RESTAURANT CLEANING CHECKLIST

Help your food safety team remember all cleaning and sanitizing tasks using our free printable Restaurant Cleaning Checklist Template. Ensure that all daily, weekly, and monthly tasks are done on time.

How to use a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist Template?

A restaurant cleaning checklist helps organize and remind food handlers of all cleaning and sanitation tasks. It ensures that tasks are categorized based on how often they must be done.

Here is a quick step-by-step guide on how to use the free printable Restaurant Cleaning Checklist:

1. Insert your company name.
2. Categorize all cleaning tasks according to their schedule (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly)
3. Review all pre-entered tasks on the checklist and customize them according to your cleaning schedule.
4. Add more rows as needed.
5. Enter a valid email address.
6. Click "Download."

The generated cleaning checklist will automatically be sent to the downloaded folder.

Print the checklist and maintain a control file of this document. Orient your team on who needs to do a particular task and how to mark if it was successfully performed.

Upgrade your Restaurant Cleaning Checklist and pair it up with smart tools when you use our smart Food Safety Management System. Get automatically generated cleaning checklists and other monitoring logs equipped with detailed instructions.

Learn more about our smart software in this article!

Simplifying Restaurant Cleaning Tasks with Ready-to-Use Checklist Template

Keeping all food contact surfaces clean is an important job in the food service industry. Food safety agencies and health inspections all over the world require all food businesses to conduct cleaning routines daily to control food safety. These cleaning tasks range from removing food stains on the tables and walls to properly segregating all waste. Keep all tasks organized and never miss one by having a restaurant cleaning checklist around.

All the cleaning tasks need a certain level of attention to achieve standard cleanliness. They must also be performed regularly to become effective, and proper cleaning products must be used. It has been reported that at least 88% of customers become worried about the food they get when they see a dirty restaurant. 

What is a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist Template?

A Restaurant Cleaning Checklist is a helpful tool that contains a list of cleaning activities essential to control food safety. This checklist highlights all the cleaning protocols you need to routinely do as maintenance to your facilities to prevent food contamination.

Because of the many other tasks needed in a restaurant, such as preparing the meals, serving them to the customers, and maintaining customer service, cleaning activities can sometimes be neglected.

A Restaurant Daily Cleaning Checklist highlights the importance of all activities indicated in it. It shows how food safety can be risked if any task is forgotten or missed.

Maintaining restaurant cleanliness in your facilities and the commercial kitchen equipment you use is perhaps one of the best customer services you can provide. A clean restaurant attracts consumers and shows them your commitment to serving hygienic products and services.

Improve your checklist's efficiency by going digital. Use FoodDocs' smart Food Safety Management System 

Who needs a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist?

All types and sizes of food businesses may benefit from a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist. Whether the business is in manufacturing, retail, or food service, an employee Restaurant Cleaning Checklist is necessary.

Your food business will benefit from such a checklist by maintaining food safety consistently.

For a small business, most cleaning tasks are done personally by the staff without the help of third-party cleaning services.

A Restaurant Cleaning Checklist will help the employees remember which tasks must be fulfilled in each service schedule. On the other hand, tasks are more specific for bigger businesses but will cover a wider range of activities. As such, they may benefit from a focused and specific cleaning checklist to enhance efficiency.

A cleaning checklist can be distributed to the different sections of your food business. The different parts of your business may require different tasks when it comes to cleaning. Restrooms require stronger cleaning materials, whereas your food preparation area requires mild to food-grade materials.

Some of the areas which need a separate cleaning checklist in your food business include:

• Kitchen area (e.g., food contact surfaces, floors, and stove area)
• Restrooms
• Counter area
• Walk-in refrigerators
• Storage area
• Service area
• Receiving area

Each section within an area will require some specific cleaning tasks. A daily Restaurant Cleaning Checklist will help your staff and supervisors determine which ones need to be done daily; a monthly restaurant cleaning checklist will help your team monthly.

In addition to a clean environment for service, a comprehensive Restaurant Cleaning Checklist template can help maintain staff accountability.

Your checklist can be customized to indicate which staff is responsible for a specific task.

What is the importance of a Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning Checklist?

Regular cleaning can become overwhelming if you don't have a proper system with all relevant food safety checklists. Having cleaning records is useful because it helps you and your staff stay organized and keep on top of your food safety management system and guidelines.

Here are some benefits you can get from a printable Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning Checklist:

• Reminder. A restaurant cleaning schedule determines which jobs should be done, how often, and which supplies to use, whereas a cleaning checklist template puts the cleaning schedule into action - it's for your staff to remember all the cleaning tasks and the details. Having a restaurant cleaning checklist works way better than using notepads as reminders.
• Organizer. As the frequency of the tasks is different, a cleaning sanitation checklist helps you work in an orderly manner. An organized Restaurant Cleaning Checklist can help your staff do their job efficiently. Some steps must be done before the others, such as wiping kitchen walls from top to bottom to prevent the reoccurrence of dirt.
• Staff accountability. A Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning Checklist can serve as a copy of which staff is assigned a task. This makes progress and accountability tracking easier for a supervisor.
• Ensures food safety. By reminding your staff to practice correct cleaning practices, your team can control potential food safety hazards like cross - contamination that can contaminate your food operations. In return, consumers and health inspectors will recognize your efforts and commitment to food safety.
• Promotes proactivity. Having a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist builds a proactive culture by reviewing the list for any due tasks. This aspect can be passed down to all employees and can even improve their way of living.
• Improve management. By becoming more organized, you can focus more on managing your business while you review if the tasks have been done accordingly using a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist. You do not have to ask each assigned staff whether the task was done or not.

A Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning Checklist is crucial in maintaining cleanliness, hygiene, and food safety standards within the establishment. It ensures that all necessary cleaning tasks are consistently performed, minimizing the risk of cross-contamination, foodborne illnesses, and other health hazards.

What should a Restaurant Cleaning Checklist include?

Every type of restaurant will eventually end up with a unique Restaurant Cleaning Checklist. A restaurant that serves seafood may need a different cleaning routine to satisfy food safety standards when compared to a food business specializing in pastries.

Differences in the frequency of specific cleaning tasks are also expected for each type of restaurant. As such, a good Restaurant Cleaning Checklist must be versatile and comprehensive. 

Here are some components that a comprehensive restaurant cleaning checklist should have:

• Properly categorized tasks. This component tells you which tasks must be done for your restaurant operations. Each section of your entire restaurant will also require different cleaning tasks, therefore, must include specific information.

General cleaning tasks

• Wipe down walls and entrance doors from food stains
• Remove all unclean dishes from the bussing area
• Clean coffee makers
• Clean hood filters
• Clean chairs and decorative wall hangings
• Clean windows
• Sweep and wipe floors
• Empty trash bins/trash cans
• Clean waste disposal
• Change or clean floor mats
• Monitoring pest traps

Restaurant kitchen cleaning tasks

• Drain pans and ice machines
• Clean condiment racks
• Clean food prep stations, and food prep surfaces, and clean the kitchen floor
• Clean prep area surfaces, including stainless steel surfaces
• Sanitize cooking table
• Remove grease buildup on walls
• Clean stove area
• Clean grease traps
• Clean oven
• Clean refrigerator coils
• Clean washing machine and washing stations
• Take the trash bags out

Restaurant service area cleaning processes

• Clean and wipe all chairs, table tops, and glass doors
• Clean coffee machine and espresso machine
• Replenishing paper towel dispensers
• Collect dirty towels
• Remove any spilled food residue on the floor
• Sanitize tables and pepper shakers
• Clean vent hoods
• Emptying trash and recycling bins
• Dust ceiling fans
• Take the trash bags out

Storage area

• Remove all ingredients that are past their expiration dates
• Arrange similar ingredients with newer stocks at the back, and the older ones in front: First-In, First-Out (FIFO)
• Established frequency of cleaning. Your restaurant cleaning schedule checklist must categorize which cleaning tasks must be done daily, weekly, or monthly. Not all tasks need to be done daily. This routine can become very inefficient and a waste of effort and cleaning materials.

Categorize high-risk tasks such as sanitizing the preparation table and changing fryer oil daily since these cleaning activities are required to control food safety. Weekly tasks can include dusting off light fixtures, sanitizing doors, removing clogs from the grease traps of the deep fryer, and replenishing big condiment containers.

