Grease is one of those things that can harm your restaurant. No, not the musical. We’re talking about food-related grease, the hot liquid and cold solid material that can clog your drains and cause flames to rage out of control. The fact is, grease buildup is one of the top hazards that can affect restaurants and other commercial kitchen establishments everywhere. If you have accumulated grease, it’s only a matter of time before you face the trouble of your own.There is hope, however. Excess grease can be prevented once you know the proper steps to follow. Here is all you need to know about this food waste material and how to avoid expensive fines, closures due to fire, as well as bodily injury and death that can all be caused by the buildup of grease.
The average restaurant produces copious amounts of waste in the form of grease on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. While it’s easy to let grease management fall by the wayside, especially as you deal with all the stress that comes with running a busy restaurant, forgoing the grease cleanup is a mistake. These are some of the issues you are likely to run into if you allow the grease to pile up out of control.
– Enhanced Risk of Bodily Harm
Grease can easily find its way onto your tile floor. When that happens, watch out. Employees can slip and slide and even fall down, leading to an expensive liability issue. OSHA regulations for restaurant safety require you, as the restaurant owner or manager, to create a safe working environment that is free of hazards like the accumulation of grease that could then go on to cause injury or death. If an employee is injured on your greasy floor, all that person has to do is file a complaint with OSHA while claiming damages. Do you really want that expense or knowledge that you could have prevented the employee’s injury by cleaning up all the grease?The lesson? Keep the floors and entire establishment grease-free to prevent injuries and future lawsuits.
–Plumbing Backups
While it’s true that grease becomes liquid during the cooking process, the substance hardens when it cools. Before you know it, you have a gelatinous mess on your hands. If that mess finds its way into your plumbing system, you face a heavy clog. To make matters worse, when your business’s plumbing is affected, the problem could go on to clog the local sewer system, causing a stinky mess that isn’t easy to clean.Unless you want number two all over your commercial kitchen and dining areas, cleaning grease buildup should become your number one priority.
–FOG Fees
Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) should all be disposed of properly. FOG programs around the country exist to monitor restaurants and other food establishments for the purposes of ensuring sanitary conditions and the appropriate disposal of FOG. These programs also require you to properly service and maintain all Grease Management removal equipment. If you don’t comply, you could be hit with expensive FOG build up fees.
–Environmental Damage
You might wonder how to grease buildup inside your business could possibly be an environmental concern. However, the cost to the local ecosystem becomes clearer when you consider the following. Your standard rooftop grease collector maintains about four quarts of grease. Your kitchen exhaust hood sends about a quart of grease to the rooftop collector each month. If you only change out the grease pad every year when the inspector comes around, you could find yourself dumping around eight quarts of grease onto your roof each year. The moment it rains, all that grease could flow off your roof and into your rain gutters, subsequently finding itself into your storm drain, and then into the streams and rivers. All that grease can quickly go on to kill plants, fish, and other wildlife. Keep the environment clean by keeping your restaurant free of excess grease.
–EPA Penalties
The unauthorized discharge of grease-tainted stormwater is against the law. You could be subject to fines from the Environmental Protection Agency if you don’t keep up with the buildup of grease in your rooftop collection system.
–Foul Odors
The longer grease remains in your kitchen, the worse it’s going to smell. Your goal is to keep a clean and pleasant-smelling environment for your customers to enjoy a meal. Having an unpleasant odor wafting from your kitchen isn’t going to cut it and could lead to declining business and negative reviews. Keep your restaurant smelling like the delicious meals you serve by keeping excess grease at bay.
–Pests
Lingering grease can attract mice, rats, drain flies, roaches, and other nasty vermin. The fact is, a buildup of heavy grease is a serious sanitation issue.
Increased Fire Risk
Aside from cleanliness, the heightened fire risk is by far the most important reason for Grease Management in your commercial kitchen. Grease is highly flammable. When it builds up, the risk of dangerous fire significantly increases. When a fire ignites, you face restaurant damage and injury, or even loss of life. The financial drain on your business could be enormous, not to mention the emotional toll on customers and staff. Your reputation could be harmed, and your bottom line could be affected for months, if not years, into the future. Keep the risk of fire at an absolute minimum by cleaning the grease inside your establishment on a regular basis.
The Step by Step Guide to Cleaning Excess Grease Buildup
You now have plenty of reasons to maintain a grease-free environment for customers and staff. Here are a few steps to follow to ensure that happens now and in the future.
Clean Your Grease Traps
Your kitchen’s grease trap doesn’t just catch grease, but it also catches oil and fat. Remember FOG? Oh yeah, your grease trap’s full of it. It’s up to you to empty it out every once in a while. If you fail to clean the trap, all that grease can find its way into the local sewer, and we’re right back to a sewer backup. You can clean a grease trap on your own. You can even get your staff to do the job for you. However, only a professional can ensure that the grease trap is opened, cleaned, serviced, maintained, and sealed properly. A wrong move can leave a grease trap that isn’t properly cleaned or that isn’t well-maintained, giving you problems sooner or later. Most grease traps have to be opened carefully, with specialized tools so that you don’t break the gaskets. All that gunk needs to be removed and then properly disposed of. You can’t just dump all that FOG down the drain, nor should you toss it into the garbage. You can get fined for that, which is another case for getting professionals to do the job on your behalf.Professionals can also repair parts and replace them as needed, making sure your FOG excess is always collected and that all the waste in the local sewer system stays right where it belongs.
How Often Should Grease Traps Be Cleaned?
Your restaurant’s grease trap cleaning frequency will vary depending on the size of your trap and the amount of grease your staff use in your kitchen. Most cities require restaurants to clean the trap so that they maintain less than 25% FOG accumulation. For most establishments, this equates to a thorough cleaning at least once per quarter and sometimes as frequently as once per month.
Grease Trap Buildup Warning Signs
You should be aware of indicators that can tell you when your grease trap should be cleaned and/or maintained. One warning sign to look for is a drain system that doesn’t go down as fast. Backed up drains are almost a sure sign that there is too much grease in your trap. Another warning sign is a strong and foul odor. FOG waste produces an extremely unpleasant odor after sitting stagnant for extended periods of time. You need to ensure you remove them frequently. Cleaning grease traps properly, and having professionals do the job, will prevent these foul odors from accumulating inside your restaurant. Finally, if your sewers are backing up, that could be an indication that your grease trap is full and needs to be cleaned out.
Vent Hood Cleaning
A dirty ventilation hood can be a major fire hazard. You can also get fined by your health inspector for having blocked or soiled ventilation components. Your staff should be engaging in nightly, weekly, and monthly cleaning duties. One of those duties is likely the cleaning of the grease filters on the vent hoods. But how well is your staff inspecting the hoods to ensure they are free of all grease and debris?You can maintain the cleanest vent hoods and keep the health inspector happy with regular vent hood cleaning by experienced professionals. A vent hood cleaning service will ensure that every inch of your unit is clean and well-maintained. Most importantly, the service will keep you code-compliant. Those codes exist to keep your restaurant, personnel, and customers safe from foul smoke and dangerous fire. For those reasons and more, you will sleep easier knowing that your vent hoods are cleaned by those who know the value of cleaner and more breathable air.
