3 tips for planning how to clean your restaurant kitchen

Far from being a difficult talk, planning how you will go about cleaning your restaurant kitchen will actually make your life easier. Why? By having a clear, detailed action plan not only will you be better organized, but you will also be able to ensure that you comply with all current regulations related to proper restaurant kitchen hygiene.

Developing a restaurant cleaning plan will enable you to do the following:

• Maintain optimum hygiene in your restaurant kitchen
• Ensure the cleanliness of all equipment that comes into contact with food products
• Prevent cases of bacterial, fungal, viral and other types of contamination
• Maintain your equipment in good working order
• Comply with government standards of hygiene

Where to start when making a kitchen cleaning plan

Obviously, you must adapt your cleaning plan to your specific situation, the layout of your premises and your type of operation. Is your kitchen in use day and night or only for a few hours a day? Which areas need cleaning? What products are necessary in order to clean your kitchen efficiently?

Here’s some expert advice to help you put together a solid plan for cleaning your restaurant!

Tip #1: identify the equipment and surfaces to clean

To create an effective kitchen-cleaning plan, it would be a good idea to start by determining which components need cleaning. To be better organized, you could even group these items into different areas, as shown below:

• The premises, themselves, including the walls, ceilings, floors and doors
• Work surfaces and storage spaces, including counters, carts, cabinets, drawers and sinks
• Large equipment, including ovens, stoves (range hoods and filters), freezers and dishwashers
• Sanitation equipment, such as trash bins
• Materials such as utensils, knives and cutting boards

Tip #2: define the products to use

To ensure efficiency when cleaning your kitchen, you’ll need to use products of excellent quality. Most importantly, the products you use must be safe for use on equipment and surfaces that come into contact with food.

Types of cleaning products

Cleaning products fall into various categories. Among others, you’ll find cleaners and detergents designed to rid surfaces of dirt, residues and splatters. Dishwashing liquid is a good example of an efficient detergent. Gentle but effective, it won’t damage stainless steel surfaces the way more aggressive cleaning products can.

Degreasers rely on an alkaline formulation with a pH between 9 and 14. As a result, they can easily eliminate grease. You can use them on your dishwasher, among other equipment. Finally, you can use disinfectants to sanitize surfaces by destroying microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi (such as yeasts and molds).

Tip #3: use a worksheet as a planning tool

Creating a table in an Excel worksheet is an excellent way to design an effective restaurant cleaning plan. You can assign different columns to organize the various tasks you want to complete. You could dedicate a column to each area you want to tackle, for example:

• Column 1: the type of zone (walk-in cooler, food prep area, dishwashing area, etc.)
• Column 2: the components to clean (floors, ovens, work boards, etc.)
• Column 3: how often you need to clean each of these components
• Column 4: the best products to use (cleaners, degreasers or disinfectants)

Entrust your kitchen cleaning to experts

Are you looking for a reliable company that can plan the cleaning of your restaurant? For personalized advice and incomparable service, contact the team of experts at Antiflamme Purafiltre today!

References:
OCTOPUS. Plan de nettoyage de cuisine [Kitchen cleaning plan].
THE HOSPITALITY & FOOD EXPERIENCE. Plan de nettoyage de cuisine [Kitchen cleaning plan].
NELINKIA. Comment réaliser un plan de nettoyage de cuisine [How to make a kitchen cleaning plan].
MAPAQ. Bonnes pratiques d’hygiène et de salubrité alimentaires [Best practices in food hygiene and safety].
P&G Professional. 7 conseils pour nettoyer correctement la cuisine d’un restaurant [7 tips for properly cleaning a restaurant kitchen].