Cups and bowls

Reusables warewashing in foodservice

Perfectly clean plastic cups and bowls. In less than two minutes. Perfectly clean and hygienically safe to stack. That’s the way to wash reusables!

Winterhalter Reusables warewashingKey visual

Increasing numbers of foodservice establishments are providing food and drinks in plastic reusables. Some do so to comply with legal requirements to reduce single-use packaging. Others for reasons of safety to minimise the danger of glass breakage and associated injuries. Still others are primarily concerned with sustainability and taking active steps to avoid waste. But they all have one thing in common: the wish to adopt a professional solution for washing reusables. Winterhalter has developed this solution and can now also ensure perfect cleanliness and hygiene for cups and bowls.

What are the advantages of reusables warewashing with Winterhalter?

Perfectly clean

Spotlessly clean reusables. Whether it’s dried milk foam in cups or sticky quinoa residue in bowls.

Everything is washed off in no time

Clean reusables in less than two minutes. Up to 25 cups or 8 bowls per wash cycle.

Hygienic stacking

Optimised drying without a long wait. The reusables can be stacked and stored in a hygienically safe way.

The system solution for reusables warewashing

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Warewasher

The amount of reusables to be washed is different in every foodservice establishment. This simple fact prompted Winterhalter to develop a solution that is compatible with undercounter, passthrough and conveyor dishwashers. The solution can be retrofitted und is available for various machine sizes. The relevant parameters – temperature, water pressure and wash time – in the reusables warewashing programme are all configured for plastics. The result: spotlessly clean reusables in less than two minutes.

> Learn more

Wash rack

Winterhalter's special reusables racks keep cups and bowls in the ideal position and ensure they remain stable during the wash cycle. This prevents them from tipping and filling with water, even when exposed to high water pressure. Excess water drains reliably as well. If only a few cups or lids need to be washed, there are different inserts for bistro racks.

> Learn more

Detergents and rinse aids

Chemicals from Winterhalter ensure first-class wash results, including for reusables warewashing. F 420 e, a highly concentrated and eco-friendly detergent, guarantees cleanliness and hygiene at the highest level. The B 170 XD rinse aid is the perfect match: specially developed for plastics, it plays a crucial role in reusables warewashing and ensures that the water film runs off perfectly.

> Learn more

Drying device

Winterhalter has developed the DMX drying device to meet the highest drying standards for reusables warewashing. It is the perfect solution when continuously washing one rack after another and there is no time or space to air dry the freshly washed reusables. Within two minutes, the dishes are dried so perfectly that they can be stacked and stored immediately.

> Learn more

Warewasher
The amount of reusables to be washed is different in every foodservice establishment. This simple fact prompted Winterhalter to develop a solution that is compatible with undercounter, passthrough and conveyor dishwashers. The solution can be retrofitted und is available for various machine sizes. The relevant parameters – temperature, water pressure and wash time – in the reusables warewashing programme are all configured for plastics. The result: spotlessly clean reusables in less than two minutes.

> Learn more
Wash rack
Winterhalter's special reusables racks keep cups and bowls in the ideal position and ensure they remain stable during the wash cycle. This prevents them from tipping and filling with water, even when exposed to high water pressure. Excess water drains reliably as well. If only a few cups or lids need to be washed, there are different inserts for bistro racks.

> Learn more
Detergents and rinse aids
Chemicals from Winterhalter ensure first-class wash results, including for reusables warewashing. F 420 e, a highly concentrated and eco-friendly detergent, guarantees cleanliness and hygiene at the highest level. The B 170 XD rinse aid is the perfect match: specially developed for plastics, it plays a crucial role in reusables warewashing and ensures that the water film runs off perfectly.

> Learn more
Drying device
Winterhalter has developed the DMX drying device to meet the highest drying standards for reusables warewashing. It is the perfect solution when continuously washing one rack after another and there is no time or space to air dry the freshly washed reusables. Within two minutes, the dishes are dried so perfectly that they can be stacked and stored immediately.

> Learn more

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THE CHALLENGES OF REUSABLES WAREWASHING

DRYING
Plastic has a very low heat storage capacity. This means that the cups and bowls are unable to use the wash temperature for drying and therefore emerge from the machine dripping wet – unless a special rinse aid is used.
TIPPING
Standard racks are exposed to high water pressure during washing, which can easily cause the lightweight cups to tip over. This means they cannot be cleaned thoroughly and, in the worst case, remain filled with wash water.
SOILING
When it comes to food and drinks for takeout, it often takes a long time before the used reusables make it to the warewasher. The result: food residues or milk foam will have dried up, making cleaning more difficult.
POSITIONING
Bowls are not held securely in standard racks and can easily become displaced or tip over during washing. This prevents proper drainage of water and may even lead to the bowls becoming filled with wash water.

