The Complete Restaurant Cleaning Checklist

Cleaning, sanitising, and disinfecting are very important to stop cross-contamination and the spread of viruses in restaurants. There are, however, so many things to clean in a restaurant. So, it can be hard to keep track of all the tasks you need to complete and how often you need to clean your tools. You need a proper restaurant cleaning checklist for this. But how to find the right checklist? Well, we are here to help you. This article will provide you with a well-planned restaurant cleaning checklist.

The Importance of a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist

A commercial kitchen cleaning checklist can help you with the following:

Ensures Comprehensive Cleaning

A restaurant cleaning checklist is well organised with different types of cleaning like restaurant deep cleaning, restaurant duct cleaning, restaurant exhaust hood cleaning etc. As a result, it ensures a proper comprehensive cleaning of your restaurant. It helps to maintain both the hygiene and appearance. Many restaurant owners find these types of cleaning challenging. If you are one of them, JC Commercial can help you satisfactorily. Hire us for these particular services. We also offer amazing restaurant filter cleaning service.

Reminder

A restaurant cleaning checklist tells your staff what tasks need to be done, how often they need to be done, and what tools they should use. A cleaning checklist is used to carry out the cleaning schedule and help your staff remember all the details. Having a cleaning plan for a restaurant is much more useful than using notepads to keep track of things.

Staff Accountability

You can use a restaurant cleaning checklist to make copies of tasks that staff needs to do. This makes it easy for a supervisor to keep track of progress and who is responsible for what.

Ensures Food Safety

By reminding your staff to clean properly, you can control food safety risks, such as cross-contamination, that could affect your food operations. In return, people who buy food and health inspectors will notice how hard you work to keep it safe.

Improve Management

Having a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist encourages people to be proactive. A Restaurant Cleaning Checklist can help you get more organised so you can focus on running your business while you check to see if the tasks were done correctly. You don't have to check with each person given a job to know if it was done.

A Proper Restaurant Cleaning Checklist

Here is the cleaning schedule for your restaurant,

Daily Restaurant Cleaning Checklist

Restaurants are mostly cleaned daily because they get messy when food is made and served. Proper cleaning and sanitising of all the different areas of your business is important to maintain high standards of cleanliness

  • Keep all the remaining food marked and labelled containers.

  • Take out the old coffee and filter from the coffee machine.

  • Scrub the floors, get under the stove, and prep tables.

  • Clean the floors with a food-safe cleaner.

  • Take out the trash

  • Throw away or store any extra juice from the drink machine

  • Clean rags and let them dry in the open air.

  • Take food and burnt bits out of pots and pans.

  • Wipe down the range hood.

  • Clean things like coffee makers, toaster ovens, microwaves, and fridges.

  • Use a food-safe sanitising product to clean up kitchen areas.

  • Clean the plates, glasses, pots, and pans.

  • Put the trash in the sink.

  • Wipe the area around and under the stove, grill, griddle, and oven.

Dining Area Cleaning Checklist

  • Get rid of all the used and useless tools from the tables.

  • Cleaning restaurant tables of any trash and extra food.

  • Use a food-safe cleaner to clean the tables and chairs.

  • Clean the floor with a disinfectant.

  • Clean the drink fountain's outflow tips.

  • Clean the floor with a broom or vacuum.

  • Clean glass or plastic walls with a disinfectant.

  • Take out the trash

  • If you run out of napkins and sauces, replace them.

Front of House Cleaning Checklist

  • Clean the counters with a disinfectant.

  • Clean the chairs with a disinfectant.

  • Use window cleaner to clean the glass.

  • Clean the floors with a disinfectant product.

  • Clean glass or plastic walls with a disinfectant.

  • Use a spray cleaner on the bell.

  • Clean the plates with a disinfectant.

  • Clean the thermogun.

  • Fill up the alcohol spray and dispenser

  • Use soap and water to clean the mat.

  • Spray disinfectant on light switches, door handles, and other areas people touch often.

