Maintaining a high cleaning standard is the foundation of any successful and safe commercial kitchen. These environments require strict adherence to hygiene standards to prepare and serve food to customers safely. Thorough high cleaning is essential in keeping commercial kitchens sanitary, preventing the spread of germs, and minimising the potential for foodborne illnesses.
But what rules should you follow to maintain impeccable cleanliness in your commercial kitchen? This article will outline five fundamental hygiene rules designed for high cleaning in commercial kitchens to emphasise the significance of maintaining a safe and clean environment for you and your staff. Let’s get started!
1. Frequently Deep Cleaning
Without regular deep cleaning, maintaining hygiene standards in commercial kitchens is impossible. High cleaning thoroughly cleans hard-to-reach areas, including ceilings, walls, and light fixtures. These high areas accumulate dust, grease, and other harmful debris that could serve as a breeding ground for bacteria, pests, and other contaminants that impact the cleanliness of your food.
A comprehensive, well-executed deep cleaning routine should be performed at least once monthly, though many commercial kitchens deep clean weekly or bi-weekly depending on how fast dust and contaminants develop on the fixture. Deep cleaning can be challenging without a professional cleaning service to ensure that everything is sanitised correctly, as the process requires appropriate cleaning agents, sanitizers, and specialised equipment to clean hard-to-reach places effectively.
2. Exhaust System and Ventilation Cleaning
An often overlooked area that must be addressed during high cleaning is your exhaust and ventilation system. This process is vital for commercial kitchens seeking ways to guarantee safety and cleanliness when preparing and serving food. Exhaust and ventilation systems remove the heat, steam, smoke, and odours from a commercial kitchen; however, these systems also collect grease and residue that could cause a potential fire hazard and compromise indoor air quality and ventilation.
Grease build-up in ductwork and exhaust hoods reduces the efficiency of this equipment while increasing the risk of airborne contamination. Exhaust ventilation systems reduce exposure to airborne contaminants by capturing the emission at the source and removing it from the area by transporting it to another emission point or a filter.
When you neglect to clean this system, you leave the door open for significant harm to you, your staff, and your business. Working with certified professionals to thoroughly and safely clean these systems at regular intervals is crucial to prevent mistakes and accidents that can occur when you attempt this process solo.
3. Sanitising Food Contact Surfaces
Frequently cleansing and sanitising food contact surfaces, including cutting boards, preparation tables, and countertops, is crucial to prevent cross-contamination and maintain a safe commercial kitchen environment. Deep, high cleaning requires appropriate food-safe sanitizers to eliminate bacteria, viruses, and other dangerous microorganisms that can build up on these surfaces.
All food contact surfaces require cleaning before and after each use, including high-up areas such as shelves in your commercial fridges and freezers. Additionally, cutting boards should be designated for specific food types, such as vegetables, to prevent the spread of allergens and pathogens. One way to minimise the risk of cross-contamination from improperly sanitised food contact surfaces is to implement a colour-coded system for different cutting boards to ensure proper segregation and lower the chance of accidental cross-contamination.
4. Proper Storage and Handling of Kitchen Cleaning Tools
Maintaining proper hygiene standards following the Australia-New Zealand Food Authority requires proper storage and handling of kitchen cleaning tools. After each use, cleaning tools like mops, brooms, brushes, and other equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised. Cleaning these tools will help prevent bacteria accumulation and lower the spread of dirt and other contaminants that build up on these tools. Other equipment for high cleaning, such as extenders to dust high-up areas, should be stored on its own and separate from other cleaning tools.
Properly storing kitchen cleaning tools is vital to promoting a healthy environment. Cleaning tools should be stored in designated areas separate from food preparation and storage areas to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. A routine maintenance schedule for your cleaning equipment should also be implemented to stay on top of your kitchen hygiene. For instance, replacing worn-out mop heads and cleaning brushes regularly will boost their effectiveness for a cleaner result.
5. Personal Hygiene and Staff Training
An often-overlooked component of high kitchen cleaning is your staff’s ability to practise personal hygiene that influences their work and the safety of the food they prepare. Proper personal hygiene practices should be emphasised in every commercial kitchen, including hand washing rules, wearing clean uniforms and protective gear, and covering wounds or cuts before working.
Regular staff training on hygiene protocols and best practices should be conducted to ensure proper personal hygiene in all staff members. This training can guarantee that your employees understand the importance of personal hygiene and maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen while equipping them with the tools to promote a culture of cleanliness and responsibility.
Why Hire Professionals?
High cleaning might sound like a chore, but many think they can tackle commercial kitchen cleaning independently. Though basic cleaning practices like properly sanitising food preparation surfaces and practising proper personal hygiene are essential to promoting a healthy and safe environment, hiring a professional commercial cleaning team is the best option to guarantee constant food safety.
Cleaning less obvious spaces in commercial kitchens, such as high-up ones and challenging to reach without special tools, is too often overlooked by commercial kitchen staff members. Cleaning high zones can be difficult, dangerous, and inaccurate without the proper equipment and knowledge. High-cleaning services focus on areas in your commercial kitchen that are situated above 2 metres and unable to be cleaned without specialised tools. Without these services, you likely won’t have access to the proper tools and techniques for a thorough deep cleaning.
How Lotus Commercial Can Help
Kitchen high cleaning with Lotus Commercial is the top choice for commercial kitchen staff members looking to clean hard-to-reach areas and promote cleanliness for proper food handling. Our high kitchen cleaning services include the following:
- Walls, tiles, and painted areas
- Air conditioning and ventilation systems
- External surfaces for air conditioning units
- Light frames, cables, and chains
- Canopies, filters, and dishwasher hoods
- Top of the fridges and shelving
- Top of sliding freezers and cool room doors
- Top of cupboards
- Windowsills
- Door frames and closers
- Visible items on the kitchen ceiling
With Lotus Commercial, practising kitchen hygiene and preventing the spread of food or airborne illnesses is easier than ever. Contact Lotus Commercial today to discover the best kitchen high-cleaning solution for your commercial kitchen.