Posts

Grease Trap Cleaning with ProVac

5 Helpful Tips To Keep Your Commercial Kitchen Clean

/in , /by

Looking to keep your commercial kitchen clean?

 

As a restaurant owner, you know that your establishment is judged by the quality of your service and food. Unsanitary conditions in food prep and cooking areas can prove to be hazardous not just for your customers but employees too. Surfaces, equipment, and areas that have been poorly cleaned can quickly become the perfect environment for foodborne pathogens, bacteria, and mold to breed very rapidly. That can result in dwindling customers and revenue, accidents, injuries, illnesses as well as a loss of productivity. This is why it’s essential to keep your commercial kitchen as clean as possible.

 

Commercial kitchens can be chaotic, and at the end of the day, it can seem impossible to clean thoroughly. Most staff members that work in commercial kitchens find cleaning these spaces a daunting task. Some may even end up cutting corners in their work. When tasks are either improperly done or overlooked, it can result in problems down the road. If you are struggling to know what steps to follow to keep your commercial kitchen thoroughly clean, here are some useful tips:

 

Tip #1: Train Your Team To Clean

If you opt to keep the cleaning tasks in-house rather than hiring commercial cleaners, it is important to have a checklist and appropriate training so that your team members know how to clean. While most have likely had experience cleaning a household kitchen, keeping a commercial kitchen clean is a much bigger job. Following a proven process is advisable so that every aspect of the job gets done consistently and in a timely manner. This includes a detailed list of tasks that keep your kitchen sanitized and hygienic at all times. A clean kitchen is a reflection of the professionalism of your business and its focus on excellence.

 

Tip #2 Clean Out All The Trash Every Day

Trash can build up pretty quickly in commercial kitchens. There are a lot of food scraps, green waste, and packaging that get discarded into the bins during the food prep process as well as leftovers from the dining areas. It doesn’t take long for the bins to overflow, and the trash needs to be cleaned out regularly in the right manner, or it will send out a wrong message to your customers. Make sure certain staff members are given the job of cleaning the trash can with regularity. It is equally important to have the cans adequately cleaned and dried before replacing the bags. That will help to get rid of any foul smell that arises from the garbage.

 

Tip #3: Dust & Mop All Areas Promptly and Properly

If you do not have carpeted floors in your restaurant, it’s crucial that you dust and mop all areas properly. Make sure that someone sweeps the floors regularly as that will remove all the dust and debris. After that, a good mopping will help ensure that all the floor surfaces are thoroughly clean. You can use a mix of water and soap during mopping. The floor will have to be mopped again to ensure that there is no soapy residue. You can add a disinfectant in the final mopping stage.

 

Tip #4: Clean Cooking Equipment Regularly

The simplest way to maintain the cleanliness of your kitchen equipment is to clean all spills when they occur. However, in busy kitchens with lots of orders and the hustle and bustle, this might not always be possible. In these situations, you’d have to use commercial-grade cleaners and non-abrasive pads to clean all the equipment at the end of each day. Make sure you use organic cleaners for cleaning all equipment surfaces as well as counter tops. This will help ensure that no toxic substances are lingering in your kitchen.

 

Tip #5: Clean Out Your Commercial Refrigeration Units

Establish a checklist for cleaning a commercial refrigeration unit. This may include tasks like emptying shelves, wiping and disinfecting shelving units, disposing of any expired or moldy foods, and vacuuming components.

 

Tip #6: Make Sure To Clean Out Your Grease Traps

Commercial kitchens have grease traps or grease interceptors to catch as much grease and waste as possible before going down the disposal. These systems need to be cleaned out on a regular scheduled basis. The frequency of grease trap cleaning in part depends on the volume of food your kitchen produces and also the types of foods. Many commercial kitchens need grease trap cleaning on a monthly basis. While this is something that can be done in house, hiring a grease trap cleaning service is typically easier. The contents of the grease traps need to be handled and disposed of according to specific regulations, which may be more difficult to deal with in house.

