How Often Should I Deep Clean My Business Kitchen?

Here on Lukeosaurus and Me we’ve spoken before about starting a business and how you can achieve your business goals online using social media and other online aspects. Although we’ve discussed the online side of business ownership quite a lot, we’ve not delved too deeply into the physical side of things – until now. 

Today, we’re going to be answering the question: how often should I deep clean my business kitchen? This article is aimed at small business owners looking to set up shop in an official commercial lot and produce food to a high standard as per the UK’s Food Standards Agency’s guidelines. I have personal experience working in this environment, so I am fully aware of how strict the hygiene checks are and what the law is surrounding cleanliness in commercial kitchens. 

Therefore, if you’re ready to learn more about food safety and hygiene – specifically focusing on deep cleaning your business’s kitchen – keep reading. 

Professional Deep Cleans Are Vital

Along with a good cleaning rota that is followed consistently by staff, business owners should have their kitchens professionally cleaned every six months. A professional deep clean isn’t a guideline – under the Health and Safety at Work Act, business owners are legally obligated to deep clean their kitchens every 6 months if they’re operating on a commercial basis. 

A professional deep clean will include an intensive and extremely thorough deep clean of all areas of your commercial kitchen. This includes the kitchen surfaces, appliances, equipment, and duct cleaning. 

Done properly, this 6-monthly deep clean is enough to keep your commercial kitchen in tip-top condition. However, if you have needed to close your kitchen down for a period of time, or you have been on the receiving end of flood damage or similar, it’s advised that you get the professionals in before opening up to the public again. 

Make Sure To Have A Good Cleaning Protocol

When opening up shop and asking how often should I deep clean my business kitchen? you’re going to want to remember that there is also a legal obligation for food outlets to have a cleaning rota or protocol in place that ensures there is an acceptable level of cleanliness in place at all times.

A deep clean every 6 months is designed to keep everything running smoothly and blast away any dirt or grime that accumulates in areas that are normally inaccessible to staff. This is not a substitute for good hygiene standards.

Commercial kitchens should be cleaned every day, after every food service. In fact, during a service, cleaning shouldn’t really stop. Pots, pans, and utensils will continually be cleaned, as well as knives, and surfaces between prep to avoid cross-contamination. 

A cleaning checklist will help all kitchen staff members to stay on top of the important jobs and track whether they’ve been completed to a satisfactory standard. 

Essential Cleaning Tools For Commercial Kitchens

Instead of asking, how often should I deep clean my business kitchen?, instead ask, what do I need to ensure my business’s kitchen stays clean and tidy at all times? 

We’ve established that, when it comes to commercial kitchens, hygiene is paramount. Therefore, it’s important that you – and your staff – have the right tools for the job. After all, you cannot expect your staff to maintain a high standard of hygiene if you have not given them the proper tools or training in order to do so. 

Here’s a list of the essential cleaning tools that should be used when asking yourself the question: how often should I deep clean my business kitchen?

• Mop and bucket with a strong floor cleaner that’s suitable for the type of material your kitchen floors are made from.
• Broom, alongside a dustpan and brush set.
• Spray mop for fast clean up jobs.
• Good quality gloves to protect your skin from chemical burns.
• Sponge scourers, microfibre cloths, cleaning brushes etc.
• A general use disinfectant.
• Appropriate cleaning chemicals ie. bleach, degreaser

Final thoughts on How Often Should I Deep Clean My Business Kitchen

Hygiene is absolutely paramount when it comes to running a commercial kitchen. Without exceptional hygiene, you will not succeed in the industry and, if worse comes to worst, you could even be shut down due to failed inspections. Therefore it is important that you learn the law in regard to food safety and ensure you get regular professional cleaners to deep clean your kitchen. Ensure that you always have the right equipment on hand to keep your kitchen clean between services and train your staff on how to correctly, and safely, use the tools in order to maintain an acceptable level of cleanliness at all times. 

*Collaborative post.