Having an effective cleaning programme in place will assist with the smooth running of the food side of your business and ensure you stay on the right side of the law.

What needs to be cleaned and disinfected?
All equipment and areas, such as walls, floors, ceilings and behind pieces of equipment within food premises require to be kept clean. However, equipment and surfaces which come into contact with food, for example, chopping boards, work surfaces, crockery, utensils, food storage containers, pots and cutlery, also require to be disinfected. You should also clean and disinfect sinks, washbasins, taps and any other items that are liable to come in contact with food either directly or indirectly.

Food waste containers, refuse waste bins and all waste storage areas should also be cleaned each time they are emptied to prevent food waste from building up.

All the above areas identified and any other specialist equipment which you may have in your kitchen need to be entered on your Cleaning Schedule.

What hazards are associated with a lack of cleaning?
Premises, equipment and utensils, which have not been effectively cleaned and disinfected, may be the site of an unseen build-up of harmful bacteria leading to the contamination of food.

Similarly, the lack of effective cleaning may give rise to an accumulation of dirt, liable to cause physical contamination of food or encourage pests.

A build of a grease and dirt, for example, behind the large of pieces of equipment in your kitchen may attract pests, such as cockroaches, rats and mice into your premises, it is vital that you keep all areas clean.

What methods can be used to clean and disinfect?
A 'bactericidal detergent' is a detergent containing a chemical which is designed to destroy bacteria during the cleaning process. It is not plain washing up liquid nor one described as containing an ‘Antibacterial’ chemical.  Take advice from your Enforcement Officer or a reputable supplier on where these products can be sourced.

Method 1
Remove excess waste
Wash in first sink with hot water and correct amount of bactericidal detergent*
Rinse in a second sink with clean hot water
Use single-use drying cloths or ideally air dry

OR:

Method 2
Remove excess waste
Wash in first sink with hot water and the correct amount of detergent
Rinse in second sink with clean hot water and correct amount of food safe disinfectant
or rinse for at least 2 minutes in clean water at a minimum temperature of 77°C
Use single-use drying cloths or ideally air dry

Dishwashers should heat water to a sufficiently high temperature and be maintained regularly.  Records of your dishwasher maintenance will become part of your HACCP based system documentation.

Where equipment and surfaces cannot be sink-washed
Pre-clean - remove leftover food and residues
Main Clean - clean the surface using hot water and the correct amount of detergent
Rinse with clean, hot water
Disinfect - treat with a food safe disinfectant
Final Rinse - as required (following the manufacturer’s instructions)
Dry - use single-use drying cloths or ideally air dry

What other measure should I take when cleaning?
Cleaning chemicals must be stored away from the food preparation areas or in a way that will prevent contamination of food
Cleaning chemicals should be clearly labeled, with details of what they are and how they are to be used
It is essential that dishcloths and scouring pads are kept clean so that they do not become a source of contamination. They should be replaced as necessary – do no use dirty cloths as they only spread the dirt and bacteria around

What can I do to ensure that cleaning is carried out?
One way to effectively manage cleaning is to develop a cleaning schedule to reflect how you manage the cleaning in your business. You can download a template for this by following the Food Safety link at the bottom of this page.

A cleaning schedule lists the items of equipment in use within the business and the frequency and method of cleaning and disinfection required.  Cleaning schedules are usually written in the form of a table.  Once you have developed your Cleaning Schedule, you must then monitor its use and make sure that staff are doing what they need to.

If you find that your Cleaning Schedule is not being followed, you should make a record of the problem you have identified and the action you have taken to correct it. This information can be entered in the weekly cleaning schedule.

The training you give to your staff on how to clean correctly should be recorded on an employee training record. You can also download a template for this at the bottom of this page.

Current food legislation requires that you keep all records of monitoring, training etc so that you can demonstrate the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system that you have in place and that it is working.  The cleaning schedule is an essential part of your HACCP system and should be kept up to date at all times. Your cleaning schedule needs to be written to show how you manage the cleaning in your business and be readily understood by all staff who have responsibility for cleaning.

What will happen if I don’t carry out effective cleaning?
If you allow food debris, grease and grime to build up in your kitchen, when your local Environmental Health Officer visits they may deem that your kitchen is not safe to continue using and may even close down your business and prosecute you.