Tips for Maintaining Commercial Kitchen Equipment
Cleaning & Sanitizing Commercial Kitchen Equipment
Has your commercial kitchen equipment been falling short of its capabilities, and you’re unsure why? There can be a few different reasons, but one of the main things to be mindful of is how often you sanitize your appliances. Commercial kitchens tend to experience a lot of foot traffic and the hustle and bustle of people baking, boiling, mixing and preparing dishes with quick turnaround times. As a result, there is often a buildup of grime on stoves, ovens, broilers and other commercial kitchen equipment. By regularly cleaning and sanitizing your kitchen space, you can not only create a healthy environment but ensure everything is running at an optimal level. Restaurants and food operations of all sizes can benefit from regular cooking equipment maintenance and cleaning. When your equipment is running smoothly, you can give your customers an excellent dining experience!
There are many different cleaning methods you can use, depending on the type of appliances you have. You can customize your cleaning approach to each commercial kitchen appliance, from stainless steel equipment to cutting boards and more. Stainless steel, for example, is one of the most prominent appliance types in a commercial kitchen, as it is durable and easy to maintain. You can use the following to clean and remove debris with a cleaner containing alkaline, alkaline chlorinated, or non-chloride chemicals.
- Soft cloths
- Microfiber
- Sponges
- Plastic scouring pads
By using the proper techniques, you can get the most out of your commercial kitchen equipment and run into fewer issues over time.
One of the key takeaways is to regularly clean and sanitize your restaurant equipment rather than leaving it for an extensive period of time. With regular maintenance and sanitizing, you can avoid any costly repairs and malfunctions that can arise over time. Below, we identify key actions you can take to prevent any issues with your commercial kitchen appliances.
Pain Points of Commercial Kitchen Cleaning
In a busy restaurant setting keeping on top of maintenance is a challenge, but doing so is essential to the longevity of your appliances and efficiency of your business. If your restaurant equipment is not working as it should or not up to health standards, it could fail to pass inspection, which could lead to a halt in your business operations. In addition, with people navigating around the kitchen, items can spill, food can collect, along with dust and other contaminants over time. Some examples that can pose problems are unclean kitchen floors, areas behind the oven and stove, inside dishwashers, and surfaces around the sink. These areas often can be overlooked during operations, leading to issues arising during an inspection.
Typically, health inspections occur two to four times a year. It’s beneficial for upper-level operations staff and restaurant managers to be mindful of that and start conducting in-house reviews weekly. By understanding local health codes and your prior reports, you can take the appropriate measures to ensure your restaurant equipment passes inspections. Some steps you can take include bleaching mugs, maintaining drains, having ample signage for employees to wash hands, and more.
Best Methods for Cleaning Grease from your Commercial Kitchen
One of the top problem-causers in a commercial kitchen is grease. Grease can build over time from cooking and utilizing restaurant equipment throughout the day. By controlling the grease in your commercial kitchen, you will be able to minimize the possibility of violations from inspections, losing revenue, costly repairs, lawsuits, and other potential issues. You can take several approaches to clean the grease from your kitchen appliances, and we list some of them down below.
- Clean grease traps regularly
- Use in-sink strainers
- Pour grease in designated places
- Wipe pans and other cookware prior to cleaning them to avoid plumbing issues.
Benefits of a Preventative Maintenance Program for Commercial Kitchen Equipment
As mentioned above, it’s essential for your commercial restaurant equipment to function correctly to serve its purpose and provide patrons with quality cuisine. When your restaurant equipment performs at its best, you can deliver the best service to your patrons. By putting a maintenance program into place, you can spare your business from costly commercial kitchen equipment repairs down the line and ensure your business is running smoothly. Maintenance is often much cheaper than repairs and can enable your kitchen equipment to last longer. Below are some of the benefits of having a preventative maintenance program in place for your restaurant.
1) Save money
From a business standpoint, it’s important to keep costs in mind. When your equipment is not working, that leads to a halt in business operations and a potential loss of customers. By taking the appropriate precautions ahead of time, you can reduce costs on repairing stoves, fryers, grills, and other appliances, and avoid paying for emergency repair services.
2) Improve food quality
Your cuisine is the most important aspect of your business, so it’s necessary to ensure your food is of high quality. Unfortunately, without the proper maintenance, your commercial restaurant equipment can harbor bacteria, which could contaminate the food you are serving. When that happens, patrons can get sick, and that can lead to serious health violations and impact your reputation.
3) Prolong the life of your commercial kitchen appliances
As your business relies on your restaurant equipment, you need to ensure that it lasts throughout the years. When you take small maintenance steps, you can save your business costly repairs and replacements. In addition, with your equipment in optimal shape, you can reduce your chances of repair emergencies and halts in operations.
4) Reduce risks of injuries during day to day operations
With ovens, grills, broilers, and other commercial restaurant equipment, there are many risks that can arise during the day. By maintaining your appliances, you can take preventative measures to avoid fires, burns, and other hazardous events.
5) Increase productivity
A kitchen can get busy, with patrons coming in and out of the restaurant throughout the day. When your commercial kitchen equipment is working efficiently, you can ensure your employees can safely and effectively do their jobs.
Contact Us Today!
If you notice that your commercial restaurant equipment is not working as it should, and you are looking into maintenance options, we can help! We offer a wide range of solutions and can properly assess your equipment to resolve any issues. Our staff of skilled professionals use their longstanding expertise to ensure that your equipment is running smoothly and safely, so you can continue to deliver excellence to your patrons. Allow us to assist you with all of your commercial kitchen appliance maintenance needs!