There are three main types of hazards or contaminants that can cause unsafe food: Biological, chemical, and physical. Biological includes microorganisms; chemical includes cleaning solvents and pest control; and physical means hair, dirt, or other matter. In the restaurant industry, keeping clean means avoiding these three contaminants and ensuring food safety and quality. Unfortunately, the summer season typically makes it more challenging to keep your restaurant clean and your food prepping environment safe and sanitized. But we’re here to help — here are just a few restaurant cleaning tips all owners should keep in mind during the summertime.
Keep the Kitchen Cool
Though you can’t tell by looking, bacteria multiply more easily in warmer conditions. When you factor in the warmth emitting from appliances in use throughout the day, the possibilities are actually a bit alarming. Keeping your kitchen cool isn’t always easy, but it’s helpful to keep bacteria growth at bay. Taking extra measures to keep your kitchen at a reasonable temperature can go a long way when it comes to improving overall cleanliness.
Prepare For Increase in Business
In general, most restaurants experience a surge in business throughout the summer months, especially if they offer outdoor seating options and other summery accommodations. If the summer season is one of the most popular for your restaurant, it’s important to prepare for this increase in business ahead of time. Don’t allow food to sit out because it was prepared too far ahead of time; develop a more efficient process that ensures food is properly refrigerated and doesn’t need to sit out for longer than necessary.
Set a Strict Steam Cleaning Schedule
Finally, it’s a good idea to increase how often you’re using dry vapor steam to clean your restaurant’s kitchen during the summer. Steam cleaning systems eliminate chemical residues while sanitizing the surface being treated. Because so little water is consumed, approximately 1.5 quarts per hour, it’s virtually “mess free”. With that in mind, it’s worthwhile to decrease the risk of cross contamination by using dry vapor steam more often during the hot and muggy summer season.
According to the CDC, each year, one in six Americans gets sick from consuming contaminated foods or beverages. Understanding how to keep your restaurant kitchen clean during the summer can keep all customers and employees safe.