How to Clean a Commercial Deep Fryer: Daily Care and the Boil-Out

Oil is one of the most expensive consumables in a commercial kitchen, and how you clean the fryer decides how long that oil lasts. A dirty fryer also browns food unevenly, carries flavours between batches, and builds up the carbon and old oil that make fryers a fire risk.

We went through the operating manuals for fryers from Frymaster, Pitco, Dean, Waldorf, Roband and Woodson. They agree on the principles and disagree on the details, so the first rule is simple: follow the manual for your model. This guide covers what the manufacturers have in common, where they differ, and the safety rules none of them bend. It is general information, not a substitute for your fryer’s instructions.

Every day: filter, skim and wipe

• Filter the oil at least once a day, and more often when the fryer is in constant use. Frymaster and Dean say at least daily, and Roband says daily when the fryer is in constant use. Waldorf says at the end of each day, or at the end of each shift on a heavy frying schedule.
• Skim crumbs through service. Burnt particles left in the oil break it down faster. Pitco notes that filtration extends oil life.
• Empty crumb trays and filter pans into a fireproof container. Pitco and Frymaster both warn that the food particles can spontaneously combust.
• Top up with fresh oil as the level drops. Waldorf recommends adding fresh oil daily so the tank’s contents turn over every three to five days.
• Wipe down the cabinet and surrounds, and don’t let grease build up around the flue.
• Clean and dry the baskets before they go back on.

If you run a busy fry station, dedicated oil filtration equipment makes the daily filter quicker and safer than hand-draining into buckets. The Waldorf 800 Series Filtamax units, for example, are mobile filters on castors with a reversible pump and a reusable filter bag.

Make the oil last longer

The manuals are consistent about what shortens oil life:

• Heat. Pitco recommends a maximum oil temperature of 190°C and warns that at 205°C to 210°C oil lasts only a third as long. Roband and Waldorf both suggest turning the fryer down to 140°C during quiet periods.
• Salt and water. Salt food after frying and away from the fryer, never over the vat. Shake off ice and excess moisture before food goes in.
• Copper and brass. Waldorf, Roband and Woodson all say to keep copper and brass utensils out of the oil.

Replace oil that smokes, foams, darkens heavily or turns gummy. Old oil is more than a quality problem: Pitco, Roband and Woodson all warn that it has a lower flash point and is prone to surge boiling.

The boil-out, step by step

Daily filtering removes crumbs. It doesn’t remove the layer of old, hardened oil that bakes onto the walls of the pot. A boil-out does: you heat water and a fryer cleaner in the empty pot to lift it off.

The steps below are common to the manuals we reviewed. The temperatures, times and products vary by model, so check yours at each step.

1. Turn the fryer off and drain the oil into your filter unit or a metal container rated for hot oil, as your manual directs. Never use plastic. If you’re draining oil to discard it, let it cool first: WorkSafe WA advises against draining oil at 40°C or more.
2. Remove baskets and racks, and clear sediment from the pot with a long-handled brush, taking care not to strike the temperature probe or high-limit.
3. Fill with water to the level your manual specifies, usually the oil-level line. On electric fryers, make sure the elements are lowered into the pot.
4. Add the cleaner your manufacturer specifies, at their dose. Waldorf calls for a commercial cleaner specifically formulated for fryers and says all-purpose cleaners are not recommended. Waldorf, Roband and Woodson all say not to use caustic cleaners.
5. Heat to the boil-out setting. Many fryers have a dedicated boil mode. Stay with the fryer the whole time, keep the water above the elements or burner tubes, and turn it down if it starts to foam.
6. Let it work for the time your manual gives, then scrub with a brush suited to the pot. Waldorf specifies a stiff nylon brush and no wire brushes; Frymaster and Woodson say no steel wool or abrasive pads on stainless steel.
7. Drain the solution, but never through a built-in filter system. Frymaster warns that boil-out solution will damage it.
8. Rinse with clean water, usually twice. If your manual includes a vinegar rinse to neutralise the cleaner, add it here.
9. Dry everything completely: the pot, the elements and the drain. Water left in the pot makes hot oil spatter when you refill.
10. Refill with fresh or filtered oil to the correct level before you heat the fryer.

