When it comes to running your own restaurant, cleanliness is one thing that must always be at the top of your to-do list. If your restaurant is not clean and well maintained, you risk violating recommended health guidelines for food businesses which can lead to hefty fines and closure of your business.
Also, a dirty restaurant is an instant turnoff for many customers. Nobody wants to dine in a dirty place because they risk contracting diseases that could cost them a lot of money in medical bills.
Therefore, as a restaurant owner, it is your responsibility to keep your premises clean. If you feel overwhelmed and cannot keep up with the task, hire a professional restaurant cleaning service to help you.
Read on to find out some of the practical tips that can help you to keep your restaurant neat, clean, and hygienic.
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Train your staff
The biggest secret to maintaining restaurant cleanliness is training your staff. If you take time to train your employees on the basics, then you won’t run into trouble with the health inspectors.
Whenever you hire a new employee, make sure you take time to walk them through each area of your business premises and train them on how to maintain cleanliness and why it is essential. In the kitchen area, teach them how to work with and clean equipment.
You can even invest in a dry erase board and write down every equipment that needs to be cleaned for the day to remind your employees what needs to be done. This way, they will know what to do when they arrive in the morning and what to do before they leave in the evening.
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Wash dishes thoroughly
When washing restaurant dishes, pans, and pots, it is critical to be thorough. Customers will always notice even the smallest stain on cups, plates, or glasses placed before them. Consider using an effective grease removing product to get rid of the stains.
To make life easy for your employees, provide them with rubber gloves to use while washing dishes. This will help them avoid irritation that comes from cleaning dishes hence encouraging them to do a great job.
Also, invest in a good quality sponge and avoid using a piece of cloth or low-quality sponge in cleaning dishes because it may leave behind stains.
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Eliminate rodents and pests
Something as minor as a customer seeing a rodent or pest dash across the floor while they are enjoying their meal can hurt your reputation massively. If there are complaints of rodents in your restaurant or dead insects are found in meals that you are serving your clients, you risk facing hefty penalties from regulatory authorities.
In fact, the presence of rodents such as mice and pests such as flies and cockroaches in a restaurant is a clear sign of an unhealthy environment. Therefore, if you spot any rodents or pests in your business premises, be sure to call an exterminator immediately.
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Encourage regular hand washing
Did you know that proper handwashing plays a critical role in keeping your restaurant clean and hygienic? Install handwashing stations in strategic points and teach your employees proper handwashing technique.
Encourage them to wash their hands not only before and after meal preparation but also after cleaning and leaving the kitchen for whatever reason. Ensure you have quality handwashing soap by every station to keep germs and viruses away from your business.