Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, diners have always been particular with cleanliness in a restaurant. If they read or hear bad reviews about a dining establishment’s poor sanitation and hygiene, then they won’t even consider eating there.
In addition, there are also various laws in place concerning food-related businesses. These include the Food Act 2014 and the HSWA 2015. If you don’t meet the requirements, either you won’t be able to run a restaurant in the first place or you’ll receive corresponding sanctions.
In short, it should be a priority for you to maintain top-notch cleanliness in your restaurant, bar, or cafe. This is easy enough to achieve by working with a reliable commercial cleaning company, with a specialisation in restaurants and similar businesses.
When the cleaning crew isn’t on duty, however, you and your staff need to keep up with smaller daily tasks such as sweeping and mopping, maintaining the restroom, and the like. Thus, you need to invest in good equipment that will do the job right. Here are some must-haves that you should have on your list:
Hand Sanitisers
Hand sanitisers are obviously not cleaning equipment, at least not technically. However, they’re definitely essential nowadays. They’re important for quick hand clean-ups, especially after handling items like money and other fomites (objects that can carry infection). Make sure to get a product with at least 60% alcohol.
It’s good to place hand sanitisers in strategic locations, including one at the entrance. You should also have a bottle near the cash register, as well as in the kitchen and near the cutlery cabinet.
Of course, proper washing is still the best way to get rid of germs on one’s hands. Nevertheless, it’s good to have “back-up” when hand-washing is not possible. It can also boost a customer’s trust in a restaurant when they can see that there are hand sanitisers available for their use.
Gloves
Keeping a restaurant in tip-top shape involves handling a variety of substances, including cleaning solutions to remove heavy grease and stains. Window sprays, toilet cleaners, and other cleaning agents are also necessary to deal with different soils on different surfaces or materials.
To protect your hands from getting irritated by high-strength cleaning solutions, it’s best to wear gloves while using them. Thick PVC gloves that extend to the elbows are your best bet since they are multipurpose, reusable, and waterproof. If you can find one with a non-slip grip feature on the fingers and palms, then all the better. Stock at least three pairs at a time, and don’t forget to disinfect them after each use.
High-Quality Cleaning Cloths
Cleaning cloths are an absolute necessity in restaurants. They come handy in wiping down everything, from greasy oven doors to tables covered with food stains and beverage spills. Microfibre cloths are particularly useful since you can use them either dry or wet depending on the job you need to do. A clean one can also be used as a hand towel!
It’s a good idea to have a ready stock of cleaning cloths in any restaurant. They don’t spoil, so don’t be afraid to get packs of 20 or even 50 cloths at a time. Wash them properly to maximise their lifespan. For microfibre, that means not using fabric softeners or bleach in order to preserve absorbency.
Cleaning Wipes
Cleaning wipes are to heavy-duty cloths just like hand sanitisers are to hand-washing. They’re great for quick clean-ups, particularly for tables and other items like condiment bottles that need a bit of disinfecting. Speaking of, it’s best if you can find disinfecting wipes so they can do double-duty of cleaning and getting rid of germs.
After you’re done with them, make sure to dispose of cleaning wipes properly. Throw them in the bin as you would other sanitary items. NEVER flush cleaning wipes down the toilet.
A Broom and Dustpan
Restaurant floors get dirty all the time. Whether it’s your guests tracking dirt from the outside or an over-excited toddler accidentally breaking a drinking glass, there’s always something that needs sweeping.
That’s why you need a reliable broom to handle the job. Pick one with bristles that are suitable for any kind of floor, be it tile, hardwood, vinyl, or concrete. Angled brooms with long handles can also help you get to hard-to-reach corners.
Pair your broom with a large-capacity dustpan with a lip that lies flat on the floor. This helps with the better collection of debris.
A Good Mop
For wet messes and spills, you need to have a good mop ready. Like cleaning cloths, a microfibre mop is a good option since you can use it either wet or dry. Microfibre mops can also be used to pick up hair and other fine particles that might have escaped your broom.
If you need to wet-mop your floors, make sure to use overlapping back and forth strokes so you don’t miss a spot. Do it twice if you’re using detergent, with the second pass serving as the rinse phase. If necessary, do a third run to completely get rid of traces of detergent and to prevent marks and streaks caused by water left to dry on its own.
With all these useful equipment in stock, along with the appropriate detergents and bleach, you can keep your restaurant clean and hygienic—which is the way it should be for you to attract more customers.