The reusables warewashing solutions from Winterhalter

What kind of reusables do you wash and how often? The search for the perfect warewashing solution hinges on precisely this question. Broadly speaking, there are three different use cases.


Place of use	Foodservice with take-away	Swimming pool Nursery school Chain restaurants Event catering (up to approx. 2,500 guests)	Stadium Festival Major event (from approx. 2,500 visitors)
Quantity of items to be washed	low	high	very high
Usage	Cups and bowls	Cups and bowls	Cups
Machines	UC undercounter warewasher (alternatively PT)	PT passthrough dishwasher (alternatively UC)	CTR and MTR conveyor dishwasher
Racks	Bistro rack with cup insert Reusables rack	Reusables rack	Reusables rack
Drying	B 170 XD rinse aid and air drying	B 170 XD rinse aid and DMX external drying device	B 170 XD rinse aid and drying units in the machine

CERTIFIED HYGIENE SAFETY

The Winterhalter solutions for washing plastic reusables ensure maximum hygiene safety: All warewashers produce wash results that meet the requirements for microbiological and hygienic safety according to DIN EN 17735 or DIN 10544 and have been awarded the relevant hygiene certificate. Provided the appliances are operated properly, the wash results are hygienically impeccable and comply with the official rules and recommendations.

NOTE ABOUT DRYING

Plastic has a low heat storage capacity, so drying is a particularly important consideration in reusables warewashing. Especially when there is no special drying device or drying unit available. In these cases, it is essential to take care that the reusables dry completely in the air before they are stacked for storage. This prevents any mould growth due to residual moisture.

Reusables and their advantages

Cost-effective
Plastic reusables are, firstly, less expensive than crockery, glass and many types of single-use containers. And, secondly, they do not break when they are dropped, which can result in additional costs.

Safe
Plastic reusables are extremely safe and virtually unbreakable, which almost completely eliminates the risk of injury. They are therefore the safe alternative for swimming pools, sporting events and nursery schools.

Sustainable
Plastic reusables are a sustainable alternative to single-use dishes. Provided production is environmentally friendly, they are recyclable, are used multiple times and are washed efficiently.

Legally compliant
Lawmakers are increasingly tightening their directives and regulations with the aim of reducing unnecessary and avoidable packaging waste. Where this is heading is clear: the future belongs to reusable solutions.

Winterhalter Reusables warewashing – Bottle washing with UC warewashers

You want to wash bottles?

Restaurants are increasingly serving water to their guests in their own bottles or carafes. Winterhalter has developed a professional warewashing solution specifically for this purpose: for certified hygiene safety. Available as a retrofit for all Winterhalter UC Series undercounter warewashers.

Learn more about bottle washing

SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH YOUR EXPERT!

We want you to be totally confident in your decision to choose Winterhalter. Our warewashing experts will be happy to show you which reusables warewashing solution is the best one for you. Simply call or email us.

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Answers to the most frequently asked questions about reusables warewashing

Can I just wash reusables by hand?

Washing by hand should actually be shunned in the foodservice industry – no matter whether it is glasses, plates or reusables. Transmission of germs can only be prevented – and hygiene safety guaranteed – by a warewasher’s automated processes.

Are all plastic reusables warewasher safe?

No. There is a difference between ‘suitable for warewashers’ and ‘warewasher safe’: only reusables that have been officially tested in accordance with the DIN standard may be labelled as ‘dishwasher-safe’ and marked with the corresponding water jet symbol.

Are scratches and discolouration on reusables problematic from a hygienic perspective?

That depends on the extent of damage. Plastic reusables have softer surfaces compared to glass or crockery, so they are also more susceptible to scratching – for example when using a knife for cutting. Germs can accumulate in these scratches and cause discolouration. Plastic reusables should therefore be inspected regularly and removed if they are badly damaged to ensure hygienically safe wash results.

Do I need to buy a new warewasher for reusables?

No, retrofitting is simple and cost-effective with the system solution from Winterhalter: for all undercounter, passthrough and rack conveyor dishwashers.

How often can plastic reusables be washed?

This varies and depends on the manufacturer and the product itself: a rule of thumb is that reusable plastic cups should withstand up to around 1,000 wash cycles. Plastic bowls are good for up to 500 wash cycles and stainless steel cutlery up to 3,000.

What must I consider when selecting reusables?

Reusables for the foodservice industry must fulfil a wide range of requirements: Of course they should be antibacterial, tasteless and odour-neutral. What’s more, they need to be airtight, leak-proof, provide thermal insulation and be suitable for microwaves and freezer compartments. Dishes must be stackable in a compact manner to ensure easy handling in fooodservice establishments. And: to maintain proper hygiene, they should offer maximum scratch resistance and, of course, be warewasher safe – as smooth as possible and without sharp edges, blind spots or indentations where pools of water can form.

Reusables warewashing in foodservice

What are the advantages of reusables warewashing with Winterhalter?