When it comes to keeping your commercial kitchen clean, the benefits can be plentiful.
First and foremost is the health and safety aspect of a clean kitchen – nobody wants to eat from an establishment that has a reputation for low hygiene. Aside from the obvious reasons to keep your kitchen spick and span, good cleanliness has a direct impact on staff mood and productivity and helps to make the working day run smoother.
With the busy festive period approaching, now could be a great time to spend a few hours doing a deep clean in your catering establishment, but which areas should you be paying particular attention to?
De-grease
Grease can build up in many areas of a commercial kitchen; in large volumes, it can become a serious fire hazard. Take care to de-grease ovens, fryers and grills by using a cloth to remove the excess build-up of oil before using warm soapy water to thoroughly clean grates, racks, baskets and filters.
Cooker hood
The cooker hood is also an area that is used to full potential most days and can therefore become clogged up with grease and bacteria. If you have a removable extractor fan mesh, this can easily be removed and cleaned with soapy water. You can also purchase paper filter products that soak up grease embedded in the grate. For the hood itself, use suitable cleaning utensils and products so as not to damage the stainless steel.
Fridge
A catering fridge from a specialist such as https://www.fridgefreezerdirect.co.uk/catering-equipment can become cluttered, so start by getting rid of anything that is no longer in date. Remove all items and defrost any shelves before using a damp cloth to wipe down shelves and interiors.
Stockrooms
The same applies to stockrooms – regular inventories should be in place to check what you have and haven’t got in stock. Start by removing anything that is of no use to you; next, check that your storage containers are all in good conditions with no cracks or holes that may encourage spoilage. Dust down any units and shelving.
Uniforms
Giving your staff uniforms a professional launder can be a great way to make a good impression on customers. Nothing screams ‘cleanliness’ more than clean and well-turned-out servers and chefs.