Additionally, some tasks only require to be done once a month, which usually involve deep cleaning. Such tasks may include knocking off cobwebs, changing hood filters, replacing light fixtures, sanitizing the walls, defrosting freezers, and cleaning refrigerator coils. As mentioned, each restaurant will most likely require specialized daily cleaning tasks with varying frequencies. 

• A section for remarks/ Assigned staff. In addition, your Restaurant Cleaning Checklist can have an additional column for remarks which need to be noted. These remarks can be any unusual event that happened during the execution of the task or any important reminder that needs to be relayed to a supervisor or the next shift.

Some remarks can include replenishing any cleaning solution, broken fixtures that need to be replaced immediately, observing expired raw materials, and reporting a sighting of rodents dropping to alert pest control.

Alternatively, this extra column can serve as a section for your supervisor to sign, acknowledging that the tasks have been reviewed accordingly.

If you are lost in creating a cleaning checklist, you can download and print our cleaning checklist at FoodDocs! This checklist is just one of the many food safety documents we have compiled for every food business.

You can access more monitoring log templates, checklists, posters, charts, and advisories from our food safety template hub.

If you're not sure where to start with your food safety checklists or you don't have enough time, our digital Food Safety Management System can get your cleaning records automatically done in no time so you can focus on what you need to – managing your business. 

FoodDocs automatically sets up a monitoring cleaning checklist that you can share with all your team members. Get notified of all the accomplished cleaning tasks on your checklist in real time, including the ones that have been missed.

Our application can remind you if there is a task that needs to be done. Book a free demo call with our experts to learn more about the benefits of FoodDocs.

How can I help my team ensure compliance with cleaning tasks?

We agree that it's a real challenge to keep your kitchen clean all the time and remember all the specifics. That's why it is important to take time to think of an efficient way how to help your team without burdening them with additional duties.

As cleaning tasks vary depending on the frequency, the easiest way is to divide cleaning records by frequency.

FoodDocs developed a digital solution for your cleaning tasks. Use the following features to your advantage:

Cleaning checklist to stay food safety compliant

Using our system, you can get automatically generated Cleaning Checklists. This checklist features key cleaning tasks for a restaurant business. You can also rearrange tasks and add a new category, such as the location of the set of tasks. Feel free to replace the words on the form when needed. 

Help your team remember all essential cleaning tasks and their schedules to stay compliant with food safety regulations. Add or improve unique tasks to your checklist to tailor it better to your operations. 

Customizable management system for an efficient transition

We get how hard it can be for some to transition to a new digital platform. As such, we made it possible to fully customize our smart Food Safety Management System.

Tailor monitoring checks and logs to fit your daily operations. Set your own frequencies and standards according to key regulations in your location. 

Help your team switch to our user-friendly digital platform in no time.

Step-by-step instructions to help perform tasks

In addition to the customizability feature, you can get built-in step-by-step instructions for every automatically generated monitoring log. Use these instructions to guide food handlers on how to perform and monitor a task. 

Ensure that your team knows how to clean surfaces properly and every corner of your business with these detailed instructions. In addition, you can also upload your own versions of instructions as images or videos. 

Real-time overview to save time from supervision

Help you get a general understanding of your everyday progress, our digital software features a real-time dashboard. All your food safety operation progress is reflected through a central dashboard.

You can use this feature to save at least 20% of your time supervising every task you need to do and focus more on your business. The dashboard shows which areas need more attention so you can focus on those tasks. You can directly contact the involved food handlers and resolve any issues with cleaning. 

You can use the dashboard to verify cleaning tasks and ensure food safety compliance.

Managing all cleaning tasks on time is challenging, but it is possible. Finding a way to improve efficiency and help your employees finish the cleaning tasks and fill a checklist can improve working environments.

To get more essential features for your food safety management system, try our free 14-day free trial and start organizing your daily or monthly tasks with us. 

Our digital FSMS software was made by food safety experts who have served in the food service industry for a long time. Rest assured, the information and documents you will get are made by food safety experts. Get a digital FSMS that can make your food safety compliance easy and an enjoyable task now!

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