It's fair to say that restaurants are among the most often cleaned public locations due to the tight industry requirements and regulations. We must, however, step up our game now more than ever. And a smart place to start is by utilizing a restaurant cleaning checklist.
Respecting the standards of the Health Department and the CDC is essential when it comes to wearing masks, handwashing (twenty-second rule! ), surface sanitizing, and deep cleaning. A list is quite helpful to keep everything organized, especially if you have to deal with several high-traffic areas that each require their own unique set of cleaning procedures, such as the dining room, kitchen, and bar.
Because of this, we're eliminating the guessing so you can focus on the grunt work. A daily restaurant cleaning checklist, a weekly restaurant cleaning checklist, and a monthly restaurant cleaning checklist are all included in our sample restaurant cleaning schedule checklist.
Check out the example checklist below, make any necessary adjustments to suit your restaurant, and then teach your crew to adhere to your cleaning schedule. Your efforts will be rewarded and your restaurant will stay pristine the entire time, keeping your staff and customers safer and safeguarding your bottom line.
How to Keep Your Restaurant Clean
When thinking about keeping your restaurant clean, you will want to break your restaurant into three sections: the front of the house, the bar, and the back of the house. By creating a separate checklist for each section it will be easier to delegate and make sure cleaning tasks are being completed,
Cleaning Checklist for Front of House
The first thing that customers will see when they enter your restaurant is the front of house, so it is very important in today's dining environment to create a comfortable environment. Appearance truly does matter at the front of house. Make sure your customers can tell that cleaning is of utmost importance.
The first thing you will need to do is gather your supplies. Below is a list of cleaning supplies needed to keep the front of house clean.
Cleaning Supplies:
- Clean cloths
- Paper towels
- Broom
- Vacuum
- Mop
- Toilet brush
- Glass cleaner
- Multi-surface cleaner
- Bucket for hot soapy water
- Bleach (sanitizer solution)
Daily Cleaning Checklists:
During each shift:
- High-traffic areas, including door knobs, handrails, seats, and table tops, should be cleaned as often as necessary using sanitizing spray and clean cloth.
- It's also a good idea to remove any common condiments from tables, such as bottles of ketchup, and only provide them when requested. Make sure you wipe them down after each use.
- Spot clean glass doors and windows to remove streaks and smudges.
- Every so often, inspect the cleanliness of the bathrooms.
At the end of each shift:
- Prepare napkins and silverware for the upcoming shift
- Wipe down menus
- Sanitize all table tops and chairs
- Vacuum around tables and entryways
- Sweep and mop hard service floors
- Clean and sterilize bathroom surfaces completely
Weekly Cleaning Checklist:
- Deep clean the bathrooms
- Clean all secondary fixtures, furniture, and surfaces
- Vacuum difficult-to-reach locations
- Fully clean all mirrors and glass surfaces
- Take care of any live plants
Monthly Cleaning Checklist:
- Clean the carpets, curtains, and upholstered furniture
- Look for and clean the cobwebs
- Dust ceiling fans
Cleaning Checklist for the Bar Area
The bar is a lively place that is clearly visible to visitors. It needs to be kept clean for both safety and aesthetic reasons.
The first thing you will need to do is gather your supplies. Below is a list of cleaning supplies needed to keep the bar area clean.
Cleaning Supplies:
- Clean bar cloths
- Paper towels
- Broom
- Mop
- Multi-surface cleaner
- Spray sanitizer solution
- Trash bags
Daily Cleaning Checklists:
During each shift:
- Empty the recycling and garbage containers.
- Clean the glassware in the dishwasher
- The bar should be cleaned regularly using sanitizing solution and clean bar rags.
- Refill disposable items like straws, stirrers, and napkins.
At the end of each shift:
- Clean floor mats
- Sweep and mop floors
- Sanitize soda guns
- Wipe down bottles and speedwells
- Empty and clean garnish trays
- Empty and clean ice wells
Weekly Cleaning Checklist:
- Clean all secondary fixtures, furniture, and surfaces
- Clean equipment and surrounding areas
- Wipe down bottles
- Dust shelves behind the bar
- Clean inside coolers
- Flush and clean keg lines
Monthly Cleaning Checklist:
- Clean the carpets, curtains, and upholstered furniture
- Look for and clean the cobwebs
- Dust ceiling fans
- Wipe down bar shelves, light fixtures, and other fixtures
Cleaning Checklist for Back of House
As food and dirty dishes come and go, the back of house can rapidly become a mess. The safety of both employees and customers depends on maintaining a clean restaurant kitchen.
