Cleaning commercial catering equipment to a high standard and by the manufacturer’s instructions is integral for maintaining food hygiene laws, extending equipment lifespan, staff safety and ensuring efficient operation. The correct steps should be followed to ensure that both the cleaner is safe, and the appliance is suitable for usage once completed. It’s a vital step that if missed, could result in businesses getting shut down, encounter legal trouble and overall suffering as a result of poor hygiene standards.
Refer to the Manufacturers Cleaning Guide
Always refer to the manufacturers guide on how to avoid damaging the equipment and research the appropriate chemicals to be used in the instance you’re using them. Certain equipment requires specific chemicals to prevent wear and tear on the surfaces.
Unplug Catering Equipment
All appliances should be unplugged or turn off and allowed to cool to a safe temperature to avoid any injuries.
Dismantle Equipment for Cleaning
Where appropriate, dismantle equipment such as removing racks and shelving for a more thorough cleaning.
Thoroughly Clean Equipment
Scrub, soak, and rinse. Scrubbing and rinsing helps remove any built-up grime and grease then scrubbing pads can aid in any stubborn areas but be sure not to scratch or damage any sensitive surfaces.
Clean All Kitchen Areas
Sanitising surfaces is an essential process to ensure Health and Safety regulations are being met and both customers and staff aren’t exposed to bacteria and pathogens.
Different Catering Equipments Require Different Cleaning Methods
Fryers are a more sensitive operation – the oil needs to be changed regularly and safely guaranteeing than the oil is cool enough to disposed of appropriately.
Maintain Dishwasher Maintenance
Keeping dishwasher components such as filters and spray arms clean will help maintain efficient operation.
Record Cleaning of Catering Equipment
Noting down and keeping record of when and what gets cleaned will help keep log of schedules and maintenance to make sure things comply with regulations and so are serviced regularly.
Ensure Staff are Well Trained
Sufficient training of staff that are scheduled for cleaning commercial catering equipment is vital. Doing so will prevent injuries, damage to equipment and guaranteeing the process is done to a high enough standard. As chemicals are involved with the cleaning process, inadequate education could lead to chemical disasters and mistakes resulting in injury.
Outsource Cleaning of Catering Equipment
Where appropriate, external professional cleaners may be needed to come in on occasion. Services available to hire can often know more about industrial cleaning and have specialised equipment such as deep fryer oil filtration devices. Having these professionals come in when needed allows for ample cleaning to occur in hard-to-reach spots that standard staff may miss.
Having the correct equipment supplied to clean is indispensable, gloves, chemicals, scouring pads, sponges, face masks where needed and any other specialised tools should be provided to allow for a standardised job to be done. Cleaning a kitchen thoroughly is a sizeable task but should be completed in accordance to how the facilities are being used. ‘Top-up’ cleaning is expected to be carried out regularly to prevent infestations, illness and poor hygiene. This style of cleaning doesn’t need to be as in-depth and rigorous, just sufficient enough to keep a venue up to standard.