What the manuals actually say

To show how much procedures differ, here is what the manuals we reviewed specify for the heating, timing and rinse steps.

The differences are real. Pitco says the water should never be allowed to boil because it can splash over; Dean says to bring it to a boil. Some manuals use vinegar to neutralise the cleaner and others don’t mention it. None of them is wrong for its own fryer, which is exactly why you shouldn’t borrow one brand’s settings for another.

How often should you boil out?

For a busy commercial fryer, weekly is the most common recommendation: Waldorf, Dean and the Frymaster 1814 manual all say weekly, with Waldorf adding more often if usage is very high. Pitco’s Solstice and SELV manuals say monthly, and more often for heavy or battered frying. One older Frymaster manual ties the boil-out to every oil change.

Our equipment maintenance checklist schedules a weekly boil-out alongside daily filtering. Adjust it to your manual and your volume.

Countertop fryers are different

Countertop units are not built for a boil-out. The Roband Frypod and Woodson countertop manuals give no boil-out procedure. Both say the fryer must be cleaned daily, is not waterproof, and must never be hosed down or immersed. Both also rule out caustic and abrasive cleaners.

Roband’s manual also warns that immersing a hot element in oil could cause a fire, so follow its cool-down instructions whenever you remove or refit the element. Browse our bench fryers for countertop models.

Gas and electric fryers

Electric fryers often have elements that tilt up for cleaning, which gives you easy access to the pot. Lower them again before a boil-out so they sit under the water, never drain with the power or elements on, and dry the elements as well as the pot.

Gas fryers need the burner tubes scrubbed during the boil-out and kept under the water. The flue area runs very hot and collects grease, so keep it clean and don’t bang baskets against it. Pitco’s Solstice manual includes a weekly flue check, and burners and flues should be inspected by a qualified technician: Waldorf says every six months, Frymaster at least annually.

The safety rules that don’t change

Across the manuals and the WorkSafe guidance, the same rules come up again and again:

• Never add water to hot oil. Pitco warns that violent boiling can occur, and Frymaster that the oil can splatter and cause severe burns.
• Never leave a boil-out unattended, and watch for foaming.
• Never run a fryer with the elements or burner tubes exposed, whether it’s full of oil or water.
• Wear the right gear. Pitco specifies an apron, heat-resistant gloves and goggles. WorkSafe ACT’s procedures add a face shield, elbow-length rubberised gloves and non-slip, closed-toe shoes.
• Use metal containers, never plastic. WorkSafe WA advises filling them no more than half full.
• Don’t hose fryers down. Pitco says not to use a water jet, and countertop units are not waterproof.

WorkSafe WA also recommends writing a safe work procedure for operating and cleaning your fryers, based on the manufacturer’s instructions. Put it on the wall next to the fry station.

Food safety obligations

Standard 3.2.2 of the Food Standards Code requires equipment to be kept free of built-up grease, food waste and dirt, with food-contact surfaces clean and sanitary, and equipment in good repair and working order. There’s no fryer-specific clause, but a fryer caked in carbon fails the general rule. Our guide to commercial kitchen requirements in Australia covers the wider compliance picture.

When it’s time to replace the fryer

If the pot is pitted, the thermostat won’t hold temperature, or the oil breaks down in days no matter how well you look after it, it may be time to replace the fryer. Browse our commercial fryers, including Frymaster and Pitco models. SilverChef finance is available if you’d rather spread the cost.

Talk to Commercial Kitchen Company in Brisbane (1/1 Carol Avenue, Springwood) or on the Gold Coast (88 Upton Street, Bundall), call 1300 CKC 000, or get in touch.

This guide summarises manufacturer and WorkSafe guidance as at October 2026 and is general information only. Always follow the operating manual for your fryer model and your own safe work procedures.

Commercial Kitchen Company is the go-to source for high-quality hospitality supplies and equipment in Australia. As a proud, Australian-owned business, we cater to a diverse range of hospitality needs, including restaurants, cafes, catering services, and hotels in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Our extensive selection in our showrooms highlights everything from advanced commercial kitchen equipment to essential front-of-house products, all aimed at enhancing the efficiency and appeal of your business.