Wiping Out Kitchen Hazards
Your kitchen is the heart and soul of your restaurant and your success depends on it. Poorly cleaned surfaces and equipment can quickly result in bacteria, mold and other food-borne pathogens.
A frantic dinner rush can leave staff feeling exhausted and the thought of cleaning and sanitizing the kitchen can be overwhelming. Be sure you outline your cleaning protocols with new hires and keep them top of mind with staff meetings and internal communications.
Some jobs will need to be done several times throughout the day while others will be on a weekly or monthly basis. So, break it down with a handy schedule that includes specific instructions as well as recommended products. This will help keep your staff on track when it comes to keeping a spotless cooking area.
Equipment
Kitchen equipment like slicers, mixers or grinders have moving parts that come into contact with food. That means they’re a prime spot for bacteria to grow if they are not sanitized properly. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and use a detergent like our Sensibly Clean. This dishwashing liquid has antibacterial qualities that will kill bacteria on contact without leaving an abrasive chemical residue.
Food Prep
Most food prep areas are designed with a stainless steel surface, which is easy to clean. These areas need to be sanitized several times per day – after each task. Be sure to include removable surfaces like cutting boards and butcher’s blocks in the schedule. Betco Fastdraw Multi-Range Sanitizer can tackle a lot of jobs in the kitchen including your food contact surfaces, killing 99.99% of organisms like Listeria, E-Coli and Salmonella. It’s highly concentrated so it provides a low cost per gallon to economically keep your kitchen spotless.
Stove Stops
Grease and grime can quickly build up on stovetops so this is an important area to focus on at the end of each day. Your cleaning methods will vary depending on your style of stove but a good degreasing product is a must. Our Betco Oven Jell is designed to jell and cling to the surface, penetrating and breaking the chemical bond. This easily releases stubborn baked-on deposits from the oven’s surface. Once a month, you should pull the stove away from the wall and clean the back of the stove and wall.
Floors
Floors might not be the first things that come to mind when focusing on a clean kitchen, but they can become a health hazard if they are not cleaned properly. It’s not enough to simply sweep and mop at the end of the day. Using a commercial grade floor cleaner like Betco Tile Clean will disinfect and remove heavy, greasy build-ups. This prevents floors from becoming hazardous when they get slick during a service rush. Don’t forget to sanitize your cleaning equipment as well! Kill lurking bacteria by soaking mops and brooms in a chlorine solution.
A sparkling kitchen keeps staff and patrons safe and your restaurant running at it’s most optimal. We know there are many nooks and crannies to reach but focusing on these top four areas is a great place to start.
Clean is our culture. Is it your kitchen’s culture? We are here to help with any of your food service needs. Contact us today to learn how we can help you stay spotless in the kitchen.
