Spring is coming and with it, everybody’s favorite yearly event. No, not the start of daylight savings time, although that’s nice, too. We’re talking about spring cleaning, that age-old tradition that offers an opportunity to clear out the old and enjoy a sense of fresh, clean newness.
For vending machine operators, this is the perfect time to clean your machines, something that is ever-important but all too easy to put off. To make the process as easy as possible, we’ve put together this guide to cleaning your vending machine.
How Often Should You Clean Your Vending Machine?
There are several factors that play into how often you should clean a vending machine including its location, the products sold in the machine, and usage. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to do a full deep clean about every three months or so. This will ensure that the machine remains in good functioning condition, looks good, and is hygienic for your customers.
In addition to cleaning, it’s also important to conduct routine maintenance on the machine, including checking the refrigeration system and restocking products so they’re fresh. This will improve the customer experience, helping you retain your customers.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning Your Vending Machine
Before you go to the vending machine site to begin cleaning, it’s important to do two things:
- Gather the necessary supplies including warm water, a cloth, a cleaning solution of your choice, and a vacuum or broom.
- Check inventory so you know what will need to be restocked. This will help save you time so you don’t have to visit the machine twice.
If you’re not already using one, a vending machine management app such as Nayax’s MoMa Vending Machine and Inventory Management App allows you to monitor your vending machine remotely so you always know the state of your inventory without having to make the trip and check manually for yourself. You can even set up alerts to get updates when stock is running low or any other issues arise.
Ask us about our inventory management tools
When you arrive at your machine, here are the steps you should take to complete your spring cleaning:
- Turn off and unplug the vending machine.
- Vacuum or sweep the area around the vending machine.
- Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe down the exterior of the vending machine, paying special attention to high-touch areas such as the buttons and the dispensing tray.
- Use a glass cleaner to clean the window.
- If there are any stains or grime, wipe them away with a cleaning solution.
- Empty the product trays.
- Clean the product trays with your cleaning solution. Wipe down the product dispensing mechanisms to remove any residue.
- Clean the payment mechanism or vending machine card reader whether it be VPOS Touch, Onyx, or another solution, using a soft cloth and cleaning solution to remove any dust or grime.
Now that your machine is clean there are a few more steps to take to get it up and running again in top shape.
Getting Your Machine Back to Work After Spring Cleaning
First, you’ll want to restock your machine with fresh, new products. This includes checking the expiration dates of the products in the machine and removing any that are past their sell-by date.
There’s nothing more frustrating than having to throw out a third of your machine’s products because they’ve expired. To prevent this from happening in the future, use a vending machine management system like Nayax’s Vending Management System keep track of your stock and each item’s expiration date.
When you notice that something is getting close to expiring, you can use Monyx Wallet, a vending machine payment app, to promote it to your customers. For example, you might offer a discount on products that are nearing their expiration date to motivate customers to buy them so you can clear them out of your machine before it’s too late.
With this method, the spring cleaning restocking phase should be much quicker – and create much less waste.
Last but not least, it’s time to turn the vending machine back on and test it to make sure it’s functioning properly. Now your customers can enjoy a freshly stocked, clean and hygienic machine.
Keeping Your Vending Machine Clean Keeps Customers Happy and Boosts your Bottom Line
Vending machines are a great solution for making money and keeping customers happy (and full!). But, to make sure you’re getting the most out of your machine, it’s important to stay on top of cleaning it as well as checking the products on a regular basis.
Learn more about how Nayax can help you stay on top of your vending machine needs at all times here.
Happy spring!