Perform paperless kitchen inspections with digital checklists to easily monitor cleaning tasks, comply with kitchen SOP, and ensure compliance with health standards.
This checklist can be used by kitchen managers during regular kitchen inspections to ensure that kitchen equipment is properly cleaned and sanitized before and after use. Use this checklist to:
After completion, a digital report can be automatically generated and shared in weblink, PDF, CSV, and other file formats.
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A kitchen cleaning checklist is a tool used to maintain and ensure a hygienic commercial kitchen facility. It can help staff keep track of required cleaning tasks and follow kitchen standard operating procedures. Following good kitchen housekeeping practices with the aid of a kitchen cleaning checklist is important for passing health inspections and preventing food contamination.
Commercial restaurants , hotels, delis, grocery stores, and other food establishments should always be prepared for random food vendor inspections . Poor kitchen hygiene and practices can put your business at risk of fines, bad score ratings, and even shutdown. Some of the most common cleaning methods used in commercial kitchens are:
Here are 4 commercial kitchen procedures you can follow to prepare your business for passing health inspections:
Ensure kitchen safety and that all areas in the kitchen receive proper attention, especially those that tend to get overlooked. The most frequent question is, “How do I clean my kitchen every day?”. This can be answered by attending to the following key areas to maintain a hygienic kitchen.
Commercial kitchens can be a hotspot for germs and bacteria. Prevent bacteria build-up and keep consumers safe by implementing a strict kitchen cleaning schedule . Develop a list of tasks and choose which should be done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. A kitchen cleaning schedule can lower the likelihood of foodborne illnesses and reduce food waste.
Many cases of food poisoning are caused by the lack of personal hygiene from food handlers or the kitchen staff. Personal hygiene in commercial kitchens entails wearing proper attire such as a clean uniform, aprons for different prep stations (e.g., seafood, vegetable, etc.), gloves, hairnets, and shoes (non-slip, fully covered).
Aside from attire, simple actions such as washing hands , keeping fingernails short and neat, etc., should also be practiced as part of personal hygiene.
Keep track of what needs to be accomplished using a detailed checklist. Kitchen cleaning involves numerous tasks that can be overwhelming and difficult to remember. A checklist will ensure that you cover all the bases.
Before anything, determine how often you want to clean your kitchen. Different kitchens and commercial establishments work differently, but there are some tasks that you should be doing daily or as often as possible, such as cleaning utensils after every use, wiping spills from counters every time, and sweeping your floor. There are also tasks you can afford to do weekly instead, depending on the situation. However, you should deep clean your kitchen at least once a month.
A commercial kitchen cleaning checklist is good for all these tasks as it is used to assess if a commercial kitchen follows standard cleaning protocols. As cleaning is a task that requires you to move constantly, it is also essential to have your kitchen cleaning checklist somewhere accessible at all times. It can be on the walls where people always pass by or with you at all times.
A more efficient way to create, store, and fill up a kitchen cleaning checklist, however, would be to use a digital one. A digital kitchen cleaning checklist provides the following benefits:
A typical kitchen cleaning checklist will often prompt for the following to be cleaned:
Here is an example of a kitchen cleaning checklist report for reference:
Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Checklist Sample Report
In some cases, a kitchen cleaning checklist can also include a portion on waste segregation and management. Though this can be a different act altogether, waste management is also an important part of kitchen cleaning, so it can be helpful to consider this as well.
The same can be said for proper clothing and protective gear in the kitchen. While it is not quite part of kitchen cleaning, noting what your staff is wearing and ensuring they are following the set safety and hygiene guidelines of your kitchen are also important.
It is usually the business or kitchen owner who makes any checklists in a commercial kitchen or restaurant. This is to ensure consistency in what to look out for in cleaning procedures. For this reason, checklists are often created in templated forms for easy usage.
Yes, your cleaning checklist can also be used for sanitizing your kitchen. However, it is important that cleaning and sanitizing are two different things. Cleaning refers to the act of removing visible dirt and grime from a surface; on the other hand, sanitizing refers to the act of removing pathogenic microorganisms.
To properly sanitize a kitchen, you must first clean it thoroughly. After that, use safe household bleach or a commercial sanitizing solution or product.
Ensure the cleanliness of your kitchen with digital checklists from SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor) . SafetyCulture is a web and mobile platform solution used to streamline and automate kitchen cleaning with paperless inspections using your smartphone or tablet.
To get started, download a free kitchen cleaning checklist template from SafetyCulture’s Public Library , and edit it as you see fit. Store your template in the cloud and access it anytime and anywhere. You can also use your checklists offline, as all data will sync back to the cloud automatically once an internet connection is available.
With the SafetyCulture cleaning inspection app, you can:
Use this kitchen cleaning record sheet or kitchen cleaning log to maintain kitchen cleanliness prior to closing the facility. It is used by cleaning supervisors to record personnel involved in kitchen cleaning and document damages and other repair needs.
Inspection template Powered byThis kitchen SOP checklist is a step-by-step process document that acts as a guide for kitchen staff in the performance of their kitchen duties. Use this template to check if employees comply with the standard operating procedures in preparation for kitchen service, kitchen hygiene, and kitchen closing.
Inspection template Powered byUse this daily kitchen cleaning checklist when conducting regular cleaning checks. Daily cleaning and inspection are done to avoid attracting insects and rodents and maintain a clean and healthy environment for your commercial kitchen.
Inspection template Powered byThis weekly kitchen cleaning checklist is composed of items or tasks that focus on kitchen equipment. This ensures that big kitchen equipment such as ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators are well-sanitized and disinfected for better performance and higher food quality.
Inspection template Powered byUse this monthly kitchen cleaning checklist for deep cleaning the kitchen. This checklist can be used to identify defective items or kitchen equipment that needs maintenance. Ensure that all areas and equipment in the facility are properly cleaned and maintained using this checklist.
Inspection template Powered byThis refrigerator temperature log can help routinely record temperatures for refrigerators and freezers. Avoid food spoilage and ensure that cooling equipment is properly calibrated and operational with the use of this template.
Jai Andales is a content writer and researcher for SafetyCulture since 2018. As a content specialist, she creates well-researched articles about health and safety topics. She is also passionate about empowering businesses to utilize technology in building a culture of safety and quality.
Use this kitchen cleaning record sheet or kitchen cleaning log to maintain kitchen cleanliness prior to closing the facility. It is used by cleaning supervisors to record personnel involved in kitchen cleaning and document damages and other repair needs.
This kitchen SOP checklist is a step-by-step process document that acts as a guide for kitchen staff in the performance of their kitchen duties. Use this template to check if employees comply with the standard operating procedures in preparation for kitchen service, kitchen hygiene, and kitchen closing.
Use this daily kitchen cleaning checklist when conducting regular cleaning checks. Daily cleaning and inspection are done to avoid attracting insects and rodents and maintain a clean and healthy environment for your commercial kitchen.
This weekly kitchen cleaning checklist is composed of items or tasks that focus on kitchen equipment. This ensures that big kitchen equipment such as ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators are well-sanitized and disinfected for better performance and higher food quality.
Use this monthly kitchen cleaning checklist for deep cleaning the kitchen. This checklist can be used to identify defective items or kitchen equipment that needs maintenance. Ensure that all areas and equipment in the facility are properly cleaned and maintained using this checklist.
This refrigerator temperature log can help routinely record temperatures for refrigerators and freezers. Avoid food spoilage and ensure that cooling equipment is properly calibrated and operational with the use of this template.
