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Proper wine fermentation, aging, and bottling depend on a clean and sanitary manufacturing environment. Winery sanitation systems ensure your wine cellar and equipment meet proper sanitization standards to produce high-quality wine. The most effective winery cleaners use high-temperature, high-pressure steam to clean and disinfect every corner of the wine cellar so that the next batch is high-quality and free from contamination. Here, we explain the steps of using steam to sterilize your wine cellar and explore why steam cleaning is ideal for wine cellar maintenance.
Steps for Sterilizing Wine Cellars With Steam
Wine cellar sanitization has unique requirements. The following steps will ensure a clean, sterile wine cellar using steam cleaning.
1. Initial Cleaning
Start the cleaning process by removing visible coarse debris and wine remnants from the surfaces of the cellar. Microorganisms, invisible to the human eye, can collect on winemaking equipment and spoil batches of wine during the winemaking process. Winemakers usually wash equipment using a soaking process, followed by gentle agitation to remove debris before sanitation.
2. Steam Sanitization
Steam at high temperatures and pressures is ideal for sanitizing wine cellars. It eliminates mold, yeast, and bacteria in the wine cellar without using chemical agents. Winemakers can safely apply steam to every surface in the wine cellar, including bottling lines and equipment, steel wine tanks, and wood barrels.
3. Monitor for Yeast and Bacteria
Then, monitor the wine cellar and equipment for the presence of any remaining mold, bacteria, and yeast. Use testing methods tailored to your specific needs to prevent contamination issues in the winemaking process.
4. Aerate the Cellar
After sanitizing the wine cellar, ventilate it to lower the humidity in the space. Proper ventilation controls temperatures in the cellar and sets the conditions for perfectly aged wine.
5. Maintaining the Cellar
Routine cleaning and sanitization of the wine cellar is critical in preventing unwanted microbial growth. Equipment and surfaces require frequent cleaning and maintenance to produce high-quality wine.
Why Use Steam for Wine Cellar Sterilization
Steam cleaning is one of the most environmentally friendly methods for sanitizing wine cellars, bottles, and equipment. Its efficacy and minimal environmental impact compared to conventional chemical cleaners and ozone treatments demonstrate why winemakers choose steam. Using high-temperature, high-pressure steam with very little water, steam sterilization is particularly effective at eliminating hidden microorganisms, mold, yeast, and bacteria lurking in hard-to-reach crevices and surfaces.
Contact Electro-Steam for Winery-Specific Steam Sanitation Equipment
Steam plays an important role in wine cellar maintenance and sterilization. After the initial removal of debris and wine remnants, steam cleaning eliminates yeast, mold, and bacteria, providing a sanitary surface in the wine cellar and on equipment for the next batch of wine. It is an environmentally friendly, safe method of cleaning that offers the same or better sanitization performance as conventional techniques.
Electro-Steam carries a line of winery cleaners and sanitation systems. Each one of our steam generators comes with the following features and benefits:
- Stainless steel cabinet with electrical panel
- 5-year warranty on chambers, 1-year warranty on other components
- 98% efficiency without feedwater preheating
- ASME, UL, cUL, CE, or CRN compliance
- 2-4 week production
Contact us to speak with a specialist about our wine cellar maintenance solutions, or schedule a free demo to see how our steam sterilization equipment can benefit your winery.
