For businesses in the food industry, food service equipment maintenance is extremely important to be able to continue to meet up with quality standards.
When you are preparing food in a commercial or industrial environment it is important to keep the area as clean as possible. In other words, you are expected to work in the most efficient way possible at all times.
What this means is kitting the area out with the right equipment. Also, you’ll have to develop a maintenance routine to keep everything sparkling and protected from bacterial threats.
If you are looking for stainless steel sinks and cabinets in your preparation area, for instance, you can get help at aeromfg.com to guide you through the most suitable options for your business.
When it comes to keeping everything in order, here are some essential maintenance tips to consider.
#1]. Stick to the program with your deep cleaning routine
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Once your food service equipment is in place, it is going to be subjected to plenty of use. Some types of equipment are used daily and that means you have to allow for some downtime for deep cleaning.
The best way to ensure deep cleaning would be to follow the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines. This sometimes relates to what amount of time you should leave between each deep clean.
Whether that is weekly or monthly, it is often a calculated schedule with the specific equipment in mind. However, extending your deep cleaning routine beyond that suggested time period could invite problems.
#2]. Be careful with your choice of cleaning chemicals
It is well worth remembering that each item of equipment could react differently to various cleaning chemicals. However, it’s not wise to apply a universal cleaning agent policy across all of your equipment. This is because certain metals and plastics can react badly to strong cleaning chemicals.
A good starting point would be to check your owner’s manual for each item. Also, you should consider using a cleaner that states it is safe to use on stainless steel if you want to avoid damage or tarnishing.
#3]. Keep your grease filters in order
Grease filters serve a valid purpose in collecting grease that would be destined for the duct without that barrier in place. It stands to reason that the filter will clog up pretty quickly.
This can often be the case that you will need to clean the filter at least once a week. However, it may be more frequently than that if that period of time is too long.
#4]. Don’t forget the vent hood and duct
You will also need to have a proactive cleaning routine for your vent hood duct as grease will soon build up with such regular use.
It is advisable to use a contractor to carry out the hood cleaning and the absolute maximum to leave between each clean is no more than six months, and normally a lot sooner than that.
#5]. Keep your floor spotless
It is easy to focus your attention on all of the equipment in your prep area and put floor maintenance to one side but good floor care is essential to keep your food preparation routine working efficiently.
Any spillages or damage to the flooring should be addressed immediately as it could impact your productivity if that part of your commercial kitchen is neglected.
Follow these simple maintenance tips and you should enjoy the best chance of keeping everything up and running without the sort of interruptions that badly impact productivity.
