Restaurant technology is designed to make your business run better, but it only works when properly taken care of and maintained. With COVID-19 still such a prevalent threat, restaurants are understandably increasing the frequency of their sanitization process to prioritize the health and safety of everyone who comes into their restaurant. That means more regularly wiping down every touchscreen Point of Sale device in their restaurant so as to follow proper safety procedures detailed by federal and local state governments.
When it comes to advanced restaurant technology, you may have questions about safely cleaning screens without damaging them. For devices like the KDS and Point of Sale terminal which are operated by staff members, you can have one person man each station and clean them at the end of each shift, but customer-facing devices will need to be sanitized between uses to ensure guests remain healthy and safe.
Cleaning an Elo Touchscreen
Since we at eatOS are integrated with multiple hardware manufacturers and each has their own particular instructions you should follow, we’re going to focus primarily on Elo touchscreens although the information in this article can be generalized to other brands as well. Be mindful to apply cleaning solutions that have been expressly approved by the manufacturer.
Turn your device off before cleaning it. This will ensure you don’t accidentally press any buttons or trigger the touchscreen while you’re wiping it down.
Never spray the product directly. Instead, spray a cloth to wipe it with and then do so again with a dry cloth. You don’t want to get liquids inside the device and risk damaging your hardware.
Avoid concentrated alcohol. Many vendors recommend using isopropyl alcohol that’s concentrated <70%.
Use nonabrasive cleaning wipes and cloth so you don’t scratch the screens.
Read the manual or talk to your provider in case there are specific cleaning instructions that you need to follow.
For Elo products, the CDC recommends using household bleach or isopropyl alcohol, as well as certain disinfectant wipes that are safely compatible. Reference their website for more details on how to properly clean your Elo screen.
They also list a unsafe products for restaurants to avoid, including solvents with more than 70% alcohol concentration, thinner, abrasive cleaners and detergents, and scratchy sponges and rags that might damage the surface. Again, talk to your vendor before making any decisions about how to clean your touchscreen smart devices. Sanitize regularly and be careful to keep your Point of Sale technology in top condition.
Similar Touchscreen Technology
Every manufacturer is different. eatOS has partnerships with HP and Epson along with other vendors who all require their own specific cleaning routines.
For Ingenico, they recommend using a soft cloth with soapy water for the outside of the terminal and a spray (on the cloth, not applied directly to the device itself) for the screen. Like Elo, they have their own list of products to avoid including peroxide, bleach and solutions with a concentration of isopropyl alcohol of more than 20%. Meanwhile Star Micronics has cleaning instructions that more closely align with Elo, namely powering it down first, not soaking or submerging the machine, and remaining wary of damaging the interior of the product.
Different devices require different cleaning solutions to keep your customers safe from COVID-19 without sacrificing the speed and convenience that comes with eatOS products. Do your research and ask your provider the best way to take care of your devices when you invest with them.
At eatOS, we design products to make your restaurant more efficient. Keep your hardware up and running by safely and regularly cleaning with care.