Cooking Oil Pickup
It’s not just grease you have to worry about. You also should think about any cooking oil your kitchen is producing to excess. It can be dangerous to leave used cooking oil just hanging around. Talk about a fire hazard! A single spark can pose a dangerous situation to your building, staff, and loyal customers. For this reason, ensure that you are removing used cooking oil on your premises and that you are following all local rules and regulations while doing so. You can ensure that your restaurant follows the law by calling on certified professionals who regularly work with FOG related removal. Removing used cooking oil doesn’t have to be a messy job. In fact, professional services exist whose reputation depends on fast, clean, and courteous pickups of all types of substances, including used oil and grease.
Clean Your Kitchen Floors
Grease doesn’t have to spill in a puddle to cause a fire or slip hazard. Grease can accumulate on your kitchen floors for a long time. This results in a sheet of grease that must be removed if you hope to leave your restaurant safe for staff and customers alike. Your kitchen floors are especially susceptible to grease buildup after the grease trap has been cleaned and maintained. While your staff is undoubtedly keeping your floors somewhat cleaned with their nightly sanitation duties, professional cleaning on a regular basis can give you much better peace of mind. Professional floor cleaners use powerful degreasing agents. They also use heavy duty machines like floor scrubbers and carpet steamers. Removing grease can be done with your wait and kitchen staff, but professional services will make sure your floors are always cleaned to your satisfaction.
Now, For Major Grease No-Nos
So far, we have covered steps you can do to keep grease buildup from becoming a problem. Now we are going to discuss a couple of things you should never do to keep your restaurant clean and free from grease buildup.
No Pouring Grease Down the Drains!
Everyone in your kitchen should know that you should never pour grease down the drain directly. However, you are essentially doing that very thing when you allow food waste of any kind to grace your drain system. All waste should be disposed of properly, in the garbage bin, particularly solid food waste. Don’t rely on garbage disposals and always empty your drain strainers. The goal of your kitchen staff should be to minimize at all costs the amount of food that sneaks into the grease trap.
If you recycle cooking oil and leave that oil stored in outdoor containers, make sure they are always properly secured. These containers should always be locked away and maintained so that they are far from wastewater systems. These protocols ensure that the grease and oils never enter the natural environment. Locking the containers also keeps thieves from stealing and selling your used oil and build-up grease.
Don’t Let the Grease Buildup Get Out of Hand
You now know the damage that can be done to your restaurant if you allow grease and FOG altogether to accumulate to excess. The restaurant cleaning professionals atAPS-Hoods want to talk to you if you have heavy amounts of grease and wish to make your establishment cleaner and safer for everyone involved. Your staff and customers deserve an environment that is sanitary and that prevents slips, falls, and deadly fires. Let us provide you with a free quote and we can ensure your grease stays at a minimum for maximum health and safety. Call now in Denver, Colorado.
Restaurant Cleaning Instructions – Denver, CO: Restaurant cleaning is no easy feat. Even on a slow day, crumbs could find their way into the carpet, a little grease could get splashed onto the walls, and the bathrooms could end up looking like a war zone.
That’s not even mentioning all the places there are to clean in your average restaurant. The floors, walls, ceilings, kitchen, bathrooms, and other areas will need to be scrubbed thoroughly. Because you know what happens if you don’t engage in the necessary cleaning. Your health inspector could become displeased.
No restaurant owner wants an unhappy health inspector. You could face foul marks that could make their way to the news, and you could be levied with fines or even be forced to shut your establishment down.
Let’s prevent any of that from happening, shall we? Here are some steps to take to ensure that the health inspector always gives you rave reviews for every future inspection.
Most restaurants have their staff clean the floors, tables, and kitchen on a nightly basis. Doing so prevents rodents and insects from becoming guests of your establishment and makes the place nice and presentable for the next wave of customers.
However, sweeping and vacuuming the floors and wiping down the tables, even giving the kitchen a complete scrub-down is inadequate at best for keeping your restaurant clean. For a more thorough job, you should consider hiring a restaurant janitorial company.
Advantages of Restaurant Cleaning by Professional Janitors
You may think you are saving money by having your staff do all the cleaning, but restaurants who choose to hire janitors get to enjoy the following benefits.
Safe & Sanitary Environment
Your staff may not have the training or experience to get all the grease off the floors, which can lead to slips and falls. If your staff misses some crumbs in the corner or fail to get the hidden grease off the walls, you could be inviting roaches, rats, and dangerous microbes into your restaurant. Learn more about: Restaurant Kitchen Deep Clean: How Long Will the Kitchen be Down and is It Worth It?
Professional janitors make your restaurant safer for staff and customers and will sterilize your environment to make it unappealing to pests while simultaneously making your restaurant inviting to customers.
Health Code Compliance
Most local health codes require you to get your restaurant professionally cleaned on a regular basis. This is necessary for safety and sanitation, which we have mentioned, but it’s also a good idea if you want to serve excellent food that won’t make your customers sick.
They Can Clean Hard to Reach Places
Professional janitors can clean the walls, floors, ceiling tiles, and every other area of your restaurant. They don’t cut corners like staff might when they’re trying to get off early. Janitors will clean in the corners and in every nook and cranny to ensure a complete restaurant cleaning job.
Complete Restaurant Cleaning Checklist
Keeping the Back of House Clean
When we talk about “back of house” we are referring to the kitchen and other areas that customers aren’t readily exposed to.
Daily Restaurant Kitchen Cleaning
Clean the fryers until every remnant of food or grease is gone.
Sanitize all food preparation surfaces, including the cutting boards.
Brush and scour the grills until all the crusty gunk is removed.
Empty the trash cans and wipe them down with a damp rag and antimicrobial soap.
Take all the rags to the laundry to be professionally cleaned (unless you do this in-house).
Launder all the chef’s aprons and coats while you’re at it.
Sanitize the meat and cheese slicers.
Make sure all refrigerated food items are kept in air-tight containers and properly labeled.
Sweep and mop all floors, including the walk-in cooler and freezer.
Wipe down the outside of the ice machine.
Clean the grease traps.
Clean the ventilation hood filters by running them through the dishwasher.
Replace the tin foil liners on the grills and ranges.
Empty all the trash and recyclables.
Wash the floor mats.
Empty and clean the steam tables.
Sanitize the sinks, faucets, and soda dispensers.
Properly dispose of all grease and oil.
Weekly Kitchen Cleaning
Clean the ovens by adhering to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Empty, clean, and sanitize the walk-in cooler.
Clean the coffee machines.
Wash the walls.
Monthly Kitchen Cleaning
Wash behind the fryers, flat tops, stoves, and oven.
Remove all built-up grease, which can become a fire hazard.
Empty and clean the walk-in freezer.
Empty the ice bin, then clean and sanitize the inside.
Wash the ceiling tiles.
Check the equipment: Are the knives sharp? Is the thermometer calibrated?
Check the entire restaurant for signs of pests and rodents. If you notice droppings or other signs, call pest control immediately!
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Keeping the Front of House Clean
The front of the house includes all the areas staff may come into contact with, including your entrance, dining areas, bar, and others.
Daily Restaurant Cleaning
Wash every surface of the restaurant (walls, floors, ceilings, countertops, bar, tabletops, chairs, and booths) with clean and sanitized rags.
Clean and sanitize the restrooms (you should also check them multiple times per shift and clean them as necessary).
Sweep and mop the floors.
Wipe down the condiment dispensers.
Check the menus for cleanliness and wipe them down as needed.
Weekly Restaurant Cleaning
Dust the blinds, ceiling fans, walls, picture frames, and anywhere else dust has gathered.
Clean the table and chair legs.
Wipe down the baseboards.
Restaurant Ceiling Cleaning
Even though the ceiling tiles are way up high doesn’t mean they can’t become caked with grease and other contaminants. The fact is, the ceiling is positioned above everything, including your cooking appliances. That means that everyday food is being cooked and prepared, and your ceiling tiles are absorbing everything, from fumes and oil to grease and odors.
Failing to clean your ceiling tiles can make your entire restaurant look old and dingy. On extreme bases, the ceiling tiles can begin to negatively affect the air quality of your restaurant, leading to a fire hazard and failed health inspections.
Whether you have your staff clean the tiles or you hire a professional janitorial service, make sure the following steps are performed. Missing even a single step can leave your restaurant susceptible to disaster, and you may end up turning off your customers.
Cover Everything in the Kitchen
Cleaning the ceiling tiles means that all those contaminants are going to come raining down on your tables, floors, cooking appliances, and everything else. Therefore, make sure you cover everything down below with plastic tarps or drop cloths. You can also use old sheets or butcher paper. While you’re at it, cover your eyes with protective eyewear before the cleaning begins.
Remove the Tiles
If your restaurant sports a drop ceiling or suspended ceiling tiles, you will first want to remove all the tiles from along the ceiling grid. Use a shop vac and clean all the areas that aren’t readily available, like the vents, corners, and light fixtures. If your shop vac has a dusting attachment, use it to get into the nooks and crannies. If the tiles are excessively filthy, alternate between vacuuming and dusting until the tiles look clean.
Whatever you do, don’t use disposable dusting cloths on ceiling tiles, as they will snag and tend to leave behind fibers. These fibers, in turn, will catch and attract additional dust and dirt. Use rags or towels instead.
Clean the Commercial Ceiling Tiles
With the dusting complete, you will next want to wash the tiles using a mixture of ten parts water and one-part dishwashing liquid. Next, use a wet sweeper to swab the tile’s surface. Don’t over-wet the tiles, as you can warp them or cause water damage. Make sure you wring your sweeper out before applying it to the tiles to avoid any water mishaps.
Instructions for Cleaning Permanent Ceiling Tiles
If you are tasked with cleaning restaurant tiles that are permanently set into the ceiling, use a static duster to first eradicate any loose dirt. From there, use the shop vac to get to all the hard to reach places, then use a wet sweeper dampened in the same dishwashing solution directly onto the ceiling tiles. Don’t get the sweeper too wet so that it doesn’t drip and cause a mess.
Finally, use a lint-free cloth to get the ceiling tiles as dry as possible.
The above advice is for standard restaurant cleaning, but what happens when the fire has reared its ugly head? Whether you suffered a small fire, or your restaurant has been gutted, there are strict protocols in place for how your restaurant should be cleaned.
Cleaning and Removing Smoke Odor
After a fire, your entire establishment could end up smelling like a giant ashtray. The first course of action is to give your restaurant a thorough scrubbing while eradicating the foul stench of acrid smoke.
Cleaning the Walls, Furniture, and Floors
To remove soot and smoke from surfaces like walls and floors, and from your furniture, use a mild soap or detergent. You can also mix four to six tablespoons of tri-sodium phosphate and one cup of household cleaner or chlorine bleach to every gallon of warm water. Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning up after a fire and be sure to rinse all the surfaces afterward with clear warm water before drying thoroughly.
Wash the walls one small area at a time. The best technique is to work from the floor up while taking care to prevent streaking. Rinse with clear water immediately after washing.
You should always wash the ceilings last. If you are considering repainting, only do so after the walls and ceilings are completely clean and dry. You can further reduce the chances of mold growth and mildew by wiping down all the surfaces with a solution comprised of one cup of bleach to a gallon of water. Always test the solution on small areas first to prevent unnecessary discoloring.
If you have drywall or insulation that was soaked by water from sprinklers or fire hoses, you should consult with a professional for assistance. You cannot dry these areas out and reuse them, as mold and mildew can result. The areas will have to be replaced completely by a professional before your restaurant can reopen.
Commercial Kitchen Fire Cleaning
Wash all the appliances and pots, pans, and utensils with soapy water. Then, rinse them down before polishing them. They can also be run through the dishwasher.
If any food or other items were damaged, they must be removed from the premises immediately, preferably before cleaning is conducted.
If your business is closed for renovation or repairs, your establishment will need to be reviewed and inspected by local authorities before you can reopen for business. This is why it is critical that you hire a fire restoration and cleanup service so you’re not handling everything on your own. A service can make sure all steps are completed for a faster and more efficient reopening. Learn more about: Restaurant Kitchen Deep Cleaning Checklist for Commercial Operations in Denver, CO
Construction Cleaning
There is one more aspect of cleaning a restaurant that we haven’t discussed, and that’s to clean up after new construction or a renovation project. Whether you recently built your establishment, or you remodeled it, you likely have a big mess on your hands.
Post-Construction Cleanup Checklist
Sweep and vacuum all the surfaces, including all the ceilings and walls.
Sweep, mop, and disinfect the floors.
Vacuum the upholstery.
Wipe down the doors, knobs, baseboards, moldings, and hardware.
Give a thorough wipe-down and sanitization of the bathrooms and kitchens, including the appliances, cabinets, and counters.
Dust and wipe down all the window interiors, including the sills and frames.
Dust the air ducts, grates, vents, ceiling fans, blinds, and lighting fixtures.
Clean hardware such as hinges and handles and clean the outside of all shelves and cabinets.
Cleaning inside all cabinets is essential.
You have to clean the inside of the cupboards.
Remove all trash and debris (though your construction contractor should have removed this already as part of your contract).
Why Not Trust the Restaurant Cleaning to the Experts?
Instead of putting your staff to work on these really tough jobs, call APS-Hoods in Denver, Colorado instead. We can perform restaurant cleaning, kitchen cleaning, fire cleaning, and construction cleaning. Not only will you have less stress, but you can keep the health inspector happy, preventing fines and potential shutdowns.
Call today for a free estimate and let APS-Hoods make your restaurant the cleanest in town.
A restaurant kitchen deep cleaning is necessary for three primary reasons. For one, a dirty kitchen may produce lackluster food. A messy kitchen can also have contaminated air, which can seep out into the eating areas, leading to a less-than-stellar dining experience. Then there are all the fines you face by allowing your kitchen to reach the kind of cleanliness level health inspectors loathe.
Keep your food tasting delicious and your customers happy while ensuring your health inspector only gives you the best marks by putting the following checklist into action.
Here is the restaurant deep cleaning checklist all commercial kitchens should follow. If you need help cleaning your kitchen, call Aps-Hoods, now serving restaurants like yours in Denver, Colorado.