Bathroom Cleaning Checklist

  • Spray disinfectant on light switches, door handles, and other areas people touch often.

  • Swab the bathroom floor.

  • Clean the counters with a disinfectant.

  • Clean out and wash pots.

  • Use bathroom cleaner to scrub the toilets and urinals well.

  • Clean the seat and handle of the toilet flush.

  • Replace the toilet paper.

  • Fill up containers of hand soap.

  • Dry the taps.

Weekly Restaurant Cleaning Checklist

Weekly cleaning adds to daily cleaning by removing dust, grease, and grime in places you wouldn't normally have time to clean daily.

Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

  • Sweep and mop the area under big machines like stoves and fridges.

  • Clean the inside and outside of the oven well

  • Clean the wire racks and grease traps.

  • Get rid of the built-up water under the fridge and freezer.

  • Use vinegar and water to clean the microwave, but don't touch the high-voltage power box.

  • Clean out the deep pan.

  • Clean out the toaster.

  • Throw out bad or outdated food.

Dining Area Cleaning Checklist

  • Clean under the tables.

  • Clean and dust light fixtures.

  • Fill up the salt and pepper bowls.

  • Clean the walls to keep dirt from building up.

  • Mop and sweep under heavy furniture.

  • Clean the soda machine.

  • Wipe down decorations in and near places that get a lot of use.

  • Use a dry vacuum to clean soft areas.

Front of House Cleaning Checklist

  • Clean the walls to keep dirt from building up.

  • Sweep and mop the floor under the podium or front desk.

  • Sweep the front door with a brush or water hose.

Monthly Restaurant Cleaning Checklist

Every part of the restaurant needs to be cleaned at least once a month to improve cleanliness and remove built-up gunk.

Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

  • Use vinegar and baking soda or a food-safe coffee machine descaler to clean out your coffee machine.

  • Use degreasing soap and water to clean the walls and roof of grease buildup.

  • Clean out the walk-in fridge and remove any outdated food.

  • Throw away any food that is rotten, outdated, or useless.

  • Clean out the deep freezer and let it thaw to remove the ice.

  • Unclog drains that are taking too long to empty.

  • Clear the garbage sink with a safe cleaner.

  • Clean out the grease traps under the stove, oven, and fryer.

  • Clean the ice machine with a food-safe descaler.

  • Clean the range hood filter and get a new one if needed.

Call a professional for commercial kitchen deep cleaning.You may try JC commercial’s deep cleaning services.

Dining Area Cleaning Checklist

  • Clear the ceiling of spider webs.

  • Clean highlights and places that are hard to get to.

  • Take down the curtains and wash them.

  • Take the air conditioner filter off and clean it.

  • For a deep clean, hire professional restaurant cleaning services.

Front of House Cleaning Checklist

  • Deep clean all surfaces, including walls, windows, and doors.

  • Deep clean and polish furniture (chairs, tables, bar stools).

  • Check and clean light fixtures and replace any burnt-out bulbs.

  • Clean and sanitise air vents and filters.

  • Inspect all electrical outlets and cords for damage.

Are you struggling with professional Restaurant cleaning services to meet your checklist? You may rely on JC Commercial. We will provide you with the best commercial cleaning services in Adelaide. We also specialise in hygiene cleaning service and floor cleaning services.

How to Make Restaurant Cleaning Checklist Impactful

Gather Feedback From Staff

Ask the staff for their thoughts. People who work at the place can give you clean-up tips. They'll know if the checklist can be improved or if some jobs need more attention.

Choose the Right Time for Different Cleaning Tasks

The daily and weekly tasks on the restaurant cleaning schedule should be done when the business isn't busy. The best times to clean the front of the house are usually before or after business hours.

Include the Less Frequently Done Tasks.

Most restaurant cleaning lists include jobs to be done daily, weekly, and monthly. However, a restaurant cleaning plan should also include things that must be done every three, six, or twelve months. Examples include cleaning the restaurant's upholstery, the fridge's condenser coils, and the wood on chairs, tables, and other internal parts.

