A Guide To Deep Cleaning In The Kitchen
Kitchen cleaning
Deep cleaning in the kitchen forms part of what is known as the food safety pillars. We already know that all areas in a kitchen should be cleaned at some stage.
This is a fundamental aspect of not allowing bacteria to grow in the kitchen. As is often the case, the kitchen’s main priority to make and serve food.
When does one find time to clean the entire kitchen?
Developing a cleaning schedule would form the basis for a deep cleaning procedure.
How to develop a cleaning schedule:
Firstly, Identify the highest risk items and clean these most often (Critical )
These areas would include your daily kitchen cleaning (clean-as-you-go) items:
- Tables
- High-risk equipment
- Cutting boards
- All food contact areas
Secondly, highlight areas that are not critical but do come into contact with food indirectly (Major risks)
- Shelves in all areas
- Basins
- Handles
Lastly, address all other areas that do not come into contact with food and identify how often these areas build-up dirt (Minor risks)
- Cooking equipment
- Floors
- Walls
- Table legs
- Doors
Once these areas have been identified, list all items per section. The cleaning schedule forms the basis for kitchen cleaning in general, but specifically the deep cleaning policy.
Running a deep cleaning schedule is the only effective method that ensures all areas within the kitchen are cleaned according to the risks. This also ensures that cleaning takes place in a time and resource efficient manner.
How detailed should a cleaning schedule be?
To ensure that all areas are cleaned at least once per week in the normal kitchen cleaning, all areas should be listed and should be specific to your kitchen. You will also notice that tables form part of both the clean-as-you-go and deep cleaning schedule.
What is the difference?
The difference comes down to the cleaning, clean as you go versus (end of shift) deep cleaning.
Why is this?
This is because tables will hold your foods, cutting boards and all preparation takes place on these items. So attention is needed for more concentrated cleaning.
