What Cleaning Schedule Does a Food Business Need?

A cleaning schedule is a fundamental part of your food safety management system and something every Environmental Health Officer will ask to see. It should cover every surface, piece of equipment, and area in your food business that needs cleaning, specifying what to clean, how often, what method and chemicals to use, and who is responsible. The schedule should distinguish between routine cleaning (done during and after every service), periodic cleaning (weekly or monthly deep cleans), and occasional cleaning (equipment servicing, extraction cleaning). Each entry should specify the cleaning method — for example, whether a surface needs sanitising (cleaning plus disinfection) or just cleaning, what concentration of chemical to use, and the contact time required. Critical areas like food preparation surfaces, chopping boards, and equipment that contacts food should be cleaned and sanitised between different food types (particularly between raw and ready-to-eat food). Less critical areas like floors and walls still need regular cleaning but may not need the same frequency. Keep records showing that the schedule is being followed. A schedule that exists on paper but is not being followed is worse than having no schedule at all, because it suggests the business creates documentation without actually implementing it.