Maintaining a restaurant business requires many operational costs and duties. Shift and daily cleanings need to be implemented to ensure that you meet health requirements and provide only the best for your guests. If you are new to the restaurant industry or just looking for better ways to maintain the cleanliness in your restaurant, keep reading for tips that will help you stay compliant and feel good about the atmosphere in which you are serving your diners.
Keep Your Restaurant Dry
What you may not realize when you first tackle a restaurant is how much work is required to keep the area dry. Any time you have standing water in a business like this, it can cause significant amounts of mold to develop if it is not maintained. In fact, it only takes 24 to 48 hours for mold to settle in these wet areas. The best way to keep everything dry is to have a standard mop schedule that keeps water from getting stagnant in your kitchen and sink area.
You also need to keep the refrigerated areas in your kitchen dry. If you have a spill in one of the fridges, be sure to go through and wipe it right away. Letting it sit will allow the mold to take hold, and that can damage any food you are also storing in the area. If you have vegetables, produce, or even meat in there, it will be contaminated when the mold develops, and you will need to remove it.
Make Sure Your Cleaning Supplies Are Restaurant Quality
Because there is more exposure to pests in the restaurant business, you need to ensure that the cleaning supplies you are using are of high quality and will prevent your restaurant from becoming infested. When you use commercial-grade cleaning supplies, you are truly getting rid of all the bacteria and fungi that can attract unwanted pests like ants into your kitchen and dining area. Astonishingly, there are over 20 quadrillion ants on the planet, and you don’t want any of them in your restaurant.
Keep The Walkways Clear
One of the best ways to keep your restaurant clean is to make sure you keep the walkways clear. With approximately 40 thousand illnesses and injuries reported to the Kansas Division of Workers’ Compensation each year, it’s important to be aware that disaster and tragedy are possible when your restaurant isn’t clean. Keeping the area clean and avoiding clutter means that dust and debris have a smaller chance of developing and infecting the dishes that you are preparing. It also lowers the risk of employees tripping and falling.
Have Staff Wear Sterilization Gear
When your staff comes into your restaurant prepared for their shift, they should come in with clean and sterile uniforms. Anyone coming in with a dirty uniform should change or be sent home, as this could cause cross-contamination into the food. Also, they must have properly sterilized tools, such as gloves and hair nets, that are available for cooking. These tools will protect your staff and your guests, maintaining a clean restaurant.
Maintain a Cleaning Schedule
In any restaurant business, cleaning processes should be done weekly, daily, and monthly. What many restaurant owners find effective is the distribution of a cleaning schedule for both the front and back of the house. Each day, staff members will be responsible for their daily tasks while working on weekly tasks that may arise in rotation. This will not only keep your restaurant clean each day but also help maintain cleanliness over time.
Keeping your restaurant clean is essential for the sake of safety and customer satisfaction. Keeping the above tips in mind will help ensure a safe and sanitary restaurant environment. We wish you the best of luck with your tour business!
