In the restaurant industry, cleanliness is as important as food quality and customer service. Countless surveys have backed this up over the years. One poll from 2015 indicated that 75% of customers would avoid a restaurant with negative customer reviews relating to cleanliness. That figure has only increased over the years. Another study indicated that as many as 88% of New Yorkers factor health ratings into their decision when choosing where to dine out.
Quality results when cleaning a restaurant are about more than just looking nice. Restaurant cleaning procedures also need to factor in food safety, efficiency, and specific needs for different areas of the restaurant. So what do you need to know about restaurant cleanliness?
Follow this guide for a step-by-step breakdown of how to clean a restaurant effectively in.
CDC Guidelines
Last updated in 2024, the CDC Guidelines for restaurant cleaning in response to food borne illnesses focus primarily on sanitation and worker hygiene practices. Existing guidelines about food safety also remain top priorities. About 800 food borne outbreaks are reported every year, and the following guidelines emphasize:
- Cleaning and disinfecting all frequently-touched surfaces (tables, condiment holders, cash registers, etc.)
- Regularly disinfecting all eating surfaces after use
- Improved ventilation
- Limiting the number of shared items to prevent cross-contamination
- Using proper cleaning materials and chemicals in all settings
To learn more about the CDC’s official recommendations for restaurant cleanliness, visit cdc.gov.
Create a Cleaning Schedule
Creating a clear and concise cleaning schedule is the first step in efficiently getting restaurants disinfected and sanitized. Typically, a manager or someone with authority should create the schedule. This should also include a checklist of tasks that need to be completed along with their frequency.
Furthermore, every cleaner should know what tasks are assigned to them. Tasks are typically delegated based on employee skill level and preference. With a thorough cleaning schedule, your restaurant can stay organized and exceptionally efficient. Also, it can help you stay competitive in the restaurant industry.
Daily Tasks
The first type of cleaning schedule frequency is daily tasks. Understandably, these duties must be completed every day as it ensures a properly clean restaurant. In addition, these tasks do not require a great amount of time or effort. Employees can complete them during shifts or less busy hours. For example, you should thoroughly clean table surfaces and seating areas while sweeping up trash after guests leave.
Regular bathroom checks, such as hourly, for cleanliness help keep these public spaces hygienic. Paper towels and hand soap may need to be restocked at any given moment. Aside from sweeping or vacuuming after guests leave, establish a regular checking cadence for visible dust or debris from floors throughout the restaurant.
Weekly Tasks
Moving along, weekly assignments require more time and effort, such as emptying out and cleaning refrigerators and freezers.
In addition, you should de-lime your dishwasher and vacuum the smaller, harder-to-reach places. Moreover, you must clean your oven. For best results, make sure to follow your oven’s cleaning instructions. Lastly, there are front-of-house tasks that need to be completed as well, like wiping and cleaning all windows and mirrors.
Monthly Tasks
Finally, monthly cleaning tasks usually get done during less crowded hours. To begin with, you should clean behind all major restaurant equipment, like refrigerators, freezers, and ovens. Then, you should deep clean all the bathrooms.
Furthermore, you can check carpets for stains and then fully wash them. Since monthly tasks are more intensive, they must be performed by skilled individuals. Damage sustained by cleaning can lead to higher replacement fees.
Choosing the Right Cleaning Products
Before you begin the cleaning process, you must purchase the right cleaning products. In a highly-competitive restaurant industry, this can be quite important. Depending on items and types of surfaces, certain products may be more effective. You should also use products that are environmentally friendly.
Furthermore, consider buying in bulk, as prices are generally higher per item. Also, you must understand proper handling guidelines. It is essential that products are used safely and correctly. Otherwise, injuries or accidents may occur.
Here are some examples of cleaning products you must purchase:
- Mops
- Broom and dustpan
- Vacuum
- Cleaning spray
- Floor cleaner
- Cloths and towels
- Trash bags
- Sponges and brushes
How to Clean Restaurants
The importance of cleaning a restaurant is clear. But what steps actually need to be taken to clean a restaurant? Restaurants present many unique challenges because each area requires drastically different cleaning procedures. The process for how to clean a restaurant flat top grill is much different from the process of cleaning dining room tables. To make cleaning easier, follow this restaurant cleaning checklist.
Prepare Areas and Cleaning Materials
Before you can start cleaning the restaurant, you need to do some prep work. In the kitchen, this means putting away or covering any exposed food items or removing floor mats. In the dining room, you might need to clear out a few chairs and make sure that all tables are cleared off.
