Commercial kitchen deep cleaning guide

Commercial kitchens can be crowded and hectic environments. With meals as well as staff moving constantly in and out, it is only natural for this to entail some degree of mess to clean up. And how your employees go about it has a direct impact on your establishment’s hygiene and safety.
 
So, let's consider some of the aspects and importance of commercial kitchen deep cleaning, how to develop a deep cleaning checklist, and the products you need to do the job.
 

What is the difference between a regular clean and a deep clean?

A regular clean is performed every day and usually involves removing dirt, spilled ingredients, and food remains from visible areas and surfaces. This includes countertops, floors, and the visible parts of appliances. 
 
In comparison, a deep clean is held periodically and involves cleaning the whole kitchen from top to bottom, especially less visible and harder-to-reach areas. These may include:
  • Behind and under appliances
  • Inside appliances 
  • Grease traps
  • Cooker hoods
  • Cabinets and drawers
  • Knobs and switches
 
Daily cleaning prevents the buildup of grease and grime, in turn making deep cleans faster and more efficient. Both practices work hand in hand to ensure food hygiene and safety at your restaurant.
 

How often should a commercial kitchen be deep cleaned?

A commercial kitchen deep clean should be performed at least every six months. However, this can depend on the size of your facility. In larger, higher-traffic restaurants, deep cleans may need to be carried out more often. 
 

Why is it important to deep clean a commercial kitchen?

Kitchen deep cleaning is essential to reduce the spread of foodborne illnesses and maintain the safety of guests and staff. [1] Particularly, due to a commercial kitchen's high foot traffic and the sheer volume of food being prepared, deep cleaning is needed to keep bacteria and viruses at bay.
 
Safety concerns beyond health can also be eliminated with routine deep cleans, for example, fires. This is because accumulated grease in exhaust systems and hoods can become flammable. So, why take the risk of your business being one of the 8,000 commercial kitchens that catch fire in the US each year? [2]
 
Be mindful that just like with any piece of machinery, kitchen appliances and equipment need to be deep cleaned and maintained to ensure you’re getting the most out of them. As well as enhancing performance, deep cleaning your appliances can also extend their lifespan, saving you money on costly replacements. 
 
Last but not least, periodic deep cleaning will also ensure that your establishment remains compliant with food safety and hygiene standards. This will save you health inspection-related stress and result in satisfied and returning customers too. 
 

Which products should be used for a commercial kitchen deep clean?

Deep cleaning a commercial kitchen can be a big job, so it requires several types of cleaning supplies. Remember that a deep clean involves many cleaning methods, from wiping to disinfecting to scrubbing. Therefore, it's important to supply your team with commercial kitchen cleaning equipment that is suited for each task. Particularly, it is critical to choose those marked as food-safe. You can easily verify this by looking for a symbol on the packaging that shows a wine glass and a fork. The crucial first step in any restaurant kitchen cleaning is thorough hand hygiene. Make sure that every member of your team is washing their hands for at least 20 seconds using warm water and hand soap and drying them at the end with a paper hand towel. As an extra step, they can also apply sanitizer to their hands before putting on cleaning gloves.
 

Wiping products

Wiping is a crucial part of maintaining hygiene in a commercial kitchen, and each type of wiping product can be used for different purposes:
 

Paper towels

Rolls of paper hand towels are not only the safer choice for drying hands when compared to hand dryers (which are prone to spreading germs), but they’re also a great option for wiping some less delicate surfaces and dealing with small spills.
 

Cleaning towels

Microfiber towels and other types of cleaning towels are ideally used on countertops, cabinets, and appliances due to their increased absorbency and effectiveness. When used wet, cloths can remove more stubborn food debris, stains, grease, and grime. When used dry, they are ideal for dusting, shining, and polishing. Their smooth and soft surface is also great for cleaning areas that are prone to scratches, such as walls and ceilings.
 
Limiting the spread of germs when using cleaning towels and wipers in a commercial kitchen is incredibly important. That is why Tork Odor Resistant Foodservice Cleaning Towels are coated in an antimicrobial treatment to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. This also means that they can be used for longer, reducing waste and stretching your business’s budget. 
 

Wet wipes

These types of wipes already include sanitizing and disinfecting solutions, making it quicker and easier to clean surfaces and kitchen equipment. Just make sure that the wipes you are using are marked as food-safe, otherwise you could accidentally leave traces of hazardous chemicals that might come into contact with food.
 

Chemical products

Commercial kitchens often require specialist chemical products to create a hygienic and food-safe environment. But using harsh chemicals incorrectly can lead to contact with food, risking the health of guests and employees. [3] Therefore, it's vital to train your team on which chemicals are used for specific appliances and surfaces. Posting notices and infographics around the workplace can be useful for teaching them all the basics, from chemical warning symbols to proper chemical storage procedures. 
 
A thorough and effective deep clean usually includes the following chemical products:
  • Oven cleaner
  • Glass cleaner
  • Stove/Range cleaner
  • Floor cleaner
  • Sanitizer
  • Degreaser
  • Dishwashing chemicals

Scrubbing products

Deep cleaning in a commercial kitchen can often involve removing build-ups of grime, grease, and food debris. Tools with a coarse surface are well-suited for this task because their abrasiveness effectively removes stubbornly attached materials.
It is worth it to invest in high-quality scrubbing tools to ensure that everything from surfaces to appliances remains clean and hygienic. So, you may want to consider stocking up on:
  • Wire brushes
  • Deck brushes
  • Steel wool
  • Scouring pads
  • Grill blocks
  • Soft bristle brushes
Be aware that these kinds of tools aren't ideal for areas such as walls and ceilings, as they can cause scratches. 
 
Though it may be tempting to jump straight to action once you’ve gotten all the necessary cleaning products, creating a checklist first will ensure that your cleaning staff does their job effectively and efficiently. We’ve got some recommendations to help you in that process. 
 

How to create a commercial kitchen cleaning checklist

Before getting into the details of what needs to be cleaned and how often, it's important to structure your checklist in a way that is clear and easy to understand for your entire cleaning team. 
Here are a few tips to get you started:
 

Be specific

To make sure that everything is cleaned to the highest standard, you must be as specific as possible in your checklist in terms of:
  • Which appliances and surfaces to clean and where (behind, under, inside, etc.)
  • Which chemicals and equipment to use for each appliance or surface
  • How often to clean each appliance and surface
 
Take your time to give this step thorough thought and don’t assume anything is obvious, as your staff may be used to different cleaning expectations, especially if they’re new.
 

Keep a digital copy

Relying on paper copies of any documentation increases the risk of misplacement and the margin for human error. While it may seem quicker in the short term to fill out your checklist using pen and paper, having an electronic version ensures its long-term existence and makes amends easier.
 
You can even save a backlog of previous versions to keep track of progress over time. 
 

Break down tasks by frequency

Your commercial kitchen cleaning procedures checklist should include a schedule that is broken down into daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. This ensures that both regular and deep cleans are performed and that strict hygiene standards are maintained. 
 

What should a commercial kitchen cleaning checklist include?

When breaking down tasks by frequency, pay close attention to the cleaning methods used in each timeframe. For example, some bigger appliances may need to be wiped daily but scrubbed weekly. With that in mind, these are some suggestions:
 

What needs to be cleaned daily?

  • All surfaces, workstations, and food prep areas
  • Grill, griddle, hob, and deep-fat fryer
  • Coffee makers, microwaves, toasters, and cooked meat slicers
  • Sinks, dish racks, and trays
  • All floors – if possible, unplug equipment and move it to clean the floor underneath
  • Chopping boards
  • Storage spaces
  • Refrigerators, freezers and storage units, particularly handles and seals
  • Vent hoods (with a damp cloth or wiper to remove built-up grease and stains)
  • Walls and ceilings, especially near cooking areas, paying extra attention to high-touch areas like light switches
  • Floor and sink drains

Other daily tasks

  • Wash all cooking utensils, tableware, and glassware
  • Wash towels, cloths, uniforms and aprons
  • Empty, wash, and disinfect waste and recycling bins
  • Check for expired or spoiled food and dispose of it appropriately

What needs to be cleaned weekly?

  • Cooking equipment, such as grills, fryers, and ovens
  • Fridges, freezers, and food storage areas (this includes emptying and disinfecting them)
  • Deep-fat fryers
  • Coffee machines, microwaves and other small appliances
  • Kettles and hot water systems
  • Dishwashers and glassware washers
  • Floor drains (don’t forget to disinfect and remove grease build-up or blockages)
  • Taps and sinks
  • Food processors, mixers and slicers
  • Ventilation systems, including filters, hoods, ducts, and fans (this can decrease the chance of illness and fires)
  • Handles and door seals on appliances
  • Floors and floor mats (thoroughly scrubbing and degreasing)
  • Hard-to-reach areas and grout lines
  • Tiles and walls — removing any food debris, stains and grease
  • All food preparation surfaces and cutting boards
  • High-touch areas and cooking equipment
  • Dish racks, trays and utensils
  • Dishwasher, checking nozzles and filters for issues
  • Utensil storage areas
  • Dry storage areas, disposing of any damaged or expired items
  • Storage shelves and racks
  • Jars, cans and containers

Weekly safety inspection

Last but not least, your weekly schedule should include a full inspection of your kitchen to check for issues outside of hygiene, such as:
 
  • Any fixtures that need repairing or maintenance
  • Signs of leaks
  • Signals of pest infestation
  • Any hints of equipment or appliance faults

What needs to be cleaned monthly?

  • All surfaces in the kitchen, including cutting boards and food preparation tables
  • Sinks, drains and faucets
  • Fridges, freezers and walk-in coolers. Dispose of any spoiled or expired food, then thoroughly empty, clean, and disinfect them, paying extra attention to shelves, drawers and handles
  • Ovens, grills and ranges, focusing on areas prone to grease build-up
  • Extractor fans and ventilation units
  • Vent hoods
  • Floors and walls behind any equipment
  • Behind your ovens, stoves and fryers
  • Storage areas
  • Dishwashers and glassware washers
  • Walls and ceilings (remove grease, stains and food splatter)
  • Windows
  • Ice machines
 
It’s a good idea to also use this monthly opportunity to inspect the kitchen for pest or rodent droppings. If you spot any signs of an infestation, thoroughly clean the area and contact a pest control service before resuming regular service.
 

What needs to be cleaned every six months?

Alongside your other daily, weekly and monthly activities, more specialist cleans and other safety checks need to take place at least twice a year. These include:
  • Checking fire alarms and fire suppression systems
  • Monitoring fire extinguishers 
  • Deep cleaning hoods
  • Clean the pilot lights on any gas kitchen equipment
 
Remember that constant cleaning is a fundamental part of commercial cooking that ensures food hygiene and safety as well as guest satisfaction. Making it part of your staff’s routine is crucial for the success of your business.
 
If you're looking for more resources on hygiene in the foodservice industry, find out more through the Tork Clean Care Program. You can also explore our food preparation surfaces guide for helpful tips, as well as our full range of products for the solutions your business may be looking for.

Reference

[1] https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/cleanliness-helps-prevent