solution into the water bottle and reattach it to fill the reservoir with solution instead of drinking water. Let the mixture sit inside the reservoir for at least 10 minutes before draining it fully. In the meantime, remove the drip tray and scrub it clean.
Rinse the reservoir with clean water
For a top-loading machine: Fill the reservoir with clean water and scrub the sides again to remove any cleaning solution residue. Drain the water again.
For a bottom-loading machine: Rinse the water bottle fully and fill it with clean water. Reattach it and allow the reservoir to fill again. Drain the water with spigots and the drain valve until it is fully empty.
Check that there is no aftertaste
For either a top-loading or bottom-loading machine, put a little clean water in, dispense and taste it to make sure there is no aftertaste. If the water doesn’t taste right yet, repeat the previous step and rinse the reservoir again until the aftertaste is gone.
Return components to the machine and plug back in
For a top-loading machine: Replace the now-clean parts of the water dispenser, including the filter, water guard, baffe and drip tray. Plug in the machine.
For a bottom-loading machine: Replace the now-clean drip tray, and plug the machine back in.
Key Takeaway
Now that we’ve taught you how to clean a water dispenser, remember that this is something that should be done every time you change the water bottle, or every six weeks, whichever comes first. This is very important because we utilize the water dispenser everyday, so a lot of bacteria and dirt can collect in it.
If you’re in the market for a water dispenser, look no further than the top online appliance store in the Philippines: Hanabishi! We carry several top-loading or bottom-loading models. Many of our units provide more than just heating and cooling of water, they also come with storage cabinets or ice makers. Browse our catalog today!
