Published December 8th, 2020
What is a Kitchen Cleaning Checklist?
A kitchen cleaning checklist is a tool used to maintain a hygienic commercial kitchen facility. It can help staff keep track of required cleaning tasks and follow kitchen standard operating procedures. Following good kitchen housekeeping practices with the aid of a kitchen cleaning checklist is important for passing health inspections and preventing food contamination.
This article covers the following:
- best practices for an effective commercial kitchen cleaning program;
- technology to help you streamline your kitchen cleaning processes; and
- downloadable kitchen cleaning checklists.
Best Practices for an Effective Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Program
Restaurants, hotels, delis, and grocery stores should be prepared for random food vendor inspections. Poor kitchen hygiene and practices can put your business at risk of fines, bad score ratings, and even shut down. Here are 4 best practice tips you can follow to prepare your business for passing health inspections:
- Consider the crucial areas of your kitchen
Ensure all areas in the kitchen receive proper attention, especially those that tend to get overlooked. The most frequent question is how do I clean my kitchen every day?. This can be answered by attending the following key areas to maintain a hygienic kitchen.-
- Kitchen Floors – Kitchen floors should be properly cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis before closing. Improper cleaning can result in trips and falls, foodborne illness caused by bacteria buildup, and attraction of vermins due to food build up.
- Kitchen sinks – Disinfect kitchen sinks to avoid bacteria buildup. Scrub, sanitize, and keep it stain and clog-free to avoid plumbing issues.
- Kitchen equipment – This refers to all kitchen utensils such as pots, pans, knives, and other frequently used items. They should be cleaned after every use to avoid the transfer of bacteria.
- Preparation tables – Keep it clean after use. It is crucial to sanitize food contact surfaces to avoid food contamination and other health-related issues.
- Ovens – Remove grease spills and debris using a washcloth, brush, or scraper to eliminate buildup. Daily cleaning of ovens can reduce the risk of oven fires.
- Walk-in refrigerators – Refrigerators store a variety of food products, so it is crucial that they are kept clean and bacteria-free. Thoroughly sweep and wipe the floors and wipe ceilings and walls regularly. Shelving units should also be cleaned and organized weekly.
- Dumpster pads – Dumpster areas should also be kept clean despite being located outside the kitchen facility. Improper trash disposal can attract vermins and can lead to an infestation. Routine cleaning and proper waste disposal can help maintain a safe environment for people who come in contact with your dumpster pads.
- Exhaust hood systems – Improve ventilation and reduce risks of kitchen fire by routinely conducting a deep cleaning of the exhaust ducts, plenum, and roof exhaust fan.
-
- Enforce a kitchen cleaning schedule
Commercial kitchens can be a hotspot for germs and bacteria. Prevent bacteria build-up and keep consumers safe by implementing a strict kitchen cleaning schedule. Develop a list of tasks and choose which should be done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. A kitchen cleaning schedule can lower the likelihood of foodborne illnesses and reduce food waste. - Maintain personal hygiene
Many cases of food poisoning are caused by the lack of personal hygiene from food handlers or the kitchen staff. Personal hygiene in commercial kitchens entails wearing proper attire such as a clean uniform, aprons for different prep stations (e.g., seafood, vegetable, etc.), gloves, hairnets, and shoes (non-slip, fully covered). Aside from attire, simple actions such as washing hands, keeping fingernails short and neat, etc., should also be practiced as part of personal hygiene. - Use a checklist
Keep track of what needs to be accomplished using a detailed checklist. Kitchen cleaning involves numerous tasks that can be overwhelming and difficult to remember. A checklist will ensure that you cover all the bases.
What is iAuditor and how can it help with my Kitchen Cleaning Checklist?
iAuditor by SafetyCulture is a web and mobile platform solution used to streamline and automate kitchen cleaning with paperless inspections using your smartphone or tablet. With iAuditor cleaning inspection app you can:
- Generate on-site reports
- Take photo evidence of compliant and non-compliant items
- Indicate corrective measures, assign to a team member, and set priority and due date
- Share reports within the organization instantly
- Save reports online and keep them safe in the cloud
To help you get started we have listed down the 6 best kitchen cleaning checklists you can download and customize for free.
Featured Kitchen Cleaning Checklists
Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
A commercial kitchen cleaning checklist is used to assess if a commercial kitchen follows standard cleaning protocols. This checklist can be used by kitchen managers during regular kitchen inspections to ensure that kitchen equipment is properly cleaned and sanitized before and after use. Follow the steps below to get started on your kitchen cleaning checklist.
- Check if employees, the equipment, and the kitchen facility itself adhere to hygiene and sanitary standards.
- Take photo evidence of non-compliant items, such as defects or unclean floors.
- Add notes or comments where necessary.
- Assign corrective measures in the event of non-compliance.
- Sign-off with a digital signature from inspector or assigned employee.
Kitchen Cleaning Record Sheet
A kitchen cleaning record sheet or kitchen cleaning log is used to maintain kitchen cleanliness prior to closing the facility. It is used by cleaning supervisors to record personnel involved in kitchen cleaning and document damages and other repair needs.
Kitchen SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) Checklist
A kitchen SOP checklist is a step-by-step process document that acts as a guide for kitchen staff in the performance of their kitchen duties. Use this template to check if employees comply with the standard operating procedures in preparation for kitchen service, kitchen hygiene and kitchen closing.
Daily Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
A daily kitchen cleaning checklist is used when conducting regular cleaning checks. Daily cleaning and inspection are done to avoid attracting insects and rodents and maintain a clean and healthy environment for your commercial kitchen.
Weekly Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
This weekly kitchen cleaning checklist is composed of items or tasks that focus on kitchen equipment. This ensures that big kitchen equipment such as ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators are well sanitized and disinfected for better performance and higher food quality.
Monthly Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
A monthly kitchen cleaning checklist is used for deep cleaning of the kitchen. This checklist can be used to identify defective items or kitchen equipment that needs maintenance. Ensure that all areas and equipment in the facility are properly cleaned and maintained using this checklist.
Refrigerator Temperature Log
Use this refrigerator temperature log to routinely record temperatures for refrigerators and freezers. Avoid food spoilage and ensure that cooling equipment is properly calibrated and operational with the use of this template.