The Deep Clean Checklist for All Restaurant Kitchens
Daily Cleaning
•Clean Grills & Change Foil
Each day of operation, your cooking appliances can produce food and grease buildup. Not only does this affect the quality of the food you cook, but all that Food, Oil, and Grease (FOG) can cause the breakout of fire.
To keep your cooking appliances clean, scrub the grill, range, and flattop by following the manufacturers’ recommendations. In most cases, you will want to scrape food from the flattop or grill slats before scrubbing the cooktops with a degreaser.
Don’t forget to clean behind and underneath each cooking unit, as grease tends to hide in the peskiest of places. While you’re at it, be sure and change out all foil liners, which can also keep a potentially dangerous fire at bay.
•Clean Grease Trap
All the grease your commercial kitchen produces can build up, causing overflow and a potential fire hazard. Your staff should be instructed on how to open and empty the grease traps to keep them at safe volumetric levels. With most models, the trick is to open the lid before removing the water with a bucket or small pump. The grease can then be scooped out to prepare the grease traps for the following day.
Grease trap cleaning is a job better left to the experts, as only professional grease trap cleaners have the necessary equipment and training to not only remove but dispose of the built-up grease properly.
•Disinfect Surfaces
All food preparation areas can become breeding grounds for bacteria, mold, and food-borne pathogens.
To keep your commercial kitchen clean, and prevent customers from getting sick, use a commercial-grade disinfectant that is safe for use in commercial kitchens.
Pay special attention to the surfaces where the food touches during each shift, including grills, cooktops, salad prep areas, meat slicing areas, and all others for a complete kitchen deep clean.
•Wash Food Prep Appliances
During busy shifts, non-cooking appliances can become coated with sauces, oils, and other substances. Use a professional disinfectant to thoroughly scrub down all your can openers, mixers, meat slicers, blenders, and grinders. Units with multiple missing parts may need to be disassembled before cleaning to perform the most thorough job.
•Wipe Down Walls
The walls of a restaurant can easily become coated with oil and grease, which lead to mold, fungus, and illness-causing pathogens. Keep your walls spotless by cleaning them with the appropriate disinfectant. Scrape any food that may have accumulated on the walls but be sure and clean that debris off the floor afterward.
•Mop Floors
While every effort has been made to make commercial kitchen floors as non-slip friendly as possible, unfortunately, falls happen. Rubber mats can help, but so can keeping the cleanest floor possible.
First, sweep all the debris and collect the piles into a dustpan. Ensure no solid waste falls down the floor drains, as clogs and overflow can result, making your job much harder. Mop the floor with a powerful commercial kitchen floor cleaner. Make sure you get into every nook and cranny, everywhere food and grease may want to hide.
•Wash Beverage Dispenser Heads
Caked up soda dispensers make drinks taste foul while throwing the pour mixture off balance. To keep your beverage dispenser heads flowing freely with just the right mixture, remove the heads and soak each one in a sanitizer solution. To be extra thorough, hand-wash each one with a dedicated brush, then dry and towel dry.
While you are cleaning the dispenser heads, empty out the drip pan and sanitize every side, front and back the same way. Wipe down the entire surface of the dispenser to keep it free of smudges, buildup, and bacteria. And finally, empty the ice bin and clean the sides of the interior before cleaning the ice chute inside and out.
•Disinfect Waste Disposal Area
Commercial kitchen garbage disposal areas and dishwashing stations must be cleaned every day. Your staff should be vigilant about following a strict protocol when it comes to the garbage disposal and commercial washing areas, as doing so will very much please the health inspector.
All spills must be cleaned up as soon as they happen, as stagnant water can lead to all sorts of health issues. Wipe down the sinks as often as possible using a commercial-grade disinfectant and remove all trash the moment the bins are full.
After each trash change, clean the garbage cans with chlorine to kill any bacteria and pathogens left behind. Sweep and mop the floors and thoroughly clean the dishwasher. The dishwashing unit should be cleaned of all debris before the interior is sprayed with regular water to rinse food, oil, and grease away.
•Clean Hood Filters
Your range hood filters are bound to become grease-city before the end of every long shift.
To clean the filters, remove each one from the main housing, and gently wipe off any excess grease with a paper towel.
Most filters easily slide or pop out of the underside of the unit. Slip the filters into a sink or bucket filled with hot water. Add to the water a non-corrosive, metal-safe cleaner that is designed for hood filters. Usually, this amounts to a cup of granular or 4 ounces of liquid cleaner for every gallon of water.
Soak the filters overnight, then rinse them clean the following morning. The hoods will then be ready for immediate use.
Staff members tend to enter and exit the cooler and freezer multiple times on a daily basis, and sometimes food gets spilled around. Your staff should always be trained to keep the doors to the walk-in cooler and freezer closed. The door should never be propped open for any reason, for example, nor should anything be blocking either door.
The condenser coil and fans can be cleaned at least twice per year, but they should be checked weekly for the best results. Cleaning the walls of the walk-in units is easy, as a simple solution of soap and water works best. Never use harsh chemicals in your cooler and freezer, as those substances can harm the metal surfaces.
Make sure all surfaces are thoroughly scrubbed, including the doors and floors, to keep mold, debris, and pests away.
•De-Lime Sinks
Your sinks may look clean after a thorough scrubbing, but they may have accumulated limescale. To de-lime, a sink means to clean that white-colored deposit that tends to build on the inside of pipes, kettles, and pots.
Limescale is caused by the minerals leaching from the water and will have to be cleaned. While the sinks should be cleaned daily, the weekly cleaning regimen will involve using a non-abrasive cleaner and all-purpose cleaning spray to give the sink a thorough deep clean.
•Clean Ovens
Your commercial ovens pull a lot of weight each week. Therefore, each one should be cleaned of all food particles, grease, and other debris. If this cleaning isn’t performed on a weekly basis, smoke and fire can result, not to mention costly heating inefficiencies.
To clean your ovens, use a dedicated hand brush to sweep out any crumbs from each unit’s interior. Remove the racks and wash them separately by dunking them in soapy water.
For stubborn debris, use a scouring pad or wire brush to keep the racks clean. Wipe down the walls and doors of the oven with warm water or an industrial-strength oven cleaner. Finally, clean the doors and fans to promote maximum airflow. Some oven doors are removable, making them much easier to clean.
•Clean Floor Drains
Floor drains are easy to miss when performing a weekly deep cleaning, which is why keeping a restaurant deep cleaning checklist is so handy. Above all, instruct your staff to keep the drains free of as many solids as possible. Many people are unaware, but mop water filled with particles is one of the most common causes of commercial kitchen drain clogs. Make sure all particles are filtered out before the mop water is dumped down the drain.
To keep your drains clean every week, begin by flushing out loose debris using hot water. For best results, stay away from chemical-based drain cleaners. Instead, use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, which works to break down built-up materials within the pipes.
If a drain becomes clogged, you can eliminate the problem with a snake drain or drain auger, which may require the services of a professional plumber or commercial kitchen deep cleaning service.