Automate or Outsource Some Tasks

You should follow strict rules about cleanliness, which is why a daily restaurant cleaning list has so many things to do. Hiring an commercial cleaning professional can be a great option if a business doesn't want to buy expensive cleaning tools.


If you are searching for a commercial cleaning service, go no further. JC commercial offers restaurant cleaning services along with commercial kitchen cleaning.

Tips For Maintaining a Clean Restaurant 

Prevent Foodborne Diseases 

The restaurants need to get regular cleaning. It should focus on how they look and treat customers. However, safe ways to prepare, store, and cook food should come first to keep people from getting sick. Bacteria, viruses, or chemicals cause most illnesses caused by eating polluted foods. Restaurants should never serve food that makes a customer ill or uncomfortable. The best way to do this is to keep the food from getting contaminated, which means following food safety rules closely. Some common things that can contaminate food that you should try to avoid are

  • Bad health habits, like employees not washing their hands

  • Bugs

  • Uncleaned cooking and eating tools.

  • Cross-contamination, especially in kitchen areas.

  • Storing food incorrectly

  • The cough and sneeze of the sick staff while cooking or serving food.

Make Your Staff Aware of Health & Food Safety.

The restaurant business should not take health and food safety issues lightly. So, everyone who works there should be taught about health and safety. Take the time to prepare your staff about good health, food safety, and cleanliness. This training ensures that every customer is safe and has a good time at the restaurant. This training should be reviewed regularly to ensure the business stays in great shape. These things will help your staff:

  • Show staff how to clean a restaurant to the highest standards by doing it yourself.

  • Show your staff cleaning-related useful training videos.

  • Putting up a restaurant cleaning plan where people can see. It will help you stick to a schedule.

  • Check how your team cleans to ensure it meets health department standards.

  • Give praise for good cleaning habits.

Regularly Check Your Health Department's Guidelines

The health department in your area will inspect your restaurant to determine its safety and health. When places are checked and found to lack cleanliness or safety, they can be warned, leading to fines or criminal charges. Many people will not go to a place labelled a health and food safety risk, so bad cleaning habits can hurt your bottom line.

Check your local health service's health and food safety rules often to stay ahead of the game. 

Get Rid of Pests

Keep bugs out of your restaurant to stop the spread of germs and bad reviews from customers. If you see any of these signs, you may have bugs or rodents:

  • Loss of air

  • Small mounds of dirt

  • Sounds like the walls are scratching, moving, or chittering.

  • Strange smells

  • Flying bugs near places where food is stored and prepared

  • Broken cardboard or plastic

  • Shredded parts for building nests

Calling a professional is always best when you have a pest problem, but you can avoid them by following a restaurant cleaning plan like this one. Some other things you can do to keep pests away are:

  • Putting food away in closed containers the right way

  • Cleaning tools right away after using them

  • Get rid of all the food leftovers

  • Not letting grease or dirt build-up on areas that come into contact with food

  • Setting traps for pests

  • Taking out the trash every day instead of leaving it in the restaurant

We hope you will find our restaurant cleaning checklist and other tips given above helpful. It is very important for the restaurant to always maintain a high level of cleanliness. A commercial restaurant cleaning can keep food safe and stop outbreaks of foodborne illness. An in-depth restaurant cleaning plan can help owners and managers clean their places. A restaurant's deep cleaning list should have a kitchen and dining room cleaning list.

FAQ:

  • A restaurant must be cleaned from top to bottom, carefully inspecting each area and cleaning it all.

  • A cleaning list should include everything that can and should be cleaned, including every item and area of the business.

  • The main goal is to improve the food quality and increase people's trust in your restaurant. Ensure you clean and follow all health and safety rules in your daily cleaning process.

  • It cleans, sanitises, and rinses the whole restaurant with a mix of hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid or hydrogen peroxide alone.

  • To clean like a pro, you need the right tools and cleaning products, but you must also have the right attitude and pay close attention to the little things.

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