Elite Restaurant Equipment / Janitorial & Cleaning / Maintain Cleanliness in a Restaurant

The Importance of Cleanliness in a Restaurant and How To Maintain It

By: Charles Conway

Cleanliness is happiness.. Cleanliness, hygiene, and sanitation are the most important aspects of the restaurant business. Regardless of how tasty your food may be, your dishes creative, and your service excellent, consumers will not want to flock to your establishment if it is not clean. Some cities, such as New York, have even implemented a sanitary letter grade inspection where restaurants are rated with letter grades. The local department of health automatically closes anything below a C down. In order to maintain a clean and healthy working environment for not only the staff but also the patrons, there are several cleaning and janitorial supplies that are essential. Vendors such as Elite Restaurant Equipment have everything that any business needs to help maintain a high level of cleanliness and sanitation.

Be Prepared When It Rains

Having several attorney friends, I can tell you without reservations that one of the biggest lawsuits that restaurants get are slips and falls. These types of accidents can be avoided with just a few pieces of equipment. A restaurant can limit its liability immensely if they take several steps to avoid such falls. Every restaurant should have a welcome mat. It has been proven that welcome mats make the customer feel more at home the second they walk into an establishment. The reason for this is they associate the welcome mat with a household welcome mat that they encounter every day. Consumers are more likely to feel comfortable, thus staying longer and ordering more food and beverages.

Welcome mats can also provide a good area for customers to wipe their wet feet before entering an establishment. Thunder Group is at the forefront of welcome mats. These mats are available individually or in a pack of 12. Although this is a good method of alleviating this problem, it is quite possible that some customers may not do this, thus making your floor inside slightly wet. A caution sign is a great way to warn your patrons of a wet floor from rain or cleaning and also limit your liability if someone should fall. Winco and Thunder Group both sell a variety of caution signs. These signs are available in cone shape or the standard shape. The yellow signs can even be seen and recognized in the darkest of environments. Employee Sanitation Besides having a clean environment for your customers having a clean environment for your workers is another essential component for any successful restaurant.

One way to ensure employee sanitation is to have many sinks located in your kitchen. This is essential not only for your wait staff but also for your cooks. Make sure to have a separate sink to wash food. Using a sink that has been used to wash food or vegetables may actually contaminate somebody’s hands. Dishwashing is an essential piece of keeping any restaurant sanitary. Most restaurants have large dishwashers that clean dishes automatically. Sometimes not all the dishes can fit into the washer, and there may be a high demand for items such as glasses. Hand-washing dishes can help alleviate this problem and avoid backup in the kitchen.

In order to insure hand-washing dishes is sanitary a good pair of rubber gloves in a necessity. Thunder Group makes two different types of rubber gloves. These gloves come in a variety of colors and are available in both latex and rubber material types. Restroom Maintenance There is a saying in the restaurant industry, most of the time you can determine the cleanliness of the kitchen by looking at the cleanliness of the restroom. There have even been times I myself have walked out of establishment because of the poor upkeep and maintenance of the restroom. Restroom up keep can be one of the biggest challenges in cleanliness however with the right types of cleaning supplies this can be achieved rather easily.

To ensure hand-washing dishes is sanitary, a good pair of rubber gloves is a necessity. Thunder Group makes two different types of rubber gloves. These gloves come in a variety of colors and are available in both latex and rubber material types. Restroom Maintenance There is a saying in the restaurant industry that you can determine the cleanliness of the kitchen by looking at the cleanliness of the restroom. There have even been times I myself have walked out of an establishment because of the poor upkeep and maintenance of the restroom. Restroom upkeep can be one of the biggest challenges in cleanliness, but with the right types of cleaning supplies, this can be achieved rather easily.

One of the most popular brands for commercial-grade toilet paper is Nittany. Nittany offers durable 2-ply toilet paper and comes with a standard 1000 ft. per roll. This toilet paper can be purchased individually or in packs of 6,12,24,48, and 96. If one wants to save money, I suggest buying in bulk. Nittany is also the premiere distributor of commercial-grade paper towels. Paper towels are another essential cleaning supply in restroom upkeep. White paper towels come standard with 85 sheets. These come individually or in packs of 6,12,24,48 and 96. They are also available in brown with 350 sheets per roll in a pack of 12. Although paper towels are an essential part of any restroom, the environmentally-friendly way to dry them has become a hand dryer. American Dryer has become one of the most trusted brands in the industry. Hand dryers are available in automatic models or manual ones.

Some of the nozzles of these hand dryers can rotate 360 degrees. The covers on some of these hand dryers are also available in stainless steel for added durability. American Dryer's top model Extreme Air offers an insane 4/8 horsepower and 540 watts for quick and easy drying. Some establishments find it not only environmentally friendly to use a hand dryer but also cost-effective as it alleviates a need for paper towels. Although this may be a good strategy, some customers will not use a dryer. Thus, I recommend obtaining both with a sign noting you can help the environment when using a hand dryer. This should be posted in a place that can be seen easily. Dispensers are another essential tool in maintaining a clean restroom. There are at least three different types of dispensers that are a must for every restroom—soap, toilet paper, and paper towel dispensers.