The first thing you will need to do is gather your supplies. Below is a list of cleaning supplies needed to keep the back of house clean.
Cleaning Supplies:
- Clean cloths
- Paper towels
- Broom
- Vacuum
- Mop
- Toilet brush
- Glass cleaner
- Multi-surface cleaner
- Bucket for hot soapy water
- Bleach (sanitizer solution)
- Steel wool pads
- Stainless steel cleaner
- Commercial dishwasher detergent
- Degreaser
- Hand soap
- Food prep gloves
- Trash bags
- Power washer
- Stiff bristle deck brush
Daily Cleaning Checklists for Prep Area:
During each shift:
- Wipe down all surfaces before and after food prep
- Cover and date all food in containers
- Clean prep tools in the dishwasher
At the end of each shift:
- Clean equipment, prep tools, cutting boards, bowls, and containers in the dishwasher
- Sanitize food prep surfaces
- Polish stainless steel surfaces
- Remove and clean floor mats
- Sweep and mop the floors
- Empty trash containers
- Refill soap dispensers
- Refill paper towel dispensers
- Send dirty towels and linens to be cleaned
- Break down cardboard boxes and take to recycling bin
Weekly Cleaning Checklist:
- Empty shelves and clean the surfaces of the walk-in and reach-in coolers
- Toss out any ingredients that are no longer fresh
- De-lime coffee makers
- Check any pest prevention traps that may need cleaning or replacing
Monthly Cleaning Checklist:
- Empty and deep clean the walk-in
- Replace pest traps
Daily Cleaning Checklists for the Line:
During each shift:
- Clean spills and grease splatters as you go
- Scrape and clean grills and griddles
- At the start of your shift, check the temperature on the hot and cold holding units
- Sanitize food prep surfaces
At the end of each shift:
- Empty dip trays
- Clean the grills and griddles
- Clean equipment
- Clean tools, pots, and pans in the dishwasher
- Degrease and sanitize surfaces
- Filter the fryer oil
- Remove and clean floor mats
- Sweep and mop the floors
- Empty trash containers
- Refill soap dispensers
- Refill paper towel dispensers
- Send dirty towels and linens to be cleaned
- Sanitize hot and cold food holding units
Weekly Cleaning Checklist:
- Clean the inside and outside of ovens and steamers
- Clean fan guards, vents, and hoods
- Replace the fryer oil
Monthly Cleaning Checklist:
- Clean the inside and outside of ovens and steamers
- Clean fan guards, vents, and hoods
- Replace the fryer oil
Daily Cleaning Checklists for the Dish Pit:
During each shift:
- Return food prep equipment from the night before
- Wash and put away dishes and glassware
- Mop the floor periodically between dish runs
At the end of each shift:
- Wash kitchen tools and containers in the dishwasher
- Hand wash tools and equipment that can’t go in the dishwasher
- Remove floor mats and send through the dishwasher
- Sweep and mop the floors
- Empty trash and recycling containers
- Send dirty towels and linens to be cleaned
- Sanitize washing station, sinks, and counters
Weekly Cleaning Checklist:
- Clean the floor and sink drains and make sure they are working properly
Monthly Cleaning Checklist:
- Deep clean the floor
- Clean out drains
Best Cleaning Tip
Best tip of all… hire a Professional Restaurant Cleaning Service to take care of all your restaurant cleaning needs. Help take some of the responsibility off you and your staff and hire Greenlife Professional Cleaning to help your restaurant stay pristine! And if you are concerned about your restaurant floor, read this blog, Do Your Restaurant’s Floors Need a Deep Clean? To see if you need to hire us to come take care of your floor cleaning.
Greenlife Professional Cleaning
Greenlife Professional Cleaning Services knows your time is valuable. We clean your restaurant regularly, saving you time for other matters. Our staff is trained and wears a uniform. We bring all the cleaning supplies needed and work in teams for the greatest efficiency.
At Greenlife Professional Cleaning, our cleaning services combine our expertise with the best methods of green cleaning to provide the best results for all our clients. If you are interested in getting a free quote, fill out this form, and we will contact you. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee!