Sam Tell knows that so much more goes into crafting a positive dining experience than what customers eat and drink. Creating the right impression with your guests is critical to maintaining your business, and while the menu and its preparation get most of the attention for influencing this, some of the most important considerations have little to do with food, at all.
We’re talking about the enormous importance of a clean kitchen to a foodservice operation’s overall success.
Few things can ruin the reputation of a restaurant, even one with great food and service, faster than a perception of uncleanliness. A messy or unsanitary kitchen also makes a restaurant susceptible to a slew of regulatory setbacks, which is why it's imperative you have a dedicated and diligent janitorial staff equipped with the right tools.
The following checklist will help ensure your team has the necessary restaurant cleaning supplies to keep your customers focused on the menu, not what’s on the floors.
Floor Mats
The easiest way to deal with a mess in the kitchen is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Compartment mats contain spills to the kitchen, facilitate quick cleanups, and help avert dangerous slips and falls.
Mops
When mats aren’t enough to control a spill, or when it’s time to clean the kitchen after a busy day, mops are a kitchen cleaner’s best line of defense to sop up messes and keep the floor spotless. Just make sure you have plenty of extra mop heads and buckets.
Remember: Whenever your team uses a mop, a wet floor sign should never be far behind.
Floor Scrapers
When a mop or broom just won’t do the trick and there’s something that just won’t come up, kitchen crews can count on a good floor scraper to pry away those stubborn splotches and stains.
Brooms
A quality broom can be an invaluable tool for cleaning a commercial kitchen, too—just ask anyone who’s spent a day working behind a deli counter selling poppy and sesame seed bagels. Be sure to get a variety of sizes to reach all corners of your restaurant’s kitchen, and leave no crumb behind.
Gloves
When it comes time to focus on what’s in the sink, dishwashing gloves are a must so the mess doesn’t get onto your team's hands, or any other part of your kitchen.
Other additional necessities include:
- Sponges
- Spray Bottles
- Dish Rags
- Soaps & Detergents
- Cleaning Solutions
- Steel Wool
- Oven Cleaner