Thunder Group makes some of the best soap dispensers on the market. Jumbo toilet paper dispensers are available from both Winco and Thunder Group. Winco and Thunder Group both offer paper towel dispensers. You may not purchase these if you decide to only go with hand dryers.

Don’t Forget About Waste

The next essential sanitary equipment that one needs are toilet seat covers. Toilet seat covers come in a pack of 250. Winco sells these individually, whereas Thunder Group sells them in a pack of 12. Once these are purchased, a dispenser is a must. Winco and Thunder Group both offer toilet seat cover dispensers. For added luxury and class, Thunder Group has a dispenser available with chrome.

Finally, the last essential piece of equipment one needs to maintain a sanitary restroom is the waste container. Three major brands of waste containers are Winco, Cambro, and Thunder Group. Before determining which brand to use, consider how large of a capacity you need the container to be. Cambro offers small-sized containers of either 8 or 11 gallons. Thunder Group and Winco offer containers in 23, 32, and 44-gallon-sized capacities. Make sure here to estimate how much waste you will produce per day.

The Importance of Everyday Cleaning 

Everyday upkeep of your restaurant is critical for success. One way to ensure this is to mop the floor every night. After mopping the floor, make sure to display several caution signs to avoid messy injuries or lawsuits. Sweeping with a broom is also a great method to ensure everyday cleanliness. Thunder Group offers several different types of brooms. Brooms can be purchased in one standard or four colored bristles. In addition, Thunder Group and Winco offer a variety of different-sized dustpans. It is important to estimate how much dirt you will produce in order to find a properly-sized dustpan. By cleaning every day, you can avoid bugs, mice, and other pests that might arise in a dirty environment. Cleaning every day will also distinguish your restaurant from the competition by providing your business with a better reputation. It's Spotless!

With the proper cleaning supplies, keeping a sanitary restaurant can be easy. It is extremely important to keep the restroom clean. How clean a restroom is can be associated with how clean your restaurant is overall, including the kitchen. Everyday cleaning is essential for a healthy environment. Mop the floor in the restaurant and the restrooms every day. If the following advice is taken seriously, you are undoubtedly going to have a clean restaurant resulting in an increase in profits.

The Importance of Having the Right Cleaning Products

Restaurant sanitation is only as strong as the products you use. Investing in the right cleaning products will make a big difference as you maintain cleanliness in your restaurant or kitchen. Restaurant-grade cleaning products will keep your kitchen clean and free of germs.

By having the appropriate cleaning products and tools in your restaurant, you can maintain a safe environment for employees and customers alike. Restaurant cleanliness helps prevent the spread of both food-borne illnesses and regular viruses or illnesses. It also helps prevent pests, which are generally attracted to unclean areas. Regular cleanings and adequate products will also ensure you meet health department regulations. Your state health department will likely be checking the cleanliness level of your restaurant or kitchen, so it’s important that you follow these guidelines.

Recommended Cleaning Products for Different Kitchen Surfaces and Equipment

If you try to clean your kitchen with the wrong products, you can actually do more harm than good. Using cleaning products that are too weak results in having to clean more frequently, which is a waste of time, money, and energy. Improper products, such as abrasives on stainless steel, could damage your equipment or surfaces. 

Keep reading to find out which cleaning products are appropriate to maintain restaurant cleanliness standards.

It’s also important to utilize the right cleaning supplies for your restaurant’s kitchen and bar areas, as well as any food storage like shelving or prep areas.

• Surface cleaners
• Glass spray
• Steel wool pads
• Bar rags
• Broom
• Mop and bucket
• Sanitizer or bleach
• Dishwasher detergent
• Degreaser

 

There are also a few cleaning products you should keep on hand for general restaurant hygiene in busy areas like the front of house and hallways.

• Sanitizer solution
• Mop and bucket
• Cleaning cloths
• Broom or vacuum

 

Restrooms are one the most critical areas for cleanliness standards in restaurants. They have their own set of essential cleaning products.

• Toilet cleaner
• Sink cleaner
• Glass spray
• Mop and bucket
• Sanitizer or bleach
• Hand soap
• Paper supplies

What to Consider When Selecting Kitchen Cleaning Products

Once you know which category of product you need, you can consider specific formulas. Keep the following in mind when planning how to keep a restaurant clean:

One of the most important considerations is the material of the appliance or surface. Most restaurant equipment is made with stainless steel, so you’ll likely want to have stainless steel-safe cleaning supplies. Take care not to scratch or otherwise damage your equipment during cleaning.

Next, determine whether the goal is to clean or sanitize the surface. Some cleaning products will only remove visible dirt, while other cleaning products will provide enhanced sanitation to clear away bacteria. 

Finally, you should keep in mind that cleaning products are hazardous when ingested. It’s important to use care when cleaning any surface that will touch food. You may want to purchase cleaning supplies that are designated as “food safe” or are less concentrated. If a product needs to be diluted or thoroughly rinsed, make sure to always follow the instructions on the packaging.