Over time, a coffee machine can develop buildup, gunk, and grime. This can affect the taste and quality of the coffee, leading to poor customer experience. Descaling can help your coffee maker produce the choicest blends. Use a white vinegar and water solution by filling the coffee pot with one-third vinegar and two-thirds distilled water. Turn the machine on and allow the coffee maker to fill the pot with the heated solution.
Dispose of the brewed byproduct, then remove the spray head. Use a soft-bristled brush with warm water to scrub the spray head until all debris is gone. While you are at it, scrub the funnel and filter it in a similar manner.
Poor a pot of warm water into the coffee maker and brew a pot, then repeat the process until all traces of vinegar are gone. Reattach the spray head and give the exterior of the machine a thorough cleaning with a food-grade disinfectant.
For any grime that is built-up on the outside of the maker, use a baking soda and water solution along with a microfiber cloth before wiping the machine down and drying to remove any trace of moisture.
•Empty Grease Traps
Grease traps can be located inside or outside your kitchen, depending on the size of your commercial kitchen operation. Deep cleaning your grease trap can prevent the local water supply from becoming contaminated. You can also avoid potentially hefty fines by keeping your grease trap as clean as possible.
You know it is time to clean your grease trap when 25% of the liquid consists of grease or oil. This is usually once per month for a restaurant-style layout.
It is recommended that you hire a professional to clean the grease trap, as the job can get extremely messy. If you are doing the job yourself, make sure you empty and clean the trap thoroughly.
While you are at it, go on a grease hunt by washing behind all the fryers, flat tops, stove, and oven with a degreasing agent. When you are finished, use a polishing agent on any stainless-steel units for a healthy sheen.
•Clean Ice Machine
Failing to clean your ice machine could put a hefty dose of bacteria into each customer’s drink. A deep clean of the ice maker is more than a simple empty and scrub down.
To ensure the best job, we recommend that you hire the services of a professional kitchen cleaning service who can scrub down each individual component of your ice machine, and some disassembly may be required.
If you are doing the job yourself, turn off the machine, unplug the water supply and power connection, then discard all the ice. Drain the water from the ice maker while you’re at it.
Check your manufacturer’s instruction manual for which cleaner to use inside and outside the machine. Some require scrubbing with a nickel-safe cleaner, while others need a mild phosphoric acid solution.
Flush all the water from the system and clean all the condensers to ensure they remain free of food and grease.
Finally, clean all parts that touch water or ice with a commercial kitchen deep cleaning solution or bleach to kill any microorganisms that remain. Be sure and rinse the machine thoroughly after this deep clean and allow it to air dry.
You can then wipe down the exterior before plugging the unit back in and allowing the ice maker to resume its regular operation.
•Wash Ventilation Hoods
Your monthly deep clean is never complete until your ventilation hoods are sparkling clean.
Vent hoods are designed to keep exhaust fumes from permeating throughout your kitchen. The stainless-steel units also collect grease and debris. Over time, the buildup can occur, leading to a smoky kitchen and risk of fire.
To clean your greasy ventilation hoods, unplug the unit and then remove the grease receptacles, which are usually located on the sides of the hood.
Do not throw the collected grease in the trash, but instead, store it in a dedicated container for later disposal.
Soak the receptacles in hot water with the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner, then remove the filters and spray them with a chemical degreaser or all-purpose cleaner.
Scrub the exhaust hood with a degreaser and soft cloth and be sure and clean the fan blades.
This is another job we recommend that you leave to a professional, as restaurant vent hood cleaning can be tedious. Furthermore, all grease must be removed, which is sometimes tough for a do-it-yourselfer, leading to the risk of fire down the road.
By hiring professionals to do the job, you can protect your investment while keeping your commercial kitchen sanitized all year long.
Professionals can also inspect and provide HVAC cleaning services to ensure your restaurant is always well ventilated for a healthy and customer-friendly environment.
Get Regular Commercial Kitchen Cleaning from the Denver, CO Experts
This commercial kitchen deep cleaning checklist should give you some idea of how extensive the process can be. The fact is, while a deep clean of your restaurant sounds simple enough, all the hard work may be too much for you and your staff to manage. There is a lot that can go wrong, and your main goal should always be to keep both your customers and the health inspector happy.
Aps-Hoods can help you do both with complete commercial kitchen deep cleaning by experienced professionals. We service in Denver, Colorado. If you are located in either of those areas and you want a commercial kitchen that is always clean, we have the training and equipment to get any sized job done. Call us now for a free estimate.
Restaurant Equipment – Denver, CO: Commercial kitchen restaurants should be cleaned and inspected regularly, which includes appliances. For best results, a schedule should be devised so that all stoves, fridges, deep fryers, ovens, and ventilation hoods are assessed for defects and damages. Those appliances should also be put on a regular cleaning schedule. This keeps your commercial kitchen operating as it should, no matter how busy you get. All it takes is for one component to shutting down or malfunction and you could have a big and expensive mess on your hands. Restaurants that have a plan in place for repairs, for example, tend to spend half as much as other restaurant owners who don’t plan ahead. To help you save, we’ve devised a list of ten things to think about when determining how often to maintain and clean your commercial kitchen appliances.
1- Make Cleaning a Priority
If your commercial kitchen isn’t cleaned adequately, your staff could get sick, customers could fall ill, and pests could pose as unwanted guests. While your staff may do most of your cleaning, especially during their night closing duties, it is very easy to forget about cleaning a deep fryer or meat slicer. For this, we recommend hiring a professional commercial kitchen company like APS-Hoods, which can ensure every appliance is adequately cleaned for bacteria and virus removal. And so that you can remain in the health inspector’s good graces.
Monthly cleaning would ensure that your kitchen appliances always remain sanitized for when the health inspector rolls through. Even quarterly deep cleaning services can keep grease from building up and appliances from getting too overloaded to work efficiently. At most, you should schedule a professional appliance cleaning service to come once yearly, as doing so will keep your restaurant and all your appliances in tip-top shape.
3- Hire a Cleaning Staff to Assess Appliance Damage & Defects
If you manage to hire a commercial kitchen appliance cleaning company, have that same company check your equipment for any and all problems. A wire that appears frayed on a vent hood fan, for instance, could cause acrid smoke to fill your restaurant, which can, in turn, taint your food and put your customers off. By having your cleaning crew also provide regular inspections, you can keep your appliance maintenance ongoing while saving money on costly repairs.
4- Wipe Down Your Appliances Nightly
All of your kitchen equipment should be wiped down inside and outside. Make sure you use a powerful degreaser that cuts down on any films left behind. Any amount of grease can cause a fire, so pay special attention to your ventilation hoods and other components that tend to collect grease over time. Make sure you get up any moisture around the sinks and faucets by using a soft, dry rag, as that will prevent rust from collecting on your kitchen appliances. While you’re at it, unassembled your beverage machine faucets and soak them to prevent buildup. Finally, make sure you get up any grease from off the floor. While this isn’t technically appliance cleanup, it can also help prevent deadly fires.
5- Check All Equipment Monthly
Every month, you and your staff should check the refrigerators and freezers for cold air leaks, as well as cracks or punctures. You will also want to check your refrigerators, as well as your ovens, for any cracks or leaks. Check the hinges on your cooler and freezer doors, as well as your ovens, and test the suction on your ventilation hoods to ensure they are pulling the right amount of bad air out of your kitchen. While you’re at it, ensure you clean all the fan blades, including your make-up air fans, vent fans, and any others your restaurant employs. A commercial kitchen can use tons of fans, and each one should be cleaned and inspected at least monthly to ensure all components are working as they should.
6- Outsource Your Restaurant Equipment Maintenance & Repairs
At least once a quarter, we recommend hiring a company like APS-Hoods to come to your restaurant and inspect your vent hoods, ovens, refrigerators, and all other commercial kitchen equipment. This inspection will check your components for wear, which can be an indication that they may need to be replaced. Regular maintenance of your equipment will extend its life, but sometimes replacements do become necessary. A professional commercial kitchen cleaning and repair service like APS-Hoods can ensure you are always notified when equipment is faulty and needs to be switched out with the latest brand.
7- Schedule Service & Repair at Least Every Two Years
If you don’t opt for monthly or quarterly commercial kitchen equipment cleaning and maintenance, consider having a service arrive on your property at least every two years. This check can be as thorough as you prefer, including inspecting all your HVAC systems and ducting to ensure it’s free of grease and debris, as well as taking apart your ice makers and cleaning every internal component. These checks, once again, can save you loads in future replacement costs.
8- Get Replacements Based on Professional Recommendations
For a restaurant that runs optimally, you never want to base your equipment replacements on the look of an appliance or the cost. Instead, get a professional’s opinion based on your kitchen layout, your normal levels of business, and other important factors.
9- Replace Your Ventilation System Exhaust Belt Each Year
So that your commercial kitchen is always clean and fresh smelling, ensure you change out the exhaust belts of your ventilation system every year. This is a minor investment that can save you loads in the future.
10- Call APS-Hoods for Regular Equipment Maintenance & Repairs
If you operate a commercial kitchen, you may not know where to turn for monthly, quarterly, or annual cleaning and maintenance of all your appliances. Aps-Hoods is the qualified leader in commercial kitchen cleaning and repairs, and we serve both Denver, Colorado, for your convenience. Call now to schedule a free consultation.
Unlike a home kitchen, a commercial kitchen is a large space where food preparation and cooking processes go on for hours on end. As a restaurant owner, it’s your duty to keep the distinct areas of your kitchen properly cleaned, particularly the exhaust hoods. The purpose of the kitchen exhaust hood is to release smoke, heat, and smell and keep the kitchen atmosphere clean and safe.
The cleanliness of a restaurant is crucial both from the employees’ and the visitors’ point of view. If the kitchen environment is not well-maintained, the productivity of the employees will be impacted. Nobody would want to spend multiple hours in a kitchen if it exposes them to health risks. Visitors too want to sit and eat in a restaurant that is squeaky clean and free from any kind of smell. That’s why every restaurant owner is also bound by the law of their state to keep their restaurant properly maintained and guarded against safety hazards.
In case the safety codes are violated, the owner may have to face heavy penalties or shut down their restaurant altogether.
Before the cleaning task is performed, it’s a good idea to remain informed about the various parts of a commercial kitchen hood. An exhaust hood system consists of three main parts – filters, ducts, and fans.
Generally, an exhaust hood goes through a cleaning system before it exits the building. The exhaust hood, as the name suggests, functions to take the smoke, heat, and odor inside the kitchen out. It’s a ventilation system which also pulls in some fresh air from outside to keep the kitchen atmosphere clean and easy to work in. Broadly speaking, kitchen hood systems can be categorized into type I and type II. Type I exhaust hoods deal with grease whereas the type II exhaust hoods handle heat and odor. Together, they perform a great job of cleaning the kitchen atmosphere. The hoods are placed just above the fryer and burner in the kitchen.
Though a kitchen hood system comes along with two fans (for exhaust and makeup air), you can also install an additional fan on the roof over the exhaust duct system to speed up the ventilation process. The fans inside the hood are often linked with the building’s HVAC system. Just like the fans, the steel-made ducts are also two in number, one for releasing air and the other for makeup air. Other components of a commercial kitchen hood system include backsplashes, vapor proof lights, grease filters, and grease cups.
Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning
Cleaning the kitchen of a restaurant is a long, tedious process that can take up 4-6 hours. Abiding by the legal safety standards, you’ll be required to clean the hoods at least twice a year. But how many times your restaurant kitchen will need to be cleaned also depends on the current condition of your hoods. If you have a very busy kitchen and cleaning has been neglected for several months in a row, you may need the hoods cleaning done multiple times.
An experienced hood cleaning company can visit the distinct areas of your commercial kitchen and then suggest the best cleaning ideas. These service providers have the knowledge, expertise, and tools to clean the exhaust hoods of a kitchen to the bare metal and ensure efficient overall ventilation. The hood components that need cleaning include:
Hood Filters:
The filters of an exhaust hood system gather the most amount of grease and oil in the kitchen. That’s why they must be cleaned on a frequent basis. The code in your area will require you to get the hood filters cleaned once every month to avoid fire and safety hazards. As a responsible restaurant owner, you should never ignore cleaning the filters. In fact, you should get the hood filters cleaned every couple of weeks to remain fully safe from dangers.
Hood Ducts:
The second most important part of a hood system is the ducts. After the filters, it is the hood ducts that accumulate the most amount of grease, particularly when the hood filters are not doing their jobs well. All the smoke and heat produced from cooking processes pass through these ducts, and so they need proper cleaning on a regular basis. professional kitchen hood cleaning contractors understand the value of ducts and clean this component professionally using the equipment and tools that are best suited for the task. If there are errors in the placement of ducts, the contractor can get that problem fixed as well for safety.
Hood Fans:
Both the fans and the motor are located inside the duct. While the ducts are being cleaned, the contractor will also check the fans and the motors to see if they are working properly. If the quality of the motor has degraded or it is not functioning to its fullest potential, the air quality in the kitchen will suffer. Therefore, it’s important that you get the fans and the motor serviced and maintained appropriately. This will improve the efficiency of the entire hood system.
Finally, the hood cleaning professionals will clean the other smaller components of the kitchen hood system. But there are many other things that cleaners need to do before they get started with the task. They follow an appropriately laid out procedure and a cleaning checklist to deliver the best results. Make sure you work with a reputed contractor and never skip the cleaning schedule.
Why You Can’t Ignore Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning
There are several benefits that a well-maintained and clean commercial kitchen has to offer. If you operate a restaurant, you should seek the services of a professional kitchen cleaning company to clean every distinct area of the kitchen. But one area which needs the most attention is the kitchen hood system. Therefore, you should make sure that every component of the hoods you have installed gets a spring-clean so that it functions to its maximum efficiency level. The top reasons you should get your kitchen hoods cleaned by a professional company on a regular basis are as follows:
Food Safety:
An unclean kitchen is the breeding ground for harmful germs and bacteria. The build of grease and oil in the hoods can encourage the growth of these bacteria and ruin the quality of food in the kitchen. People getting sick from consuming contaminated food or drinks is a common problem. By giving your kitchen a routine cleaning, you can keep your food items safe and remove the risk of contamination. The high quality of foods translates to getting more customers.
Productivity:
If your employees are productive, it helps you get more done in less time and grows your restaurant business as a result. But an unorganized and smoky kitchen ruins productivity as well as jeopardizes the health of your staff. On the other hand, a clean and efficient kitchen exhaust hood system helps harmful particulates escape into the outside air and keeps the kitchen atmosphere clean and safe for the staff to work in and deliver their best performance.
Fire Hazards:
A commercial kitchen remains exposed to a lot of heat for hours on end. Add to it the build-up of grease and oil in the exhaust hood. All of this together increases the risk of a potential fire in the kitchen. If a fire breaks out, it can do harm to both life and property. The expense of repair could be in millions. The most effective way to reduce these risks is to get the exhaust hood system of your commercial kitchen cleaned and maintained on a regular basis.
Code Compliance:
Since a commercial kitchen is such a busy place, you never know when things can go wrong. That’s why the law in every state has mandated for all large kitchens to follow a safety code. An untidy kitchen hood is a common reason for not clearing the inspection. If you land your restaurant in an emergency situation due to a lack of cleaning, you can end up paying heavy fines. You can avoid all these issues by keeping the exhaust hood system as well as other areas of the kitchen free from any kind of greasy buildup or contamination.
System Efficiency:
A vent hood system is not inexpensive to install. So, it deserves a good, proper cleaning on a regular basis too. The accumulation of grease and oil in the hood filters, ducts, and fans disrupt the smooth functioning of the hood system and reduce its longevity. If you just keep the exhaust hood cleaned, you can have it serve your needs quite efficiently for years in a row.
Most importantly, the maintenance of your commercial kitchen is directly related to your business growth. A safe and clean restaurant is equally loved by employees and customers. It speaks volumes about your values, concerns for people’s health and safety, and your brand. So, make sure your kitchen’s exhaust hood system is spick and span and works exactly as it should.
How Frequently You Should Get Your Restaurant Kitchen Hood Cleaned
While regular cleaning is always advisable, the number of times you should give your kitchen hood a cleanup depends on a number of factors. These include the size of your kitchen, volume of cooking, and frequency of inspection among others. You can talk to a professional kitchen cleaning contractor and find out what frequency of cleaning is best suited to your restaurant.
Depending on your unique requirements, you can set the frequency of the kitchen hood cleaning as one of these:
Monthly:
Commercial kitchens with solid fuel cooking operations develop a lot of greasy and oil buildup over a short period of time and need the most frequent cleaning. Such systems should be cleaned up every month.
Quarterly:
If you have 24-hour food service in your restaurant, you definitely cook large volumes of food. In this case, you need professional cleaning at the interval of every three months. A quarterly cleaning frequency serves well both your inspection and maintenance requirements.
Semi-Annually:
If the volume of your cooking is moderate and you have a sit-down facility in your restaurant for customers as well, you should get your exhaust hoods cleaned up at least twice every year.
Annually:
There are many cooking centers that operate only for a couple of months every year. This means they cook a small volume of food. In such cases, cleaning the kitchen once a year should suffice.
Seek the Expert Consultation of a Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning Company
A professional kitchen hood cleaning company has wide experience in addressing a variety of cleaning needs. They can tell you how often you should get the exhaust hoods of your commercial kitchen cleaned. Have a consultation with a reputable contractor and schedule cleaning for your restaurant. Once the cleaning up has been done, you can run your restaurant worry-free for the next six months. In addition, you can also check out the cleaning criteria set by the National Fire Protection Association to find out more about how frequently you should get your kitchen’s exhaust hood systems cleaned for safety against fire hazards.
If you haven’t found a professional kitchen hood cleaning contractor yet, feel free to talk to APS Hoods. At APS Hoods, we offer top-quality cleaning services for all types and sizes of commercial kitchens. Whether you’re in need of exhaust hood cleaning, equipment cleaning, or installation, maintenance, and repair of an exhaust hood system, we can fulfill all your specific needs.
We operate throughout the Denver area and serve the cleaning needs of commercial kitchens, day camps, seasonal businesses, senior centers, etc. We have been delivering remarkable cleaning solutions to all kinds of restaurants in Denver and its surrounding areas for more than 20 years. Our cleaning professionals are expertly trained to abide by the regulations of the National Fire Prevention Association as well as comply with the state and local codes. While working with us, you can feel confident that our crew members will do an excellent cleaning job.
Call today and receive your free quote. (800)750-7313
Image Source Tile Ceilings – Denver, CO – If you are in the process of building or renovating your restaurant kitchen, many questions are bound to arise about which materials are best to use. It is not just about aesthetic value either, but about fire safety, cleaning efficiency, and ease of repair. Let our experts at APS Hoods advise you on some basic rules of thumb when it comes to commercial kitchen Tile Ceilings. Different states have various regulations about which materials are permissible for use in commercial kitchens. However, the general requirements revolve around the material being safe for its use in a kitchen environment.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
Easy to clean/smooth: No-textured materials are permitted, as it is hard to clean out dust and grime. Vinyl coated tiles are fantastic, and sealed wood or concrete ceilings are acceptable as well.
Non-absorbent: Since steam will rise to the top of your kitchen, an absorbent and porous material will leave your ceiling susceptible to mold. That will present a health hazard and a costly repair in the future.
Other Considerations for Restaurant Ceilings
Ease of Access to Infrastructure: Since you may need to repair above-ceiling pipes or fix electrical wiring, the wisest choice for a ceiling solution is a drop tile grid, not large panels of wood or Sheetrock, This way, all that has to be done for an HVAC or electrician tech to do their inspections or repairs—is popping the individual tile or group of tiles off. Then they can be replaced when the service is over.
Easy Repair: If a part of the ceiling becomes damaged, say—from a leak or fire damage—having a tiled ceiling is a huge advantage since you only need to replace the section that was damaged.
If you’d like a quote for professionally cleaning your restaurant walls, ceilings, floors, or equipment, call the experts on commercial kitchen cleaning, at APS Hoods. Reach us at 1(855) 236-6114. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
Image SourceKitchen Power Cleaning – Denver, CO: If you own a commercial kitchen for any length of time, chances are– you have probably rented a power washer or have contracted commercial power cleaning professionals. The truth is, this service is almost mandatory, as it not only cosmetically improves the look of your restaurant but also protects your facility from fire and bacteria growth.
What does commercial kitchen power washing involve?
Commercial power cleaning involves a powerful machine that appears similar to a large lawnmower with a hose and several tanks. The tanks are filled with steaming hot water and commercial grade cleaning concentrate. This piece of equipment is then taken inside your kitchen to help wash your tiles, walls, floors, hood and anything that has built up a greasy film. The high pressure (4000 psi) combined with extra heavy-duty degreasers cuts through the worst messes. Then, outside your facility, we spray down the areas around your garbage, where stains and spills often cause bacteria growth and foul odors. Our enzymatic solution will eat through these stains, restoring your exterior to a pleasant state that will never embarrass you in front of inspectors or new staff. Even your roof, where grease collected through the vents will benefit from a good power washing.
