• Hygienic internal cleaning of tall vessels made from glass and plastic

• 16 bottles plus mixed crockery in every cycle

Hygiene is a key priority at the De Medemens St. Bavo retirement home in Antwerp, Belgium. At the same time, staff are keen to involve the residents in the day-to-day routine at the home. At the heart of each residential group is the kitchen, where help is always welcome – when emptying the dishwasher, for example. The machine is very similar to the sort of appliance that many of the residents will know from home, but this one can do more and is suitable for cleaning reusable bottles. Miele Professional has developed a special lower basket for this purpose, which can be inserted in just a few steps.

The manager of the home decided to stop buying in crates of bottled water some time ago and switched over completely to reusable bottles, which the staff fill with filtered water in the kitchens. Residents who find glass bottles too heavy can use plastic ones instead – no problem at all for the commercial MasterLine dishwashers from Miele Professional. Each machine can be equipped with a lower basket which holds 16 bottles and enables them to be cleaned thoroughly inside and out. Injector nozzles ensure that the water gets through the narrow bottlenecks and reaches the bottom of each bottle. “It even cleans the tricky areas that can’t be reached by hand,” says Cathi Bartsch, one of the nurses at the home. At the same time, the top level provides space for cutlery and mixed crockery such as glasses, cups and small plates.

“Miele really thinks things through,” explains Koen Lambrechts, who runs the home. In order to ensure compliance with all relevant hygiene regulations while also making work easier for the staff, it was clear to him that it was worth investing in modern technology. The APFD 210 lower basket from Miele Professional can be inserted in next to no time, allowing larger crockery or pans to be washed in the same machine – and under particularly hygienic conditions, as machines of this type supply fresh water after every wash phase. Within a short space of time, bottles and other vessels with a maximum height of 50 centimetres will be clean and ready for use again.

The new system has proven its worth to the De Medemens team. “We no longer have to get crates of bottled water delivered and hand them out to everyone in the home,” says Koen Lambrechts. Not only does this make things easier for the nursing staff, it also relieves the management of logistical tasks such as calculating quantities and placing regular orders. And last but not least, the lack of water deliveries is good for the environment as it cuts down on transport and the associated CO2 consumption.

About Miele: For more than 125 years, Miele has lived up to its brand promise of “Immer Besser” in terms of quality, innovation and timeless elegance. Founded in 1899, the globally active company for premium domestic appliances inspires customers with pioneering solutions for the connected home. In addition, Miele offers appliances, systems and services for commercial use, such as in hotels or care facilities as well as in medical technology. With its durable and energy-saving appliances, Miele helps its customers make their daily lives as sustainable as possible. The company is owned by the two founding families, Miele and Zinkann. In the 2024 business year, Miele generated a turnover of 5.04 billion Euros with approximately 23,500 employees. Its global network comprises 19 production plants and around 50 service and sales subsidiaries (as of February 2025). The company has its headquarters in Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia.