Food Safety & Hygiene

Restaurant Cleaning Checklist

Ensure that your kitchen's hygiene is top priority. This free restaurant cleaning checklist, will give you guidance on how to use your commercial cleaning products wisely!

As a restaurant operator you know and value that everything in your operation must be kept “clean.” Cleaning is the removal of dirt, dust and debris from surfaces. Sanitizing on the other hand reduces pathogens on surfaces.

In the current environment it is important to adjust your standard operating procedure to include the sanitization of ALL-CONTACT SURFACES both front of house and back of house, not just food-contact surfaces.

Below is a quick checklist to run down to make sure you are taking all the extra precautions necessary in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Of course, frequent hand washing by your staff is the most important step in a cleaning protocol and making hand sanitizer available to anyone who enters your operation is equally important.

How to Implement the Checklist:
Build a cleaning schedule and delegate responsibility. During cleaning and sanitizing make sure your staff is wearing gloves, a respirator if available and an apron that can be removed and either laundered or disposed of before returning to any other duties. Check with your local authority to understand which chemical sanitizers are available to you. Know how to clean and sanitize a surface properly. First, clean dirty surfaces with soap and water or detergent before disinfecting Be sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation, and ensure that the cleaning solution is not expired
BACK OF HOUSE CLEANING CHECKLIST	FRONT OF HOUSE CLEANING CHECKLIST
As Often As Possible:	As Often As Possible:
All food-contact surfaces Non-food contact surfaces Receiving doors Phones Reach-in and walk-in-doors In-place equipment Anything that cannot be washed in 3 compartment sinks Area around and basins of sinks when not in use Clean and empty the trash cans and recyclables. Put all aprons, rags and chef’s in the laundry Clean entrance (glass door, door handles and frames)	All food contact surfaces All areas regularly touched by employees/guests Restrooms (toilets, sinks, paper towel dispensers, etc) Door Handles Touch Screen Registers Drive-thru window ledges Clean every surface such as chairs, tables, bar and booths Delivery vehicle interiors and any reusable delivery shipping/warming units Anything else applicable