Put Cleanliness on The Menu in Your Kitchen: Top Tips for Restauranteurs

When faced with a large commercial kitchen, cleaning from top to bottom can seem an overwhelming task, and when coupled with additional restaurant duties, sticking to a schedule can be a tall order. However, exemplary restaurant kitchen cleanliness is something which cannot be compromised, and hygiene should always be up to standard to ensure the restaurant is a safe space for staff and diners alike.

Discover Jani-Kings guide to kitchen cleanliness, and why deep cleaning individual areas is of the upmost importance.

How often should a kitchen be deep cleaned?

A commercial kitchen should always demonstrate the highest levels of hygiene. In addition to a regular cleaning timetable, laws dictate that you must have your kitchen professionally deep cleaned at least once every six months.  The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 further states that all food outlets regardless of whether it is a restaurant, hotel, or pub, are required to place a cleaning protocol that ensures an acceptable level of cleanliness at all times. Breach of these regulations is a criminal offence, and could result in business closure, expensive fines and in some cases, prison sentences.

Whilst you are only legally required to have a deep clean biannually, to ensure your restaurant’s kitchen is always ready for a health inspection, it is recommended that you invest in a professional clean a minimum of every three months. A safe and sparkling kitchen will be reflected in the restaurant’s reviews and is a critical element of customer satisfaction. Get ahead of the competition and excel in cleanliness and hygiene with a few simple steps.

Areas to consider when deep cleaning your restaurant kitchen

Understandably, expectations of food hygiene in commercial kitchens are very high, meaning you don’t want to be caught out by areas you may not have considered. Whether it’s the kitchen surface or an electric appliance, each element has its role to play in your deep cleaning schedule and should not be dismissed as any less important.

Here are 5 areas to remember when you next deep clean:

Kitchen floors

Kitchen floors are prone to their fair share of spillages and dirty footprints, meaning that not only could they present a risk of slipping to employees walking around but they could also incur a hygiene hazard. Your kitchen floors are amongst some of the most vulnerable surfaces to grease and dirt, meaning it is essential to clean them correctly. Regardless of the flooring material you use, you should be paying close attention to these surfaces.

We recommend cleaning spillages as soon as possible to reduce the risk of slipping, however where there are no visible spills present, you should still be cleaning, sweeping and mopping your kitchen floors thoroughly each day.

Serving stations

Serving stations are amongst some of the most important areas of cleanliness due to them often being in the public eye. Customers should be reassured that their food is coming from a safe space where hygiene is of top priority. Failure to do this could lead to negative reviews and complaints. Serving stations should be wiped down and cleaned each day to prevent food debris and dust from accumulating, and to ensure no food gets contaminated.

Food-contact surfaces

To prevent foodborne illness, areas where food preparation takes place should be cleaned between different tasks, especially when handling raw food such as meat and fish. Pathogens can spread to food from equipment and surfaces which haven’t been sanitised correctly between uses, meaning that cleaning and sanitising will help to reduce surface pathogens to safe levels.

Refrigerators

The cleanliness of your fridges will have a significant impact on the taste, quality and safety of your food. Cleaning your refrigerators correctly will combat foul odours and prevent harmful bacterial growth, which can impact the safety of food consumption. You should plan to give your restaurant fridge daily cleans, with a deep clean incorporated once each week.

A deep clean will involve removing all items and scrubbing down the shelves and sides, with the aim to remove spills, debris and bacteria which may have gathered in the unit. Your deep clean should also incorporate the fridge exterior, to remove excess debris which may have collected outside.

Ovens and Fryers

As with all kitchen appliances, you should aim to clean your ovens and fryers after each shift (once they have had time to cool down) to combat food-staining and build up. However, you should also factor in monthly deep cleans to ensure your ovens continue to look and perform at their best.

Leave it to professional restaurant cleaners

Maintaining high levels of kitchen cleanliness can be time consuming and effort intensive, so leaving it to professional cleaners will help take a load off your plate. Hiring a professional cleaning company for your restaurant’s kitchen comes with exhaustive benefits including:

• 100% commitment to delivering immaculate levels of cleaning as this is their sole role.
• The right knowledge, experience and resources to ensure no equipment or surface gets left behind in the cleaning process.

What to look for in a commercial cleaning company for your restaurant

So, you’ve decided to seek the support of an external cleaning company, but how do you choose a restaurant commercial cleaner?

• Reliability is key, particularly in the hospitality sector where working hours are likely to be late-nights and early-mornings.
• Healthy and Safety is a huge factor when considering a commercial cleaner, as not only will they need to be aware of chemical handling and COSH processes, but also of relevant restaurant regulations.
• Ensuring cleaning practices are of the highest quality is essential for maintaining a successful restaurant. Lessor cleaning companies often employ anyone who can pick a mop up, which will not give you the outcome you, or your customers, require. Be sure to check what training cleaning companies give their employees.

Expert commercial kitchen deep cleaning with Jani-King

If you are ready to transform your restaurant with commercial kitchen deep cleaning, now is the time to invest in the experts. With over 50 years’ experience in dishing up exceptional restaurant cleaning services, Jani-King will ensure a professional clean, of the highest quality, is delivered every single time. Get in touch to find out more about our services.

Alternatively, start cooking up your very own cleaning strategy with our downloadable restaurant guide – the complete guide for restaurant owners.