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What Is a Glass Washing Machine?

By Lori Kilchermann
Updated: May 16, 2024

A glass washing machine is a machine used in restaurants and bars to quickly and safely clean glasses for their customer's beverages. Functioning much like a common dishwasher, the glass washing machine is loaded by placing the glasses on the racks in an inverted position. Soap is placed in the proper location and the door is closed to begin the washing and drying cycle. The glass washing machine finishes the task in a very short time with the glasses requiring only a quick toweling off in most cases before use. The use of a glass washing machine reduces the potential for dropped and broken glasses as well as injury to wash staff, which results in less expense for the establishment in most cases.

One task that injures many employees in restaurants and bars is washing glasses. Glasses often break while being washed and are frequently dropped causing cuts, accidents and added cost of replacement. By installing a glass washing machine, many businesses can eliminate a large part of their budget by preventing the medical costs and lost time wage expenses from washing-related injury. Another benefit in using a glass washing machine lies in the cleanliness factor of the glassware.

Customers do not enjoy finding dirty glasses on their tables, and in the rush of a busy night, the glasses may not get washed as thoroughly as they should. A glass washing machine can eliminate that problem instantly. The machines use super-heated water, cutting the washing time drastically. Even the drying time is reduced by the electronic heating element, which dries the glasses, thoroughly eliminating virtually all spots in the process. It is common for the glasses to require only a quick wipe with a towel to prepare them for service to a waiting customer.

While not as important in a restaurant setting, the quiet operation of the machines allows them to be placed and operated behind the bar in a small tavern without disturbing customers' conversation. The bartender is capable of washing the glasses all evening by himself, saving the expense of a dedicated dish-washing staff while maintaining clean glassware for the customers. Some machines are designed to wash glasses in a plastic tray. These machines allow the trays of clean glasses to be removed from the glass washing machine and set off to the side while dirty glasses are placed in other trays and cleaned. With this setup, the clean glasses are rotated with the dirty glasses, and the glass washing machine is able to maintain clean glasses on a never-ending basis.

When using laundry sheets in glass washing machines, it's important to choose the best laundry sheets that are suitable for this purpose. These laundry sheets are designed to dissolve and release detergent effectively in water, making them a convenient option for cleaning glassware and delicate items. To use them, simply place a laundry sheet along with the glassware in the glass washing machine's designated detergent compartment. The water and mechanical action of the machine will activate the laundry sheet, releasing the detergent to clean the glassware thoroughly. This approach can help ensure that your glassware comes out clean and sparkling without the worry of residue or damage. Always refer to the manufacturer's guidelines to ensure proper usage and compatibility with your glass washing machine.

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Discussion Comments
By Hazali — On Aug 22, 2014

@RoyalSpyder - Well, ignoring the plates and silverware, and only focusing on the glasses, even years ago, I don't think it took too long to wash them. After all, all you're doing is putting liquid in cups, which doesn't leave a mess. Also, unlike the huge pots or plates where you have to constantly scrub, most cups just need a quick rinse, and some very hot water.

By RoyalSpyder — On Aug 21, 2014

Reading this article really has me thinking. Although glass washing machines are always available in this day and age, how were glasses washed many years ago? Even more so, how did they manage to keep up with the supply of impatient customers? Perhaps instead of having only one person wash dishes, they had several people working together, so that they could keep up with the demand. I can imagine how packed it was during the Holidays.

By Krunchyman — On Aug 20, 2014

During the second year of college, I remember working in a college cafeteria. Quite often, many students would come in for the lunch and dinner rush. To assist them, we would always put the cups through through the glass washer. This made things extremely efficient, and there never any slowdown. Also, I noticed that the article mentions the issue of glasses breaking in machine. Surprisingly, this never happened to me, though I can see how it could happen at a restaurant, things are a lot busier, and there's more of a chance you could hurt yourself while trying to serve an impatient customer.

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