Why is regular cleaning of cafés and restaurants now more important than ever before?
It’s no secret that restaurants have copped some bad press lately. Unfortunately, the much-loved social rite of gathering at your favourite restaurant with friends and family to share a meal together has been tainted by recent events; Several restaurants have been labelled as COVID-19 “hotspots” due to cluster outbreaks of coronavirus. This is not only disheartening for Australians who are facing seemingly endless restrictions to everyday life but devastating to restaurant and café owners who are left to pick up the pieces of their business’ reputation.
Regular cleaning of your restaurant or café is now absolutely crucial if you want to keep your staff and customers safe and your doors open. Cleanliness has always been of huge importance in restaurants and cafés due to the risks associated with preparing, serving and consuming food and drink in an unsanitary environment. Sickness associated with contamination of food or drinks can be deadly, and this is something business owners simply cannot afford to be liable for. In fact, a whole host of legislation has been implemented to prevent this from happening.
Now add COVID-19 into the mix and you can see why the stakes are now even higher; preventing the spread of a highly transmissible and potentially fatal virus within their premises is one more thing that restaurant and café owners are now having to manage.
How can you ensure your cleaning processes are up to scratch?
The easiest and most effective way to ensure this is to engage a reputable professional cleaning company to get the job done. Quality professional cleaners can:
- Carry out a deep cleaning service to manage an outbreak of COVID-19 or other virus (including those which contaminate food)
- Carry out a deep cleaning service simply for the purpose of giving your premises a thorough sanitizing and disinfecting
- Carry out periodical cleaning services to help you keep on top of your health and safety legislative requirements (and keep your doors open!)
But can’t my staff just do the cleaning?
Your staff certainly can (and should) do some essential daily housekeeping to keep your restaurant or café looking clean and reputable as well as keeping it safe and free of hazards such as spills which can cause slips and falls. Here are some things you can get your staff to do in house:
- Wiping down tables and chairs with an appropriate sanitizing solution between each customer seating
- Promptly cleaning up spills
- Daily housekeeping tasks such as sweeping, vacuuming and mopping
- Daily clean down of the kitchen after end of trade
- Cleaning glass in display cabinets
- Cleaning door handles, windows, menus and other high-touch areas
What your staff shouldn’t be expected to do is the type of cleaning that requires specialised training, PPE gear, hospital-grade chemicals, and professional grade equipment. It’s not fair on your staff, your customers, or your bottom line to leave the crucial elements of restaurant or café cleaning to those who are not trained or properly equipped. Here are some things that trained professional cleaners can do for you:
- Many of the above tasks, including daily vacuuming and mopping of floors, cleaning of glass, daily kitchen clean down, etc.
- Specialised disinfection and sanitization of high-touch and high-risk areas – such as areas where food is prepared and consumed.
- Cleaning of on-site bathrooms.
- Cleaning of skirting boards, cornices, displays, and ceilings (including air condition vents).
- Cleaning of artificial plants and water features.
- Infection control as a response to an outbreak – whether it be COVID-19 or reported case/s of food poisoning.
Need a little help?
At Keen To Clean, we love our local restaurants and cafés! And we stand by you in these difficult times. We understand the pressures you face on a daily basis, to meet stringent health and safety standards as well as managing new COVID-19 guidelines. We can help clarify what current cleaning outcomes your specific business must achieve to do your due diligence through best cleaning practices. Keen To Clean are a triple ISO certified company and all of our staff are trained in COVID-19 best practices and infection control. Let us help you get back on your feet and keep your doors open.
Keen To Clean currently service businesses in commercial, child care, education, industrial, hospitality, retail aged and health care sectors. Our team attend clients in both regional and central Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Get in touch for a chat and a free quote today!
