In virtually every kitchen all over the world, the cleaning of floors is the least fun part of the evening. Not only can it be taxing physically, but it's often not done effectively since it's the last thing the cooks do before they leave; they're ready to get out of there and thus cut corners. Not only is this unsanitary, it is also unsafe in that residual grease can get left behind. With the right equipment and methods, however, cleaning commercial restaurant floors doesn't have to be a chore to be dreaded.

Things You Will Need

  • Floor cleaning solution

  • Deck brush

  • Broom

  • Dust pan

  • Mop

Wipe down all of the counters, clearing all crumbs and debris. When cleaning up a kitchen—or any room, for that matter—it's wise to start from the top so as to not re-soil the floors once you've cleaned them. Also, pick up all of the mats in the kichten, if your restaurant uses them. Clean them and roll them up in a designated storage space that's out of the way.

Sweep the floor and under the refrigeration and storage stations. It's vital to be thorough; if there's exposed flooring, it should be swept. Any residual debris can compromise the mopping and scrubbing steps ahead.

Set up your mop bucket with water and the cleaning solution that your restaurant uses. Read the instructions carefully to obtain the most safe and effective mixture. Too much water and the floors don't get clean. Too much solution, and it could pose a health risk. Soak the floor, refraining from squeezing the solution out of the head since saturation is the goal at this point.

Scrub the floors, preferably with a deck brush. This is good for stubborn stains and also picking up what a mop may have missed. If there are ridges or grooves in the floor, consider using a grout brush for those hard to reach areas.

Dip the mop in the solution, squeeze it out thoroughly and begin mopping up the water. Dip it frequently in order to keep the mop head as sanitized as possible. Start from the end of the room furthest from your exit so as to not mop yourself into a corner. If further foot traffic is unavoidable, be sure to post a wet floor sign.

Warning

To avoid falls, make sure that floors are the last thing on the closing list at the end of the day, when the least amount of traffic passes through the kitchen.