Remove Grease from Exhaust Fans, Air Filters, and Vents
Kitchen vents, filters, and fans tend to accumulate a lot of grease over the course of a day. Take some time to clean these by scrubbing them with a brush and warm soapy water. This process can be a bit messy. It’s best to get it out of the way first rather than making a mess after cleaning everything else.
Empty Your Grease Traps
Likewise, you should take a moment to empty any grease traps in the kitchen. Make sure the grease is properly disposed of during this process. Depending on the restaurant, it may be located underneath the sink.
If grease traps are not cleaned, serious damage can occur. It should be noted that grease trap cleaning can be dangerous and requires maximum safety and precaution.
Wash Your Kitchen Walls, Floors, and Table Tops
The kitchen usually requires more cleaning than the dining room in any restaurant. The main areas to focus on in the kitchen first are the walls, floors, and table and countertops. Each of these areas requires its own cleaning procedures. On the other hand, walls should be sprayed with a degreaser and then scrubbed.
When cleaning floors, sweep or vacuum first. This will remove large and noticeable pieces of dirt. Then, the floor should be mopped with warm water and an appropriate cleaning solution. A greasy restaurant kitchen floor can be quite dangerous, so a degreaser solution with scrubbing is often used to fix this. Also, make sure to focus on hard-to-reach areas, as they can be easily forgotten.
Table tops require a multi-step process. First, soak the surface with hot soapy water. Then, scrub the surface to remove any stains or debris before drying the table with a hand squeegee or paper towel. After the surface has been scrubbed with a paper towel, it should be sanitized so that it’s ready to be used again.
Clean Your Appliances
Every restaurant kitchen is full of countless appliances that all need their own unique cleaning. Generally speaking, a soft, damp towel and some cleaning detergent are best for cleaning appliances. However, each appliance may have its own unique cleaning procedures.
Small items like soda guns and coffee makers are equally as important as ovens and grills. While soda guns can be cleaned easily every day, larger appliances should be deep cleaned once a week. In particular, you must scrub all burners with warm water and disinfectant solution.
Sanitize Your Bathrooms and Dining Tables
Moving out of the kitchen, and the front of the house also requires regular deep cleaning. Bathrooms and dining tables should both be sanitized daily either before or after business hours. The best way to sanitize tables is to spray them with a sanitizing solution and then wipe it away using paper towels.
Start by wiping down tables and menus after use. Then, you can clean the chairs with warm water and a solution. Furthermore, trash cans must be emptied, and high-contact surfaces like doorknobs must be disinfected. Mop the floors after closing. While the back-of-house cleaning is important, customers will only see the front-of-house. Therefore, it is quite important that this area is spotless. An unclean dining area can significantly decrease customer retention and reputation.
For restrooms, start with cleaning toilets and urinals with a solution. Then, sinks, doorknobs, and flushes need to be disinfected. From there, you can restock paper towels and hand soap.
There are also monthly cleaning tasks that must be completed. You should check for grout and polish floors. Finally, you need to follow waste disposal guidelines.
Vacuum and Sweep Dust Off From Every Surface
Once all the major surfaces are clean, you can focus on sweeping and vacuuming. Just make sure to get every surface, including underneath tables and counters to prevent major dust buildup.
Make Sure to Disinfect All Areas
Last, be sure that all critical areas in the restaurant have been disinfected. This has always been an important step but has become a major point of emphasis in recent years. Important areas to disinfect include door handles, sink faucets, and POS systems.
5 Things to Consider Before Cleaning Your Restaurant
Having a clean restaurant should be a top priority for every restaurant owner. But there are several important factors to getting the most out of your cleaning practices.
Cleaning can be expensive, and it can also be difficult to find the time for it. Many restaurants ease their burden by turning to professional cleaning services. Professional cleaners understand the challenges of restaurant cleaning and are equipped to handle them. Here are some factors to consider when trying to decide how to clean a restaurant.
Areas that Require Deep Cleaning
Do certain areas of your restaurant require deep cleaning? Deep cleanings are not conducted daily, but may be conducted on a weekly or monthly basis. Some areas that might require deep cleaning include kitchen range hoods, walk-in coolers or freezers, or certain kitchen appliances.
Frequency of Cleaning
How often does your restaurant need to be cleaned? How often do you remove the floor mats and sweep what’s underneath? Some cleaning is performed as part of your daily operations. But you may perform additional cleaning tasks at other times. If you need to hire a cleaning service, the frequency of cleaning affects the cost. More frequent cleanings cost less for individual services, but you will be paying more often.
