An Itemized List of Equipment Cleaning Tasks in your Commercial Kitchen Apache Junction, Arizona
One of the biggest challenges of managing a busy restaurant is keeping the kitchen area clean. With a multitude of activities happening all the time, from grease flying out of the fryer, to various types of food residue on the cutting boards, to unknown boxes or crates with items being found in the back of the reach-in cooler, regular cleaning can seem overwhelming if you don't have a system in place. However you must have a Cleaning Program in place and stick to it every day.
To help you maintain a hygienic commercial kitchen, here is a handy list that outlines how to keep your restaurant kitchen spic and span. Some jobs should be done several times a day, while others need to only be done weekly or monthly. Regular cleaning of your regular kitchen is essential for food safety, and can help reduce food waste thus lowering overall menu costs.
Items to Clean Each Cooking Shift
- Brush grill between cooking red meat, poultry and fish
- Wipe down the line and prep areas often
- Switch cutting boards
- Change sanitizing water and cleaning rags – do not use a rag multiple times
- Empty trash bins
After Each Shift
- Clean the fryers
- Brush the grill
- Empty sanitizing buckets
- Put all cleaning rags in dirty laundry – put in a safe area out of the kitchen
- Put all aprons and chefs coats in uniform laundry bags
- Wash and sanitize all surfaces (cutting boards, reach-in, line, prep tables)
- Empty or move food from steam table and clean
- Wash/wipe meat and cheese slicer after each use
- Cover all bins in reach-in cooler with plastic wrap
- Sweep and mop the kitchen floor – check for food and residue under equipment
Daily Tasks
- Clean out floor drains – and sanitize
- Change foil linings of grill, range, and flattops
- Wash/wipe the can opener
Weekly
Each of these duties can be rotated throughout the week so that every shift gets an equitable amount of side work.
- Empty reach-in coolers and wash and sanitize them
- Clean coffee machine
- Clean the ovens. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instruction on this particular job.
- Sharpen knives – or weekly knife service
- Oil cast iron cookware
- Use drain cleaners on floor drains
- Run hood filters through the dishwasher
Monthly
As with the weekly cleaning list, these monthly jobs should be scheduled throughout the month, on different shifts, so that staff shares the burden of side work.
- Wash behind the hotline (oven, stove, fryers) to cut down on grease build up, which is a major fire hazard
- Clean freezers
- Empty and sanitize the ice machine – check water filter
- Calibrate ovens
- Calibrate thermometers
- Sharpen the meat and cheese slicer
- Wash walls and ceilings – sanitize
- Change any pest traps
Annually
There are also several important things to do each year, to make sure your kitchen is clean and safe. Most require the help of a professional. It's good to schedule them in advance. That way, if there are any issues or major repairs needed, you have time to budget. Waiting till its broken is costly,and could affect your production drastically.
- Check fire suppression system – serviced every six months
- Check the fire extinguishers – serviced twice per year
- Have the exhaust hoods cleaned and serviced as required by your provider. Use a professional company that specializes in hood cleaning rather than doing the job yourself
- Clean/check all pilot lights on any gas kitchen equipment (Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instruction).
If you develop a cleaning system all of these important items will help ensure your commercial kitchen facility can function in the most profitable and safe environment. A check list is always a great guide to have posted. Cleaning Resource Center can provide the best of all types of Kitchen Equipment Cleaning
