Restaurant Cleaning Checklist for Kitchen Managers

If you’re a kitchen manager or a back-of-house manager of any type then you know how tedious it can be trying to keep your work area sanitary. Unlike the front-of-house staff who have to consider how their work-area looks in the eyes of the customers and have to make sure everything is polished, waxed, primped, primmed, etc. – your biggest worries as a kitchen/BOH manager should be cleanliness and sanitation. Luckily for you, we’ve put together this ultimate restaurant cleaning checklist to help BOH and kitchen managers remember some of the things that may not get done during regular restaurant cleaning procedures.

• Floors – The tiled floors that are popular in kitchens across the nation quickly become dirty and grungy over time. The grout space between the tiles is a breeding ground for mold and can be tough to handle without an enzyme-based floor cleaner. We suggest giving your floors a good deep cleaning once at the end of every work week.
• Hoods/Air Intakes – The hoods and intakes that sit above the grill build up a massive amount of oil and grease on their surfaces over time. Use a stainless steel cleaner like this one that’s been designed for use on stainless steel, chrome, aluminum, brass, copper, and other metal surface
• Ice Machines, Freezers, & Coolers – We don’t need to tell you how easy it is for mold to grow in these dark, damp places. Grab a pair of flock-lined gloves and a non-freeze cleaning solution and make sure you regularly empty out and scrub your ice machines, walk-in coolers, and freezers free of any mold that may be trying to grow.
• Dumpsters – Dealing with dumpsters isn’t fun, but it’s important to make sure yours are still properly cleaned and maintained. Keep it simple with an easy to use dumpster cleaning kit.
• Employee Restrooms – While you don’t have to make sure every surface of the bathrooms your team uses is sparkling, it’s still important to give your employees a clean and comfortable place to do their business. Invest in a multi-purpose deodorizing cleaner to disinfect bathroom surfaces and drive away unpleasant smells.
• Sinks, Drains, & Grease Traps – Even if your drains don’t seem clogged or backed up, it’s always a good idea to periodically pour some enzyme-based drain treatment or a fly treatment drain solution.
• Oven – Ovens need some loving, too. Use an industrial strength oven cleaner to get rid of all that baked on grime that’s too stubborn or too tough for regular cleaning solutions.
• Serving Chafers – If you’re in the catering business or if your business uses chafing dishes for banquets, buffets, or large events, don’t forget about the serving chafers. The industry favored multipurpose Spic’N Span liquid spray will leave your chafer surfaces streak-free and disinfected.
• Storage Racks – Dust and dirt love to collect on storage racks. A bar towel and the Spic’N Span spray we mentioned above can help you easily take care of the problem.

High-Quality Kitchen Products from PFS

We have the kitchen products you need to simplify your restaurant cleaning procedures and make the lives of your employees easier by reducing cleaning time and costs. We pride ourselves on being a top-level provider of affordable, high-quality paper and plastic products, as well as catering, bar, and janitorial supplies. We also offer a full line of maintenance equipment, cleaners, and detergents. Give us a call today at (919) 829-1116 or (800) 455-5219 for more information, or view our full catalog here.