HOW CLEANING YOUR RESTAURANT REGULARLY CAN KEEP IT COMPLIANT

If you’re in the restaurant business, you undoubtedly know how important it is to maintain a clean and hygienic environment that is crucial for the success of your business. There’s the obvious to consider – ensuring the health and safety of your customers, but it also boosts morale among your staff, and keeps the business running smoothly. 

However, with the inherent demands of running a restaurant, which are plenty, it’s often a bit too easy to overlook the importance of regular professional cleaning. Today, we’ll explore why that’s a mistake, while touting the benefits of regular professional cleaning, and how it can help you stay compliant with health and safety regulations.

 

1) Foodborne Illnesses

Nobody likes a dirty restaurant, but a dirty kitchen is far worse, and can lead to the spread of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, putting your customers at risk of foodborne illnesses. It’s a legal liability that can cost you your restaurant license, and more if you’re not careful

 

2) Pest Infestations

Crumbs, spills and dirty surfaces can – and will – attract pests such as cockroaches, rodents and flies, which can contaminate food and spread disease. Also, you’ll want to pray that none of your patrons find them in their food. 

 

3) Reputation Damage

A dirty restaurant can damage your reputation and deter customers from returning, which is the worst outcome of all. Even if you do manage to avoid risks #1 and #2, an unclean restaurant won’t rank high with your patrons. Scrub those surfaces, clean those sticky floors, and for goodness sake, wipe that layer of dust off those lampshades!

 

WHY YOU SHOULD BE PROACTIVE WITH YOUR CLEANING

So, what exactly are the benefits of regular professional cleanings, besides the obvious aesthetic value and hygienic advantages? For one, there’s an increase in efficiency via reduced waste and improved workflow, freeing up staff to focus on more important tasks, like making your customers happy. 

However, the most important one is compliance with all necessary regulations. Regular professional cleanings will help you avoid a number of legal issues that can easily put you out of business with just one terrible experience. Health inspectors are known to drop in unannounced, and that’s a good thing, since it’s an extra incentive for you as a business owner to keep your restaurant in pristine condition. There are no drawbacks.

 

HOW TO STAY COMPLIANT

So, how exactly can you ensure that your restaurant stays fully compliant with health and safety regulations through regular professional cleaning? 

 

1) Develop a Cleaning Schedule

Create a schedule that outlines the frequency and scope of cleaning tasks, including daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. Many of these can be performed by your staff, particularly where the kitchen crew is concerned. Speaking of which, that’s an area of your restaurant that you never, ever want to become complacent. 

 

2) Train Staff

You can ensure that all staff members understand their role in maintaining a clean and hygienic environment, and provide training on proper cleaning procedures in order to remain compliant. It’s part of the process to guarantee safety and good business across the board.

 

3) Conduct Regular Inspections

You don’t need to be a professional to conduct an inspection of your restaurant. In fact, it’s quite easy to identify areas that need attention and make adjustments as needed. If it looks dirty, it probably is. If it doesn’t look dirty, look closer, just in case. If you’re still in doubt, you know what to do!

 

4) Hire a Professional Cleaning Service

Some jobs are just too big for staff to tackle, in which case, you might wish to hire a professional cleaning service. They’ll even help out with bigger (and dirtier) jobs such as kitchen exhaust hood cleaning and floor stripping. It’s always better to trust your cleanings to a team of experienced professionals, and the peace of mind you’ll get in return is absolutely worth it.

 

CONCLUSION

 

It may seem like preaching to the choir, but this is all a good reminder to never neglect the importance of cleaning your restaurant on a thorough and routine basis. Make it a priority, and reap the benefits, including 5-star online reviews from your diners, and greater success as a restaurant owner!

To that end, we always recommend bringing in the experts to get the job done perfectly, and MCA Group is here to help. With over 20 years of tried and tested experience, and a portfolio of over 50 restaurant clients that we service routinely, we know exactly how to clean a restaurant from top to bottom. To that end, we also offer the most flexible service in the business, including late-night cleaning, seven-day schedule options, and specialty work. If you’re unsure, don’t take the risk, or it could be too costly to bounce back from. Contact us today for more information.