A good restaurant is known for delicious food, an exceptional atmosphere, and high-quality service. But a great restaurant has all of that and the cleanest environment customers have ever seen.
A clean restaurant is the most important thing to a restaurant owner because it ensures the health and safety of the employees and customers. It can make or break a restaurant’s reputation.
So, if you own a restaurant you need to know exactly what to do to keep your restaurant sparkling clean day after day. This article will provide cleaning tips for you and your staff to promote cleanliness, sanitation, and commitment to customers.
1. Use a Checklist
If this is your first time doing a deep clean for your restaurant, you need a checklist. Your checklist should include all the supplies you’ll need to perform a thorough cleaning in the front and back of the house. A few examples of supplies you’ll need for the front of the house and the bathroom(s) include:
- Surface cleaner
- Glass cleaner
- Disinfected cleaning cloths
- Mop
- Bucket with hot, soapy water
- Broom
- Vacuum
- Bathroom cleaner
- Toilet brush
Put these items on your checklist before listing all the individual cleaning tasks that need to be completed. Supplies to clean the back of the house (kitchen) might also include:
- Bleach sanitizer solution
- Trash bags
- Steel wool
- Stainless steel cleaner
- Dishwasher detergent
- Stiff-bristle brush
- Paper towels
- Degreaser
- Hand soap
Once you’ve put your supplies on the list, it’s time to add individual tasks to the checklist. The exact items on the list will vary based on the layout of the restaurant. Organize your checklist by specific area to ensure nothing is left undone.
For example, you should have a checklist specifically for the bathroom(s) and even the host stand. Breaking down the checklists by area is the best way to keep employees accountable for cleaning responsibilities.
On your checklist specify which products should be used for which tasks (i.e., use mop and bucket with hot soapy water to clean bathroom floor). Your entire staff should have access to the checklist and know which task(s) they are responsible for. Keep detailed notes if you have specific cleaning requests.
Restaurant maintenance and general building maintenance should always be a top priority as an owner. If you feel that the cleaning process might be overwhelming, consider hiring a professional building maintenance company to help.
2. Take Extra Care in Food Storage Areas
When food is not properly stored, it can make people sick. So, when you are cleaning you and your staff should focus on all the places in the restaurant where food is stored, prepared, and discarded. Everything from the walk-in fridge to the trash cans should be disinfected from top to bottom.
Here are a few other items to add to your checklist specifically for food storage and disposal areas:
- Thoroughly clean the stovetop and surrounding area
- Clean the fryer
- Clean sinks with disinfecting products
- Sweep fridges and storage areas
- Disinfect food disposal area and trash cans
- Wipe down equipment in the kitchen (i.e., microwave, toaster)
- Clean shelves with dry ingredients
- Wipe down all fridge surfaces including shelves
- Clean grease traps
- Clean ice storage area
If you see food that has gone bad or is past the expiration date, throw it away! It’s never worth the risk of making someone sick.
3. Clean Surfaces People Touch the Most
When you walk through your restaurant to clean it think about which surfaces people touch the most. Door handles, menus, chairs, the telephone – sanitize all of those items first.
Restaurant staff should regularly clean commonly used surfaces (at least once per day). But if the staff doesn’t have the opportunity to do so, make this part of your deep cleaning process. When commonly touched surfaces aren’t clean it can spread germs to the staff and customers.
4. A Floor You Could Eat Off Of
While it is frowned upon to eat off of the floor (especially at a restaurant) you should aim to clean the floors to that level of cleanliness. Not only do clean floors impress customers but they also deter unwanted pests like mice or rats.
The floor of the dining area and the kitchen should be spotless at the start and end of service. Depending on the size of your restaurant, cleaning the floors could be a big job. This is another reason a cleaning company that specializes in floor care services is worth the investment.
5. Don’t Forget About the Staff
Even if you have a clean restaurant, unsanitary employee behavior can ruin all your hard work. So, what can you do to ensure the staff follows hygiene guidelines?
First, you can make sure the hand sanitizer dispensers are refilled and placed in convenient locations. There should be one near every sink inside the kitchen and in the bathrooms. Employees should be washing their hands thoroughly and using hand sanitizer.
Next, all soap dispensers should be full and placed next to the handwashing sinks. Consider enforcing a handwashing policy, and make it easy for employees to remember to wash up regularly.
You can post signs about handwashing in the kitchen and bathroom(s) or create a company handwashing guideline. And finally, be sure all employees know the dangers of showing up sick to work.
Hire the Best Restaurant Cleaning Service
For the first time clean, it’s important to stay organized with a checklist for supplies and tasks. You don’t want to miss a single detail. Take extra time when cleaning food storage areas to promote food safety.
Does the thought of all this cleaning make you feel overwhelmed? Don’t worry, there’s an easier solution – hire a restaurant cleaning service!
But before you search for restaurant cleaning service near me, check out the cleaning services offered by BluWolf Janitorial.
We offer building maintenance, floor cleaning, and window cleaning and all for an affordable cost. If you’re interested in a free estimate or you have questions about our services, contact us!