Cleanliness is Key: How to Ensure a Healthy Environment in Your Restaurant
Keeping your restaurant clean can be a pretty daunting task, and trying to get everything under control can be a nuisance when you’re main focus is on delivering quality food and an excellent experience for your customers.
However, keeping things nice and hygienic is also an essential part of that process. That’s why we decided to put together this handy guide for you!
Read on to find out all of the nuances of restaurant cleaning, and how to develop a solution that works for your specific needs.
The Importance of Cleanliness in Restaurants
Cleanliness is essential for a lot of reasons, but the following are some of the biggest:
- A clean restaurant is at a much lower risk of spreading foodborne illnesses.
- A clean environment promotes good hygiene practices among staff members.
- Consistent cleaning practices extend the lifespan of some of your pricier equipment.
- Good cleaning saves you money on the back-end by reducing maintenance fees over the course of the year.
These compounding factors make cleaning an absolutely essential part of any restaurant, but what can actually go wrong if hygiene practices aren’t the best?
The Risks of Poor Hygiene Practices in the Food Industry
Poor hygiene practices create some serious consequences in just about every sector of the workforce, but it’s an especially big issue in restaurants. Food poisoning outbreaks run rampant in restaurants that don’t promote good hygiene among employees, and this can damage your reputation and result in legal action (NOT ideal).
Bad hygiene = bad cleanliness, and bad cleanliness leads to pests like rodents and insects that can also pose health risks to both customers and staff members.
And once the critters come around, this leads to failure to comply with health codes, which will result in fines and eventually closure of your establishment.
Establishing a Cleaning Schedule for Your Restaurant
To maintain cleanliness standards, it is important to establish a cleaning schedule that outlines daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual tasks.
This schedule should include tasks such as wiping down surfaces after each use, deep cleaning kitchen equipment regularly, sanitizing cutting boards after each use, mopping floors daily, etc.
For a great example of a solid cleaning schedule, we recommend checking out Toast’s free checklist here.
Essential Cleaning Supplies Every Restaurant Should Have
Every restaurant should have essential cleaning supplies such as disinfectant cleaners, sanitizers, degreasers, and cleaning cloths. It is important to use the appropriate cleaning products for each task and to follow manufacturer instructions for proper use.
We can’t stress this enough: having the right supplies is important! That’s why we make sure to keep the best-of-the-best in stock at all times here at RamClean.
Sanitizing Surfaces and Equipment to Prevent Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination happens when bacteria from one surface or food item is transferred to another. Sanitization of all surfaces and equipment is absolutely necessary to prevent this.
Take this part seriously: do NOT skimp on the sanitization! The initial cleaning is important, but it’s all for nothing if the sanitization is inconsistent.
Maintaining Clean Restrooms for Customers and Staff
Clean restrooms are essential in any establishment. They reflect the overall cleanliness of your business, and in an environment that serves food, Regularly cleaning and disinfecting restrooms can help prevent the spread of germs and promote good hygiene practices among staff members.
Training Employees on Proper Cleaning Procedures
Proper training of employees on cleaning procedures is crucial in maintaining cleanliness standards. This includes providing training on how to properly clean equipment, surfaces, and restrooms as well as how to handle food safely.
Conclusion: Creating a Safe and Healthy Environment for Your Customers and Staff
In conclusion, maintaining cleanliness in your restaurant is essential in promoting a safe and healthy environment for both customers and staff members.
By establishing a cleaning schedule, having essential cleaning supplies on hand, sanitizing surfaces and equipment regularly, maintaining clean restrooms, and training employees on proper cleaning procedures, you can ensure that your establishment meets health code requirements and is killing it in the cleanliness game.