Why hire professionals for power washing your restaurant kitchen
Many local companies in each city rent smaller power washers for use in foodservice businesses. However, not many of them can compare to a larger, commercial machine owned by dedicated power washing companies. Here are the benefits to hiring the pros for your next commercial kitchen power washing job:
Stronger pressure in commercial grade machines.
No wasted time on a steep learning curve. Proper and effective use of power washers requires your staff to learn special techniques. Cleaning and washing these devices before returning back to the shop is also a job in itself.
The detergents available on the general market do not compare in strength to what is sold to professional contractors. Even if you do get your hands on a powerful solution, you must take care that it doesn’t get into the public water and get you in trouble with the city.
Not all publicity available washers have the steaming hot water feature necessary to really break down grease, while all professional machines do.
Grease disposal: a professional crew can properly discard any oil harvested from your hood and grease filter with no headache for you.
If you are ready to speak with a representative about restaurant power washing in any of our locations, please call 1(800)842-1583. We provide power washing, hood/vent/duct cleaning, commercial kitchen cleaning, fan servicing and much more in, Denver. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
Image SourceDenver-CO | Busy Commercial Kitchens- The cost of food, equipment, and overhead is enough to cripple many food establishments unless precautions are taken. Restaurant managers should prioritize the lowering of energy costs if the business hopes to remain solvent long into the future. Here are the steps to follow when you want to minimize your energy bills to maximize the success of your commercial kitchen.
Operational Changes:
Keep track of business day-to-day and look for any lulls where you can turn off equipment, such as keeping one oven operational as opposed to all three, for example. The smallest actions can lead to major savings when it comes time to receive the energy bill.
Low-Cost Retrofits:
Vent hood professionals can examine your ventilation system to determine if any parts can be retrofitted for major savings. Going off-brand or refurbished can produce the same efficiency as a brand-new name-brand but get a professional’s opinion before any parts are switched out. This isn’t something you want to “wing,” after all.
HVAC Maintenance:
Your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system accounts for nearly 30% of your overall energy expenses. For that reason, you will want to ensure that all of your system’s components are operating as they should. Regular ventilation cleaning and maintenance can keep your energy costs down and the risk of fire at bay.
Short Pre-Heats:
Many kitchen managers feel that it’s better to pre-heat early, but this can lead to exorbitant natural gas expenditures. Steam tables, grills, and broilers shouldn’t need to be pre-heated much or at all, and ovens should only need 15 minutes tops, depending on the appliance make, model, and age.
Newer Equipment:
While the thought of purchasing all new equipment can fill frugal restaurant managers with dread, those appliances will soon pay for themselves. When you consider that most major commercial food equipment is designed to be Energy Star rated, you can save loads by giving those energy-hog components the old heave-ho. The ventilation and commercial kitchen professionals can help you choose the ideal components for the lowest energy fees possible.
Precook Foods:
Potatoes, chicken, for example, can be cooked in a steamer before they are fried. Steamers are more efficient than fryers, and soon you’ll see the difference on your electric bill.
Proper commercial Kitchen Layout:
Believe it or not, the way you arrange your kitchen can lead to more significant energy costs. If your ovens are places directly next to your refrigerators, your fridges may have to work twice as hard. For best results and lower energy fees, place all your cooking equipment under a single vent hood and away from all cooling equipment.
Regular commercial kitchen Maintenance Can Keep Costs Low
Image SourceDenver, CO – Restaurant Kitchen Deep Clean One of the most important, and most overlooked, parts of running a great restaurant is doing a deep clean. While it’s easy to have regular employees do the dishes, wipe the counters, and mop the floors, it’s harder to make time to do the deep cleaning. Deeper cleaning, like cleaning the exhaust hood, ductwork, rooftop exhaust fans, and other appliances, takes a lot more time and effort. This is especially true if you don’t have the proper tools and cleaning products. So what is the cost of professional cleaning and what is the cost of neglecting a deep clean?
The Cost of Professional Cleaning
Time
Yes. The kitchen will have to be shut down for a professional deep clean. The stoves and fryers must be turned off to cool and some other appliances will need to be turned off for proper cleaning and for the safety of everyone. Cleaning the exhaust hood and ductwork takes an average of 2-5 hours. It depends on the number of hoods and air fans and how long the ductwork happens to be, as well as how easily accessible everything is. The good news: APS-Hoods service times are 24/7, so you can pick a time that you are already closed or if you are open 24/7, a time that you get the least amount of business so that you aren’t missing out on many sales.
Cleaning and Servicing Fees
APS-Hoods offers a number of services beyond just exhaust hood, air fan, and duct cleaning. We also offer:
Ceiling Tile, Wall, And Floor Have your ceiling tile, walls, and/or floor pressure washed, disinfected, and de-greased until it resembles its original condition.
The Exterior Keep your restaurant looking inviting and prevent future damage by having dirt and grease build up steam and pressure washed from your parking lot, dumpster area, sidewalks, roof, and building exterior.
The cost is going to depend on which services you choose and the size of your restaurant. For a free quote from APS-Hoods, click here.
The cost of neglecting the deep cleaning of the restaurant kitchen
Fire Hazard
If you have exhaust hoods and fans in your kitchen that have dust or grease build up, that is a severe fire hazard. You may be able to reach some of the gunk yourself. However, there is even more up in the ductwork or in the fans on the roof that is hard to get to and easy to forget about, since you can’t see it. But just because you can’t see grease and dust, doesn’t mean that it isn’t a danger. This report by the National Fire Protection Association lists “Failure to Clean” as the top cause of fires in eating and drinking establishments. That means that the leading cause, 22%, of fires in restaurants was avoidable. Lower Inspection Grades and Higher Inspection Fees Inspectors are trained to find the violations that most people wouldn’t think about. They are there to make sure that buildings are safe and not a health hazard. A simple oversight can cost hundreds of dollars in fees as well as a lower grade, which might turn off some customers.
Customer Perception
No one likes to be in a dirty place, but especially when they are eating. A customer perception and word of mouth are vital to a business’s reputation and profitability. If a customer sees that a place doesn’t look clean, they will not want to eat there and are likely to warn the people they know as well.
Employee Satisfaction
Just like no one wants to eat somewhere that doesn’t look clean, no one wants to work in a dirty kitchen either. If it gets bad enough, they might seek employment elsewhere. You will then have to replace them and spend the time and money training someone else. Not only that, but you want to have a safe environment for your employees. A satisfied employee is a more productive employee.
The Bottom Line
So is it worth it to spend the money and hours of downtime for professional cleaners? Doing it yourself will cost employee hours and stress. Plus, the end result is likely to not be enough. Your employees likely don’t have the experience or the tools to get the job done properly, much less the time. And is it worth the risk of customer perception, inspection fees, and fire hazards? On the other hand, having professionals come in and do a deep, thorough cleaning will eliminate any of the downsides of not having it done well. Furthermore, cleaning will take less time because professionals are trained for this specifically and they have the proper tools to get the job done well. Plus, APS-Hoods guarantees your satisfaction. It will likely save you money in the long run and will give you peace of mind. For more information about cleaning services and Restaurant Kitchen Deep Clean, contact APS-Hoods for a free estimate at (800) 750-7313 in Denver Colorado, and elsewhere around the country.Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