 

Companies like Moon Grease Trap Cleaning are here to help you with this component of your clean kitchen. For more details, call 502-776-2199.

tips for cleaner grease traps

8 Tips Every Restaurant Should Follow For Cleaner Grease Traps

/in /by

8 Tips Every Restaurant Should Follow For Cleaner Grease Traps

Regardless of the types of food and drink a restaurant offers, grease is an inevitable challenge.  Some restaurants have to deal with a lot of grease, while others manage lessor amounts.  Estimates from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) project that restaurants generate upwards of 5 billion pounds of grease a year. Knowing how to effectively handle grease to prevent problems is a very important task for every food establishment.

Every restaurant and food establishment can do certain things to help reduce the amount of fats, oils and grease that go down the drain. This is important since taking precautionary measures when dealing with grease saves restaurants time, money and hassles.

As an experienced grease trap cleaning company with many years of experience, here are our tips for cleaner grease traps!

1. Make sure your employees are informed.

Not everyone knows about the best practices to cut down on the amount of FOG that gets put down the drain. Train your staff so that they understand the problems that can happen when too much grease ends up into the sewer system. Not only can this lead to clogged pipes and the obvious problems that result from that, but this can also lead to code violations resulting in citations and fines.

2. Use the garbage disposal sparingly.

While garbage disposals are beneficial in that they can help you avoid clogged sinks, they are not meant to grind up and process large amounts of food scraps. Encourage your team to avoid using the dishwasher to manage food scraps, and use the garbage instead, or even composter.

3. Use signage.

Even people that know the rules sometimes need reminders. It is beneficial to have signage near every sink and dishwasher in your kitchen area reminding people not to put grease in the drain.

4. Train your dishwashers.

While running a commercial dishwasher may seem self-evident, it is not. Make sure to train your dishwashers on best practices. This includes wiping out any grease from pots and pans before washing. Getting rid of grease in garbage bags or even through recycling is a much more efficient approach than having your grease interceptor pumped out constantly.

5. Stay on a schedule for grease interceptor cleaning.

Even if you are following all the best practices, you still need to make sure your grease interceptors stay clean. Getting on an organized schedule is the best way to do this.

6. Schedule more regular grease interceptor cleanings if you process more grease.

The regularity of your cleanings should align with the amount of grease your food establishment processes. If you deal with a lot of grease, regular cleanings are a necessity. The frequency of your grease trap cleanings are based on things like the types of food you make, your cooking methods, the techniques you use for cleaning, whether you are sit down restaurant or carry-out only. Keep in mind that if you do not clean your grease interceptors on a regular basis, this can cause some very bad smells and lead to many other problems, too.

7. Keep detailed records of every cleaning.

Write down the grease level each time you have your interceptor cleaned and keep a log so you can see patterns and be aware if anything significant changes. Keep track of the date and time of the cleaning and the person who did your cleaning. You may want to track other things too including having an employee signature of the person from your establishment who handled the cleaning.

8. Hire a reputable grease interceptor cleaning company and be aware of what they are doing.

While this may seem obvious, not every plumbing company is as skilled at handling grease trap cleaning. Make sure you choose a company that has a lot of experience and the right equipment to take on this task. In addition to thorough grease trap cleaning, you should also make sure you receive routine maintenance services. Are your baffles in place and positioned properly? Do the covers fit securely on your grease interceptors so there is no leaking? If you have an in-ground grease interceptor, it needs to be examined regularly to make sure it is not leaking.

If you are looking for experienced grease trap cleaning in Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana, contact Moon Grease Trap Cleaning. Our dedicated team has many years of experience handling grease trap cleaning for restaurants and food establishments of every size. We’re MSD certified and have certification experts on staff. Our eco-friendly approach helps the environment while also saving you time and money. Contact us today at 502-776-2199 for a free estimate or more information.