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How to Maintain Your
Bottled Water Cooler  . . .

Click Here To Download A Printable File!

Here are the simple steps you can follow to make sure your cooler is clean and ready to receive the high-quality water provided by your bottled water company.

Before You Begin
The most convenient time to clean your cooler is when a bottle is empty.

Before you begin cleaning the reservoir of your water dispensing equipment, have the following suggested items handy:

  1. Clean rubber gloves.
  2. Lint-free paper towels or other clean, dry lint-free cloths or towels.
  3. Clean dish-type scrub brush, with a long handle to help you reach the bottom of the reservoir.
  4. Plastic scrubbing pad. Never use soaps or detergents, steel wool, or other abrasives on your reservoir!
  5. Measuring spoon, one teaspoon volume.
  6. Calibrated container, e.g. 2 gallon pail.
  7. Unscented household liquid bleach.
  8. Clean 1 gallon container filled with bottled water.

    bullet Step One: UNPLUG THE POWER CORD.
    bullet Step Two:  Remove the bottle. If there is still water in the bottle, make sure that you cap or cover the bottle for re-use.
    bullet Step Three:  From the COLD FAUCET drain all water from the cooler into a bucket. Discard this water.
    bullet Step Four:  Remove the cooler top. If the cooler is equipped with a no-spill device, it may need to be removed first. Look in the reservoir to see if there is a removable baffle. If there is, remove the baffle.
    bullet Step Five:  If there is water remaining in the cooler, drain it out. If the reservoir has an ice ring in it, add hot water to melt the ring and completely drain the reservoir. Do not spill water outside of the reservoir into the interior of the cooler.
    bullet Step Six:  Prepare a cleaning solution in the calibrated container by adding one teaspoon of unscented household liquid bleach to each gallon of water.
    bullet Step Seven: Wearing clean rubber gloves, immerse the lint-free towel and/or scrub brush into the cleaning solution from the towel and aggressively clean all surfaces of the reservoir interior. Do not pour the cleaning solution directly into the reservoir.
    bullet Step Eight: Rinse the reservoir. Carefully fill the reservoir, with bottled water from the 1 gallon container, to 1/2 inch from the top of the reservoir. Completely drain the rinse water from the reservoir through the cold faucet.
    bullet Step Nine: Use the same cleaning solution brush and/or cloth to clean the baffle, the cooler top, drip receptor and faucets. If your cooler is equipped with a no-spill device, it should be cleaned with this same cleaning solution. Take care not to get the air filter wet. Use the clean 1 gallon container filled with bottled water to thoroughly rinse these parts.
    bullet Step Ten: Wearing the rubber gloves, re-install all parts: baffle, cooler top, faucets if removed and no-spill device (if equipped).
    bullet Step Eleven: Place a bottle back on the cooler and drain two cups of water from each faucet, or until there is no evidence of a chlorine taste and/or odor. Dry all spilled water on the cooler and the floor.
    bullet Step Twelve: Plug the cooler back into the electrical outlet, Allow forty-five (45) minutes for the water to reach the appropriate temperature.

    If you have followed these steps, you'll now have a clean cooler. And, you've taken an active role in preserving the quality of the equipment you use to dispense your high-quality bottled water.