By Lorenzo Billie Keeping a restaurant clean and sanitary at all times is a difficult task. You’ve got employees and customers constantly moving around the kitchen and dining area, and it can be difficult to stay on top of everything.
In the dining area, you have to wipe down and sanitize the tables after each guest, but you probably won’t have time to sweep under all the tables until later.
Although dining areas can get messy really fast, you’re likely to have bigger spills and accidents involving food in the kitchen. When these accidents happen, it can be a challenge to clean up and keep things clean. However, there are some shortcuts to keeping your restaurant clean on both sides of the kitchen.
- Use vinyl commercial kitchen wall panels
Are you using moisture-resistant walls in your kitchen? If you haven’t installed specific wall panels to prevent mold, mildew, and bacteria, it’s time to look into PVC restaurant wall panels.
For restaurants and kitchens, there are several types of FDA-approved PVC panels you can use to create a sanitary environment. For instance, the PVC panels made by Duramax are a popular choice. These panels are built to resist moisture, which makes cleaning them a breeze.
PVC panels will give you low-maintenance walls, which will make it easier to keep things sanitary. Since these panels have a smooth surface and are moisture-resistant, they won’t collect bacteria, mold, or mildew.
You can use these panels in any industry, whether you run a craft beer bar or a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. If you need protection from moisture and a sanitary environment, you’ll benefit greatly.
They’re not that expensive to install, either. Commercial wall panels can be retrofitted in an existing kitchen, or they can be installed in new construction. The best part is they’re easier and faster to install than drywall.
- Stay on top of health codes
Health codes and laws exist for a reason. Although many of the requirements can be tedious, it’s important to create your restaurant’s structure so these requirements can be met.
For example, you’ll need sanitizer buckets stationed in certain areas. The water needs to be maintained at a specific temperature and changed every so often, usually every 2-4 hours.
Your staff will probably need constant reminders to keep the sanitizer buckets refreshed, and that’s normal. They’re going to be busy with other tasks and forget. Just keep reminding everyone to change the water on an as-needed basis as the water becomes soiled, and ask that your supervisors also provide reminders.
- Use the right cleaners
When you run a kitchen, you can’t just go to the store and pick up any type of cleaner. Certain types are illegal to use in a restaurant, while others are required. It all depends on your local laws, but some of those laws can be extremely strict. For instance, some counties in the U.S. regulate the color of hand soap and if it’s not blue or pink, it’s not legal.
Sometimes cleaners you’re used to using at home aren’t good enough for a restaurant. Before using a cleaner, check to make sure it’s legal, but also make sure it works. Choose the right cleaner for the job. For instance, don’t use bleach to clean your espresso machine – use a version of Purocaff.
- Follow the wash, rinse, sanitize procedure
There is a specific procedure for cleaning dishes, and you can’t deviate without consequences. Not only do your dishes need to be washed properly to be sanitary, but bad habits and multiple violations can risk your business license. The proper method is to use three sinks.
The first sink is full of hot, soapy water where you wash the dishes. The second sink is empty and reserved for rinsing. The third sink is filled with warm water and sanitizer solution. After being washed, all dishes should air dry.
Train everyone correctly from the beginning so they don’t develop bad habits they need to change in a panic during a surprise inspection. If your staff gets into the habit of cutting corners, they’ll cut corners when the health inspector shows up.
Great training and a strong system will keep things sanitary
The secret to maintaining a sanitary kitchen is having a system in place for regular cleaning, along with a great training program that trains your staff into good habits. Once you train the right habits, your staff should have no problem maintaining a sanitary environment.