Knowing how to clean a water cooler is half the job, and a service does the rest. Inside every dispenser the reservoir, taps and drip tray can grow a slimy film, and hard water leaves scale that dulls taste and strains the heater. Cleaning every few months keeps the water fresh and the unit running longer. Offices, clinics and schools often book a regular sanitising service. Send one request and suppliers who clean dispensers in your area quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation.
How to clean a dispenser yourself
Unplug the unit and remove the bottle. Wash the drip tray and bottle neck with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Wipe the taps and the outside with a clean cloth. For the inside, use a sanitiser made for food-contact surfaces, following the maker's instructions for strength and contact time, then flush the taps with several litres of clean water until no smell remains. Do not mix cleaning chemicals, and do not use harsh abrasives on the reservoir. Do this every time you change a bottle if the tap is touched a lot, and more thoroughly every two to three months.
When to call a professional
A service is worth booking when you cannot reach the inside of the unit yourself, or when many people share the machine. Signs it is overdue:
- A musty smell or a taste that is off.
- A pink, brown or green film around the taps or bottle neck.
- White scale or flakes near the hot tap.
- Water that runs slowly or sputters.
Clinics and kitchens often need a record of each visit. Ask for one.
What a cleaning service covers
A proper visit strips the taps, sanitises the reservoir and lines, descales the hot tank if needed, and flushes the system. On a plumbed-in dispenser the technician also checks the filter and may change it; see water dispenser filters. Many rental companies include sanitising in the monthly fee, so check your rental agreement before paying twice. Service is quoted per dispenser or per site, and the price depends on the model and how many units you have.
Comparing cleaning quotes
Ask how often the supplier recommends cleaning for your usage, what chemicals they use and whether they are safe for drinking water systems, and whether you get a dated report. Ask if call-out fees apply, what happens if a unit fails after a clean, and whether they can also handle repairs. A site with several units may get a better rate than a single call-out, and a contract with set visits is usually cheaper than ad hoc requests.
What to include in your request
- How many dispensers need cleaning
- Bottle-fed or plumbed-in, and the model
- How often you want a visit
- Any smell, film or scale you have noticed
- The suburb, town or business park
Water Dispenser Cleaning for different sites
- Households: a thorough clean of the family dispenser every few months, taps and drip tray included
- Offices and business parks: quarterly sanitising of all office dispensers, with a dated record for the facilities manager
- Schools, crèches and colleges: scheduled cleaning of staffroom and classroom units, timed for the school holidays
- Clinics, practices and care homes: documented sanitising of waiting room dispensers to meet infection control routines
- Lodges, hotels, restaurants and events: regular cleaning of guest area and kitchen units, with extra visits in peak season
- Factories, mines and building sites: heavy-duty cleaning of canteen and change house dispensers in dusty conditions
- Shops, gyms and refill stations: cleaning of the staff room and customer dispensers, done before opening or after closing
- Farms, smallholdings and villages: descaling and sanitising of farm dispensers fed with hard borehole water
Frequently asked questions
How often should a water dispenser be cleaned?
Can I clean a dispenser with vinegar?
Does the water in the bottle need cleaning?
Do you clean water dispensers?
Water Dispenser Cleaning by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg