Deep-Clean Checklist for a Safer Kitchen

Your kitchen isn’t as clean as you think

A clean kitchen is safer for your employees and guests. You pride yourself on running a clean restaurant and you’ve instituted regimented cleaning plans for all of your staff to execute each and every day. But are you cleaning everything? Your restaurant, after all, is a big place and there are plenty of little nooks and crannies that often get missed. And when they do, dirt and grime can pile up quickly.

Commonly missed areas

Add these commonly missed areas to your crew’s checklist for a cleaner, safer restaurant kitchen:

1. The glass mats. No one ever remembers the glass mats. Why? Because your crew is so focused on making sure the glasses stacked on the mats are clean, they forget about the mats themselves. Over time these mats get sticky and even develop mold. Cleaning these mats doesn’t have to be a daily chore but you should strive for at least once a week.
2. Your host stand. On a busy night your host stand can be organized chaos, and because the real action happens inside your main dining area, the host stand can be forgotten. A clean host stand is vital to first impressions. Because this area seldom requires more than a little picking up, tidying it should be part of every shift change.
3. The tops of your appliances. Your crew cleans inside the microwaves, refrigerators, and ovens, but what about the top? These areas collect dust, debris, and foodstuffs that can attract vermin. They may also collect grease which increases your fire risk.
4. The mop sink. The mop sink is often no more than a dumping ground for dirty water. Not all of it goes down the drain either. Spraying the mop sink out with soap and hot water once a week can reduce your mold risk and ensure all those remnants from previous cleanings go down the drain like they were supposed to.
5. The nozzles. From your tea urns to your soda station, the nozzles that pour your customers’ beverages collect remnants of that service as well. A dirty nozzle can affect the product you pour. Nozzles should be removed and soaked in a sanitary solution every night and then thoroughly rinsed the next day before being placed back on the machine.
6. Your hoods. Your hoods and fan system collect grease and smoke and blow them out of your restaurant. Not all of it makes it out, however, and some of these remnants are collected on the hood walls. Wiping this area down with a towel each night helps, but a more comprehensive solution is easier and makes your kitchen safer.

Our AutoMist® automated hood cleaning system sprays your hoods with a mixture of water and detergent at regular intervals — eliminating the need for third-party hood cleanings and keeping your hoods and flues clean and safe all day, every day. With AutoMist, you can walk into your restaurant every morning knowing that one of your most important cleaning projects is done and done right. Deep cleaning your kitchen has a big impact on kitchen safety. To improve your risk management with AutoMist or our end-to-end cooking oil management solution, contact us today.