Importance of Restaurant Cleaning Post-COVID

COVID has changed how we live our lives, and we all dream of a time post-COVID. But what does that actually mean, and will there ever be a time when we are free entirely, and life goes back as it was before? It’s unlikely, depending on who you ask, and it’s altogether probable that we are just going to have to live with the virus and find ways to manage it and live around it. One of the ways to ensure it doesn’t disrupt our lives constantly is to maintain cleanliness, hand-washing and sanitising as part of everyday general life habits. Many companies opt for restaurant kitchen cleaning services, however, we have compiled a list of handy tips for those who choose to clean their restaurants in house.

When it comes to running an entertainment venue, including restaurants, pubs, bars, and nightclubs, this goes to another level entirely. The focus at this time should be all about making customers feel confident in your ability to keep the place clean and safe so they can enjoy their free time without worry. To avoid running a venue that is seen as a danger to health and wellbeing, it’s essential to give customers confidence in the safety of your place, so they feel happy to come out rather than stay home. 

The top way to do this is by keeping everything super clean while ensuring management and staff are onboard with personal and customer health and safety. As COVID-19 is spread via contact, including with infected surfaces, cleaning areas regularly that have been touched, coughed or sneezed on will ensure customer and staff safety. You should also clean ductwork and ventilation to help reduce the risk of COVID being spread by vents. This may seem an overwhelming addition to an already busy venue, but it really is now at the top list of necessities for any place with many people coming through.

So How Can Transfer be Avoided?

As mentioned, the top way to stay COVID free is to maintain a very high standard of cleanliness as step one. It is the most controllable variable, and while it may create more work for staff, it is essential to ensure we get post-COVID lives and can get out and have fun. As much as we want to forget about it, awareness will ensure we can stay out and enjoy life again. Take a look at the list below to get you started and see which you are already doing and areas of improvement for your workplace or venue.  

Venue Cleaning

Restaurant cleaning helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and cleaning surfaces regularly that may be easily contaminated is vital. Things to consider to help with this include different things for different areas in the venue with all of equal importance. Perhaps in the dining or bar area, it includes wiping down every surface between customer or staff-use, cleaning tables more often, and washing hands after handling customer glasses and plates. In the washrooms, it may be a case of having a cleaner in situ to clean and sanitise regularly and having signs listing correct hand-washing procedures for customers, including ready access to sanitisers.  

Clean More Than Usual

Frequency is a vital element of any restaurant cleaning process, and in times like this, more is best. There can be cross-contamination and spread by having a customer use a table without cleaning in between, so it’s essential to clean and sanitise hands, utensils and surfaces between use. As venue staff are conduits for all of these things and contact between patrons, the need for hand cleaning is paramount when clearing tables, used dishes and cups, or anything else that has been touched or used. 

Sanitise Everything Constantly

While restaurant cleaning ensures a hygienically clean venue, killing germs on surfaces via disinfection and sanitising is equally essential. Sanitisation uses chemicals to destroy pathogens and germs on the surface of tables, chairs, work surfaces, objects and skin. This process further lowers the risk of any COVID infection spreading, which ultimately provides safe recreation space for patrons and a safe workplace for staff. In addition, keeping hand-sanitiser readily available for both customers and team empowers people to be in charge of sanitising their hands and keeping the germ load lower for everyone. This is equally important in the washroom as it is in a restaurant or bar area. 

Sanitise Overnight

One other idea to help keep the space sanitised is an overnight sanitisation to get into the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies that no amount of manual restaurant cleaning on earth can reach. An overnight sanitiser spray treatment can help, also known as an electrostatic spray system. This is an effective and reliable method of ensuring all surfaces are sanitised to provide more effective protection for your venue, clients and staff when they return to work the next day. 

Ventilate, Ventilate Ventilate!

While ventilation is a venue requirement at regular times, it is even more critical during COVID-times and beyond as it plays a part in the control of spreading the virus. Breathing, talking, coughing, and sneezing can spread infection as droplets stay airborne for hours in poorly ventilated locations. Then there is also the higher chemical levels in the air from the more intensive restaurant cleaning regime to consider. Therefore, airflow through vents, windows, and doors is one aspect – the other is mechanical, using fans and ducts to force fresh air in. Thus, the optimal setup includes natural and mechanical ventilation, which will help keep your venue COVID-safe. 

Finally

With all the things to consider when running a hospitality venue during COVID19 times and beyond, it may seem an overwhelming possibility to handle the level of cleanliness and awareness now required. Still, having all staff and customers invest in a clean venue for health and safety can be reasonably easy to maintain and ensures the place can stay open. If you need the help of a professional clean, reach out to Grease Gone commercial cleaning London to discover how we can assist you with a professional deep cleaning to make the day to day requirements far easier to manage. We are industry experts in every aspect of venue cleaning, including industrial kitchens, keeping your space to the highest level of cleanliness. Call us today for a quote.