Creating an Effective Restaurant Cleaning Schedule

A comprehensive cleaning schedule is essential for maintaining food safety and hygiene standards in any restaurant or food business. Beyond legal compliance, effective cleaning protects your customers, extends equipment life, and creates a pleasant environment for staff and visitors alike.

Why You Need a Written Cleaning Schedule

Environmental Health Officers expect to see documented cleaning procedures. A written schedule:

• Ensures nothing is forgotten or overlooked

• Assigns clear responsibility for each task

• Demonstrates due diligence to inspectors

• Helps train new staff on expectations

• Provides a record of cleaning activities

• Enables management to monitor compliance

Creating Your Schedule

An effective cleaning schedule should specify:

• What needs to be cleaned (item/area)

• How it should be cleaned (method and chemicals)

• When it should be cleaned (frequency)

• Who is responsible

• How compliance is recorded

Daily Cleaning Tasks

Tasks that should be completed every day include:

• All food preparation surfaces — clean and sanitise between uses

• Chopping boards — clean, sanitise, and store properly

• Cooking equipment — hobs, grills, fryers (surface clean)

• Floors — sweep and mop all kitchen areas

• Bins — empty and clean exteriors

• Handwash basins — clean and restock supplies

• Toilets and staff facilities

• Front-of-house surfaces — tables, counters, handles

• Refrigerators — wipe spillages, check for out-of-date items

Weekly Cleaning Tasks

More thorough cleaning that should happen weekly:

• Refrigerators and freezers — empty, defrost if needed, clean thoroughly

• Ovens — full interior clean

• Extraction canopy and filters — degrease

• Storage shelves and racks

• Walls and tiled surfaces

• Light fittings (external)

• Waste bins — deep clean and sanitise

• Staff changing areas and lockers

• Doors — including handles and kick plates

Monthly and Periodic Tasks

Deep cleaning tasks scheduled monthly or less frequently:

• Extraction ductwork — professional deep clean (typically quarterly)

• Behind and under equipment

• Ceiling and high-level cleaning

• Drains — descale and sanitise

• Deep fryers — full oil change and interior clean

• Ice machines — sanitise and descale

• Walk-in coldrooms — complete clean

• Pest control inspection points

Cleaning Products and Methods

Use appropriate products for each task:

• Food-safe sanitisers for all food contact surfaces

• Degreasers for cooking equipment and extraction systems

• Descalers for dishwashers, steam equipment, and taps

• Separate cloths for different areas (colour-coded)

• Follow manufacturer instructions for dilution and contact time

• Store chemicals safely away from food

The Two-Stage Cleaning Process

For food contact surfaces, always use a two-stage process:

• Stage 1: Clean — remove visible dirt, grease, and debris with detergent

• Stage 2: Disinfect — apply sanitiser and leave for required contact time

• Rinse if required by product instructions

• Allow to air dry or use disposable paper towels

Recording and Monitoring

Keep records of cleaning activities:

• Use checklists that staff sign off when tasks are complete

• Review records regularly to identify any gaps

• Include cleaning checks in your SFBB diary

• Conduct periodic inspections to verify cleaning quality

• Address any issues promptly and record corrective actions

Key Takeaways

• Written cleaning schedules are expected by EHOs

• Specify what, how, when, who, and recording method

• Break tasks into daily, weekly, and periodic schedules

• Use the two-stage clean-then-sanitise process

• Keep records and monitor compliance

• Review and update schedules as your business changes