Your Guide to Restaurant Spring Cleaning

What Cleaning Should I Prioritize for Front-of-House (FoH)? 

A great place to start your spring cleaning journey is at the front-of-house, where your guests will spend their time experiencing the establishment’s atmosphere and delicious food.  

Cleanliness and clutter-free areas are aspects of your restaurant’s success and customer experience. Specifically, your dining area, public restrooms, and patio will get the most traffic and should reflect the highest standards. 

Dining Area 

Spring cleaning is an excellent opportunity to ensure your dining area is in order. An untidy dining area will be the quickest turn-off to customers, regardless of how delicious the food is. 

To-Do List 

• Dining tables should be structurally strong, clean, and wiped down 

• Hard flooring should be deep cleaned and mopped.  

• Carpeted areas should be cleaned by a hired professional  

• Window panes, sills, and baseboards should be washed, dusted, and smudge-free. 

• Any additional areas the customers utilize (condiments table, salad bar, fountain drink machines) should be tidied up and sanitized 

• Don’t forget to dust the little details (signs, fans, and light fixtures)  

Restrooms 

While it may seem minuscule, little things like soap scum or lack of paper towels can give the wrong impression. Dirty restrooms portray the idea that you don’t care about the establishment or your product, so remember to include them in your spring cleaning.  

To-Do List 

• Check soap dispensers to ensure they are working correctly and are clean and full 

• Ensure the paper towel dispensers or hand dryers are appropriately functioning and replenished 

• Take the time to degrease and wipe down all bathroom stall doors 

• Stock toilet paper and tissues 

• Clean the toilets, sinks, changing tables, and floors

Outdoor/Patio Seating 

If your restaurant has outdoor or patio seating, this is the time customers are going to want to sit and spend time out there. You want your guests to enjoy the warm weather and your food and drink in a tidy and clean environment. 

To-Do List 

• Remove furniture covers and winterization 

• Ensure any dust and debris build-up on outdoor furniture pieces is removed 

• Give all furniture, tables, and chairs a good wipe-down 

• Depending on the type of surface you have in your outside area, power wash or mop the floor 

• Any fans or heaters you intend to use need to be dusted and cleaned off for optimal use 

Which Cleaning Tasks Should I Prioritize for Back-of-House (BoH)? 

While the back-of-house operations are rarely visible to the public, keeping clean is just as important. Back-of-house operations are where food is prepped and cooked.  

In addition to acing health inspections, it’s crucial to keep the kitchen area and equipment clean and sanitary for the quality and safety of the food. Add BoH to the spring cleaning list to make it easier for you and your staff in the long run. 

The Kitchen 

The kitchen is the command center of any restaurant. It’s where food gets prepped, ordered, cooked, and plated before being served to customers. Whether spacious or tiny, a restaurant kitchen can consistently deliver hundreds of meals in an evening. So, it must remain clean and clutter-free. 

To-Do List 

• Mop the floors and move equipment to get hard-to-reach areas 

• Inspect and clean the walls behind equipment where dust, dirt, and debris collect 

• Clean and disinfect the trash cans 

• Inspect and clean all kitchenware, dinnerware, and silverware  

Kitchen Equipment 

Quality restaurant equipment requires regular cleaning and maintenance. The kitchen equipment helps make the tasty food items on your menu but also collects food particles, grime, and dirt. Adding these to the deep cleaning list prevents unclean kitchen equipment and potential malfunctions. 

To-Do List 

• Make sure all the kitchen equipment is clean and functioning correctly 

• Pay particular to everyday use equipment like stoves, ovens, flat tops, refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, char broilers, and grills 

• Perform a maintenance check while cleaning the fryers and used cooking oil storage tanks 

• Dust and wipe down all the closets, pantries, and storage shelves 

Hood Systems 

It is vital to keep your hood systems tidy and clean for the establishment’s cleanliness and safety. Debris, dust, and grease accumulate over time in the exhaust hood system and surrounding areas.  

If not cleaned properly, the risk of fire increases as the build-up restricts the heat and smoke that can escape the room and building. Regular maintenance and cleaning ensure your food remains delicious and your employees and customers stay safe.  

To-Do List 

• Clean exhaust filters and replace them when necessary 

• Empty the grease catch and wipe away leftover residue 

• Remove any build-up on the fan belt  

The Parking Lot 

The parking lot is easy to overlook, but it’s the first place your customers will see upon entering the premises and the last place they will see before leaving.  

You want to create an inviting and orderly first impression, and cleaning up in and around the parking lot helps. Include dumpsters and parking lot litter in your spring cleaning project.  

To-Do List 

• Throw away debris, cigarette butts, and other litter 

• Clean up your outdoor grease container (if you have one) and the area around your dumpster corral 

• Power wash the walkways 

• Wipe down and clean all exterior doors and windows 

Cooking Oil Recycling and Grease Trap Maintenance 

No one wants a major malfunction with their kitchen equipment, used cooking oil recycling pickup, or grease trap maintenance systems. The last thing your restaurant needs in its busy season is one of these systems to shut down for repairs.

It is good to have routine maintenance checks in place to see if your indoor or outdoor used cooking oil storage tank is in good condition and functioning correctly. Maintenance applies to your grease trap too.  

Investing in kitchen line jetting as needed and having an annual inspection of your pipes from a plumber is worthwhile. Avoid letting an overflow or backup halt your business operation by taking proactive steps to ensure all the facets of your kitchen are up to par.

To-Do List

• Inspect your used cooking oil storage tanks for leaks 

• Check the connection between the storage tank and your fryer  

• Clean the equipment used to transfer your used cooking oil, filter machines, and grease caddy 

• Get a professional to jetline your grease trap inlet and outlet pipes 

• Check your grease trap’s maintenance cover and clean it 

• Set up and perform regular and preventive maintenance services  

Darling Ingredients Canada Makes Spring Cleaning Even Smoother 

Spring is when your business begins to enter its busiest season, and it is an ideal time to check the cleaning and maintenance off your to-do list. 

We’ve provided lists to help you and your team jumpstart the cleaning process and ensure a thorough job. Hopefully, this helps keep your business running smoothly and efficiently.  

Darling Ingredients Canada offers services to restaurants all across the country for used cooking oil recycling and grease and oil pickup services. To get help with knocking out some of your restaurant’s spring cleaning tasks, call us 24/7/365 at 800-263-0203.