Though it might feel like we’ve only just said goodbye to summer, hospitality businesses across the country are gearing up for the next big event in the calendar; Christmas. As decorations are donned and diaries fill up with festive plans, restaurants, bars and hotels must ensure they are prepared for the Christmas rush. This starts with hygiene.
Those who work in a professional kitchen will know that when things get busy, it becomes a lot harder to stay on top of your cleaning regime. While this is understandable, failure to maintain high hygiene standards in a food service environment could lead to a situation that compromises the health and safety of customers and staff. A deep clean, on top of an ongoing regular cleaning schedule, can offer peace of mind that your business is operating with the upmost hygiene standards this Christmas.
Book a pre-Christmas deep clean
Autumn is the perfect time to book your last professional deep clean of the year. Food production and processing facilities should schedule three to four deep cleans per year given how regularly their kitchens and catering facilities are used.
Specialist hygiene technicians are trained in tackling difficult to reach or forgotten areas. They also have access to professional multi-purpose biocidal cleaners, which can decontaminate surfaces by killing bacteria, fungi, spores, yeasts and viruses. Any deep clean should include a thorough disinfection of high frequency touch points, as well as moving all kitchen equipment away from the walls to make sure no areas are being missed from the cleaning routine.
Don’t let ventilation present an issue
During cooking, airborne grease, carbon and steam can condense on the inner walls of kitchen ventilation ducts. If allowed to build-up, air flow can be restricted, causing foul smells, temperature control issues and fire risks. There is also the increased risk of bacterial and fungal development within the ventilation system, which could mean you breach the 1990 Food Safety Act.
Our kitchen ventilation cleaning process removes grease and carbon deposits from ducts, without compromising the hardware in your kitchen. Following the clean, we’ll also provide a TR19 compliant report to demonstrate your compliance with these standards.
Sleigh the regular cleaning too
While a professional deep clean will set your business up for the Christmas rush, it is equally important to maintain a regular cleaning regime. Make sure you know the potentially hazardous areas in the kitchen which need frequent attention, especially areas where there are many shared touch points. With the 2006 Food Hygiene (England) Regulations calling for every food premises to be cleaned daily, implementing a formalised cleaning plan, with a regularly updated record or logbook, will ensure this happens.
Your kitchen staff also have a role to play when it comes to the cleanliness of your facility. Without proper training, corners may be cut – for example, not cleaning a surface properly where raw meat has been handled. Legally, any staff handling food must receive supervision and training in food hygiene to minimise the build-up and potential spreading of bacteria.
Final thoughts
Keeping on top of your kitchen’s hygiene standards is important all year round, but with a big increase in footfall just around the corner, now is the ideal time to book in a deep clean and ensure your regular cleaning routine is best in show.
