How Often Are Dairy Queen Blizzard Machines Actually Cleaned?

In hot weather, ice cream is always a good idea, and a Dairy Queen Blizzard is a tempting choice. That said, there are some unfortunate rumors out there about the machines being cleaned infrequently, if at all. Rest assured, the machines do get cleaned regularly. Exactly how regularly, though, is somewhat nuanced. First, it's essential to note that Dairy Queen Blizzards require two separate machines: the soft-serve machine makes the ice cream base, while the Blizzard machine blends in toppings.

One technical document for Dairy Queen's hands-free Blizzard machine mentions daily cleaning that takes 10 minutes. A Dairy Queen location's TikTok showing an employee cleaning a Blizzard machine features a comment from the account stating, "We rinse the spindle constantly throughout the day but do all 3 steps (wash, rinse, and sanitize) at least every 4 hours and at close." Some staff say they normally clean the Blizzard machines every half hour or so with sanitizer, and others emphasize cleaning the spindle between each use.

Additional online anecdotes may shed light on cleaning protocol for the base ice cream machines that Blizzards use. A Reddit user labeled as an area manager claims that cleaning frequency guidelines are established by machine manufacturers and health departments. However, this Reddit thread also claims that the rate in which employees clean the equipment is purportedly controlled by each location's owner. Staff answers online describing how often their store cleans base ice cream machines range from every two or three days to once a week.

Plenty of DQ staff on the internet explain their procedure for cleaning the base machine, which is so involved that some joke that they're basically mechanics. One TikTok clip showing a time-lapse of the base machine procedure says it takes an hour and a half. Some folks also have very specific orders, like the secret DQ Blizzard that tastes like banana bread. Staff often clean machines after they've been used for anything with a strong flavor.

Essentially, while there's no way to know exactly how often your local Dairy Queen branch cleans its machines, if it's being properly run, it should do so regularly. If you have any doubts, you can ask staff at your location, and any ice cream that doesn't taste so good warrants visiting another branch. With over 4,000 Dairy Queen locations inside the U.S., it shouldn't be too difficult to find another spot to satisfy your ice cream craving.