Cleanliness is a top priority for all businesses in the hospitality and catering industries. It not only creates a good first impression on visitors or clients but also helps prevent the spread of bacteria that can result in food-borne illnesses. Proper hygiene practices mean having separate cleaning equipment for every crucial area of your establishment. Here are the essential cleaning products and equipment you must have for a squeaky-clean restaurant.

Cloths

Cleaning cloths are indispensable in restaurants. They are useful for cleaning everything, even greasy oven doors and tables with food scraps and drink spills. Due to their versatility, microfibre cloths can be used wet or dry, depending on the job you need to do. You may use a clean one as a hand towel too! Any restaurant would benefit from keeping a supply of cleaning cloths on hand. Feel free to purchase packs of 20, 50, or more at a time because they do not spoil. Wash them properly to extend their longevity. In order to preserve the absorbency of microfibre cloths, avoid the use of bleach or fabric softeners to ensure a longer lifespan.

Dish & Janitorial Gloves

With dish gloves, it can protect you from heat, so that you can use hot water for deep cleaning. It can also help you commit to the task at hand, tackling stuck-on food and burnt residues on pans. When you are not worried about getting your hands dirty, you will be able to clean more thoroughly. Finally, using dish gloves can prevent your hands from drying out. Your hands would crack and hurt if they were dry, especially if you wet your hands frequently. As a pro tip, put on some lotion before the gloves. Hot water will open your pores, helping the lotion moisturise your skin. On the other hand, a pair of disposable nitrile, latex, or vinyl gloves can be used for basic cleaning tasks.

Broom & Dustpan

Restaurant floors are constantly getting dirty. There is always something that needs sweeping, whether from visitors bringing in outside dirt or an overly excited child breaking a glass. You need a dependable broom with bristles that may be used on tile, hardwood, vinyl, or concrete floors. You can also use angled brooms with long handles to reach nooks and crannies. A broom and a large dustpan with a flat floor-lying lip are a good combination, facilitating improved collection of rubbish.

Mops

You must be prepared with a decent mop for cleaning up wet spills and messes. Similar to cleaning rags, you can use microfibre mops to collect hair and other little debris that may be missed out during sweeping. Use overlapping back-and-forth strokes when wet mopping your floors to avoid missing any spots. If you are using detergent, do it twice, with the second pass serving as the rinsing stage. Do a third run, if necessary, to remove detergent residue completely and avoid forming streaks and stains caused by water left to dry.

Commercial Floor Mats

Slips and falls rank among the major causes of restaurant accidents, especially among employees. Busy restaurants and restaurant kitchens have the factors to brew a potential slip-and-fall accident. With fast-moving bodies, crowded hallways, and concurrent preparations of both food and drinks, it is a disaster waiting to happen without careful attention and contingency plans. In addition to proper maintenance, keeping your floors clean and dry, and further employee training, commercial floor mats can also serve as a good defence against slip and fall hazards. Safety experts suggest avoiding floor mats made of vinyl and lack a border and rubber backing. The following features should be present in commercial- or industrial types of floor mats:

• Bevelled edges to reduce tripping risk
• High-density rubber backings
• The material used is thick enough to withstand heavy foot traffic
• High absorbency

Strategic placement of floor mats is crucial, so place them where they will be of best use, such as:

• Entrances & exits
• Beverage/coffee stations
• Salad bars or areas that may experience condensation
• Sinks & dishwashing areas

As long as the mats do not obstruct door operation, they should be positioned between sets of doors to capture debris or liquids tracked in from the outside. Also, keep in mind that size is important; a mat that is excessively large or thick could cause more harm than good.

Sponges & Scourers

A restaurant would not be called such without the dirty dishes. Sponges and scourers are therefore regarded as essential equipment restaurants must have. In combination with dish gloves, you can give the perfect scrub to remove all stains on the dishes. Stovetops covered in spills can also be cleaned with sponges and scourers, making cleaning easier since appliances, including refrigerators and microwaves, are not exempt from getting dirty.

How A Commercial Cleaning Company Can Help

All restaurants and food establishments need to comply with food and safety standards. And keeping your facility spick and span can be taxing on your part as a restaurant owner. If you are pressed for time and want to lighten the load on your team so you can focus on the core operations, restaurant cleaning services can be a helpful addition. Commercial cleaning services that cater to this industry are well-equipped to sanitise properly, degrease your busy kitchens, and maintain the cleanliness of other areas in your restaurant. Contact us today to find out more about our services!