Equipment focus: Keeping it clean

Research carried out by Cask Marque last year showed that 40 per cent of glassware in pubs is dirty - in other words, it was found to have a film on the glass.

The Bar Aid range by Hobart has been launched to offer convenient glass and ware-washing solutions for the smaller, independent outlets.

Built in Hobart's German factory, the range of machines has been specially designed to deliver market-leading quality at competitive prices.

Tim Bender, national warewashing manager at Hobart, offers some tips for consistently sparkling glassware:

• The process of washing glassware is precise and disciplined. The quality of the wash depends on the condition of the water, which ideally should be softened or demineralised - so choose a glasswasher with an integral water softener for the best results.
• Use good-quality detergents and rinse aids, dosed in the right quantities. If the dosage is too little, soiling will not be removed and if too much is applied, streaking and spotting will occur. Choose a glasswasher fitted with good-quality, accurate rinse aid and detergent dosing pumps.
• Glassware must be handled correctly, so wash glasses in a compartmentalised or tilted glass rack. This will stop them from rubbing against each other, and prevent pooling of residual water on the base of the inverted glasses, which can cause marks or stains once they are dry.
• Do not wash dessert glasses such as ice-cream sundae dishes in the glasswasher. Glasswashing detergents are not designed to remove the fat content and the machine components will soon become coated in grease, leading to poor results.