When you are into food preparation, hygiene and cleanliness should be at the top of your list, whether it is personal hygiene or the cleanliness of the working environment. This is one of the reasons that Chef whites are worn by kitchen staff, as the white color of the uniform is supposed to resonate the utmost hygiene and cleanliness, and portray a sanitary kitchen. One of the reasons that Chefs and other kitchen staff, as well as front of house staff wear aprons while they work is also to keep their clothes clean from spills and stains, and a reason why they look for very durable and hardy fabrics such as Denim aprons.
A commercial kitchen of course is a very busy environment, and there is no doubt that there can be spills and splashes all the time, on table and countertops, on equipment, floors etc. It is imperative for those working in the commercial food industry to keep their work area clean, as it is also a part of food safety regulations in most countries.
A general cleanup of a commercial kitchen should be done twice every day, both in the morning before they start their work and at night once their day is done. In addition, a thorough cleaning should be carried out at least once a week by the in-house staff, which will include a deeper cleaning of equipment such as freezers, refrigerators, ovens and cookers, and other equipment, as well as floors, ensuring that cleaning agents are topped up etc. Food kept in freezers and refrigerator should be checked every week for expiry and spoilage and old food items removed. These practices ensure that the kitchen is kept clean and hygienic and there can be no contamination of the food being prepared within the kitchen.
However, it is highly recommended that those running a commercial kitchen get the kitchen and food preparation area deep cleaned by a professional cleaning company, at least once every six months, in order to ensure the highest level of food safety is maintained within the organization. A deep cleaning carried out by professional cleaning companies will include cleaning of grease traps, exhaust fans, floor surfaces, walls and ceiling, appliances and equipment, replacement of filters, cleaning and disinfecting sinks, countertops etc, as well as cleaning the kitchen exhaust system.