Cost of Cleaning Materials and Equipment
In many cases, hiring professional cleaning services is more cost-effective than attempting to clean your restaurant on your own. This is because cleaning a restaurant kitchen often requires a lot of expensive materials and equipment. Paying for all of these materials can be costly, with mixed results if you attempt to clean them on your own. Cleaning services, on the other hand, already have all the equipment they need and deliver great results.
Presence of Greasy Range Hoods and Flooring
Greasy floors are a problem for a couple of reasons. They look unappealing, and they are also a serious safety hazard, especially in a fast-paced kitchen. Greasy floors and range hoods require consistent deep cleaning. If you are hiring a cleaning service, be sure to affirm that they can meet this essential demand.
Customer and Staff Safety
As mentioned, a clean restaurant is about more than just looking nice. Cleanliness is also essential when it comes to food safety, customer safety, and worker safety. Consider all of these things when deciding how to clean your restaurant. This includes things like disinfecting procedures, cleaning up spills, and avoiding food contamination.
Does Restaurant Cleaning and Disinfection Cost Too Much?
Every restaurant operates on its own budget. Cleaning services are absolutely essential for several reasons. In most cases, paying for professional restaurant cleaning services is a worthwhile investment.
Cleaning companies may charge different rates depending on the type of services being performed. For instance, restaurant kitchen cleanings typically cost anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour. Light cleaning of the dining room and bathrooms, on the other hand, often ranges from $20 to $50 per hour.
The best way to learn about the cost of restaurant cleaning services is to contact cleaning companies directly.
Professional Restaurant Cleaning Services Increases ROI
There are dozens of reasons why professional restaurant cleaning services are a tremendous investment. As mentioned, having a clean restaurant improves both customer and staff experiences. It can also improve food safety standards, as well as overall sanitation.
Given the strong emphasis customers place on restaurant cleanliness, it can even improve your business. Positive online reviews are some of the most effective marketing any restaurant can have. Having a clean restaurant is one simple way to earn happy and loyal customers.
Another reason to invest in restaurant cleaning services is the quality and consistency of results. When you hire a professional cleaner, they will always have the tools and knowledge to handle your unique cleaning tasks.
Professional cleaners know how to clean a greasy restaurant kitchen floor and how to clean tables in a restaurant. All of your cleaning services are covered in one package, and you can expect to receive excellent results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you clean heavy grease?
The most effective way to clean heavy grease is by using a heavy degreaser and a sponge or brush. For a household solution, you can mix baking soda, warm water, and lemon juice.
What are 5 cleaning supplies to keep on hand in a typical restaurant?
The most essential cleaning equipment in a restaurant includes a broom and dustpan, a mop, a scrub brush, paper towels, and microfiber cloths. Metal sponges, spray bottles, and disinfectants are also very important to have.
How do you professionally clean a restaurant kitchen?
To professionally clean a restaurant kitchen, start by thoroughly scrubbing the floors, walls, and grease vents. Then, be sure to thoroughly scrub and sanitize any food prep surfaces.
What’s a good restaurant cleaning checklist?
A good restaurant cleaning checklist should include specific instructions for cleaning all floors, countertops, appliances, dining tables, and bathrooms. After cleaning, all surfaces should be disinfected.
What is the best way to clean a restaurant POS touchscreen?
Using a damp microfiber towel and a gentle (non-ammonia-based) sanitizing solution to clean POS touchscreens. Abrasive cleaners can damage the screens, causing scratches or discoloration.
What are the duties of a cleaner in a restaurant?
A restaurant cleaner has many different responsibilities. It is their job to ensure that all equipment and surfaces are properly disinfected and sanitized. Furthermore, they may complete tasks like sweeping and mopping.
How often should restaurant hoods be cleaned?
Restaurant hoods should be cleaned every month.
Can you use bleach in a restaurant kitchen?
Yes, you can use bleach in a restaurant kitchen. However, it should not be used to clean food-contact surfaces. While you are able to dilute the solution with water, there are better cleaning options.
Could Professional Restaurant Cleaning Services Help Your Business?
Every restaurant business owner should strive to have a clean restaurant. This is both a sound business decision and a matter of public health. Having a clean restaurant attracts more customers and improves employee morale. In many cases, hiring a professional cleaning crew is the best way to ensure the ROI. When it comes to deep cleaning a restaurant, a professional crew is a way to go.
For restaurants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Dallas Janitorial Services offers the most reliable professional restaurant cleaning in the region. Dallas Janitorial’s professional cleaning staff is equipped to provide all types of commercial cleaning services to suit your restaurant’s needs. To learn more, or to get a free quote for your restaurant cleaning, contact us today.
