Common questions

How often should a commercial kitchen be cleaned?

Food-contact surfaces after each use and at the end of every service, the floors and line every day, hood filters and walk-in coolers every week, and ice machines, freezers and coils every month. Your food safety plan may set tighter times.

What is the difference between cleaning and sanitizing?

Cleaning removes dirt, food and grease with detergent and water. Sanitizing then kills the germs that are left, using heat or a chemical sanitizer at the right strength and contact time. A surface has to be clean before it can be sanitized.

How often should extraction hood filters be cleaned?

Usually weekly in a busy kitchen, and more often if you fry a lot. The ducts behind them need professional cleaning on a schedule set by your fire safety rules or insurer.

Do I need to keep kitchen cleaning records?

Food safety inspectors often ask to see cleaning schedules and records. Signed checklists, or checklist runs in Wikidoc with a name and time on every task, show cleaning was done as planned.

Run your checklists and SOPs in one place