Along with high-quality food and service, a clean restaurant is essential to success. An unhealthy and unsanitary eating establishment is awful for employees and potential customers. To start, employees will not want to work for a restaurant that is messy, dirty, and disorganized. Furthermore, individuals will not want to eat at a place that does not prioritize their health.
With that being said, there are several tips and guidelines you should follow when cleaning a restaurant. By doing so, you can maintain a safe environment that employees and patrons will enjoy being in. Throughout this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about effectively cleaning a restaurant.
Create a Cleaning Schedule
From the beginning, you must create a clear and concise cleaning schedule. Restaurants can not be disinfected and sanitized efficiently without one. 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, everyone should know what tasks are assigned to them. You can delegate tasks 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 tables after guests leave.
Furthermore, you should check all bathrooms for cleanliness. Paper towels and hand soap may need to be restocked. Also, you can vacuum or sweep any visible dust or debris from floors.
Weekly Tasks
Moving along, there are weekly tasks that must be completed. Unlike daily tasks, it may be best to have a cleaning schedule set in place. This way, employees will know beforehand if they are assigned certain tasks. These types of assignments require more time and effort. Certain weekly tasks are 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, there are monthly cleaning tasks every restaurant must complete. It is important to note that they require significant amounts of time. Therefore, it is best to do them occasionally and 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
Cleaning Commercial Kitchen Surfaces and Equipment
The most important location in any restaurant is the kitchen. A clean kitchen helps maintain food safety standards. In addition, this is typically the most-dense area with the highest amount of movement. Therefore, properly cleaning all commercial kitchen surfaces and equipment is of utmost importance.
Cleaning the Kitchen Floors
To start, commercial kitchen floor mats can accumulate a significant amount of dirt and debris. Understandably, in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, food may be dropped or spilled. Leftover ingredients can fall on floor mats as well.
When cleaning, you must 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. Also, make sure to focus on hard-to-reach areas, as they can be easily forgotten.
Cleaning the Countertops and Hard Surfaces
Then, you must clean all countertops and hard surfaces. Since food is commonly placed there, bacteria can grow rapidly. Therefore, it is necessary to disinfect these surfaces multiple times per day. By doing so, you can further ensure employee and food safety.
When you clean, make sure to use a soft cloth and disinfectant spray. Also, you should let all surfaces fully dry before placing items again.
Cleaning Commercial Restaurant Equipment
Regardless of size, all restaurant equipment needs to be thoroughly cleaned. 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.
Cleaning the Sink
Since sinks are meant to clean dirty dishes and utensils, they must be effectively cleaned as well. To disinfect the sink itself, wipe it with a proper solution. Then, you can focus on cleaning grease traps. Depending on the restaurant, it may be located underneath the sink.
If they are not cleaned, serious damage can occur. It should be noted that grease trap cleaning can be dangerous and requires maximum safety and precaution.
Cleaning Restaurant Dining Area
In order to prevent the spread of germs, the entire restaurant dining area needs to be cleaned. You can wipe 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.
Lastly, you can 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.
Cleaning the Restrooms
Restrooms are high-traffic and high-touch areas; therefore, they must be thoroughly disinfected. To start, toilets and urinals should be effectively cleaned with a solution. Then, sinks, doorknobs, and flushes need to be disinfected.
Moving on, 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.
Outsourcing Restaurant Cleaning Surfaces
For the best results, you should consider hiring the services of a commercial cleaning company. While it may cost more upfront, you are saving money long-term. Professionals have the knowledge, experience, and resources needed to clean the entire restaurant. For example, they can clean greasy restaurant kitchen floors. When looking for potential cleaning companies, try reading reviews online.
FAQs About How to Clean a Restaurant
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.
What is deep cleaning in a restaurant?
Deep cleaning includes tasks that require extensive time and effort. In a restaurant, this may refer to polishing floors or vacuuming dust ceiling fans.
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.
Learn More with Dallas Janitorial Services
For premier cleaning services, reach out to Dallas Janitorial. Our mission is to help ensure a healthy and sanitary space. To learn more about our services, please call us at 214-778-3629.
