Contrary to popular belief, spring cleaning isn’t just for homes — it’s for businesses, too, especially restaurants. Cleanliness is one of the most important aspects of a successful restaurant, and not only can unsanitary conditions drive your customers away, but they can even land you in legal trouble if you’re violating health codes. But while many restaurant owners see spring and summer cleaning as a treacherous mountain they need to summit, the entire process can easily be broken down into more digestible sections that can be conquered more efficiently.
Here’s part one of our full guide to restaurant spring cleaning, where we’ll discuss how to thoroughly clean your restaurant’s restrooms and floors.
Restrooms
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 this in mind, it should come as no surprise that steam cleaners are, by far, the quickest and most effective method of restroom sanitation. And since 29% of respondents to a survey said they’d never go back to a restaurant with unsanitary bathrooms, it’s critical for your restaurant’s restrooms to be meticulously cleaned consistently.
Start by addressing any repairs that need to be made: leaky faucets, toilet issues, etc. Failing to repair these plumbing issues can cause more long-term damage, not to mention, they give your restaurant’s restrooms an unprofessional and unmaintained appearance.
When you’re ready to clean, start with the surfaces: the water fixtures, countertops, and sinks. Don’t forget the paper towel dispensers: superheated steam cleaned faucet handles and paper towel dispenser handles had just 10% as many germs compared to those cleaned with traditional methods. Once you’ve finished these cleaning steps, you can move on to the floors.
Floors
Your restaurant’s floors should typically be the last to be cleaned during the deep spring and summer cleaning process. This is true whether you’re cleaning your restroom floors, dining rooms floors, or kitchen floors. Restroom floors should be swept and then deep cleaned with a steam cleaning machine. This also applies to kitchen floors, which easily build up grime between tiles and grouting. Don’t forget to move kitchen appliances so that you can access every inch of the floor and remove the built up debris with your industrial steam cleaning machine.
Ultimately, spring/summer cleaning for businesses in the food industry is certainly no easy chore. But by taking it step by step and room by room, you’ll have your entire restaurant sparkling clean and ready for the inevitable influx of satisfied summer diners. Keep an eye out for the next post, where we’ll discuss how to deep clean your restaurant’s dining room and kitchen.