Grease is one of those things that can harm your restaurant. No, not the musical. We’re talking about food-related grease, the hot liquid and cold solid material that can clog your drains and cause flames to rage out of control. The fact is, grease buildup is one of the top hazards that can affect restaurants and other commercial kitchen establishments everywhere. If you have accumulated grease, it’s only a matter of time before you face the trouble of your own.There is hope, however. Excess grease can be prevented once you know the proper steps to follow. Here is all you need to know about this food waste material and how to avoid expensive fines, closures due to fire, as well as bodily injury and death that can all be caused by the buildup of grease.
The average restaurant produces copious amounts of waste in the form of grease on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. While it’s easy to let grease management fall by the wayside, especially as you deal with all the stress that comes with running a busy restaurant, forgoing the grease cleanup is a mistake. These are some of the issues you are likely to run into if you allow the grease to pile up out of control.
– Enhanced Risk of Bodily Harm
Grease can easily find its way onto your tile floor. When that happens, watch out. Employees can slip and slide and even fall down, leading to an expensive liability issue. OSHA regulations for restaurant safety require you, as the restaurant owner or manager, to create a safe working environment that is free of hazards like the accumulation of grease that could then go on to cause injury or death. If an employee is injured on your greasy floor, all that person has to do is file a complaint with OSHA while claiming damages. Do you really want that expense or knowledge that you could have prevented the employee’s injury by cleaning up all the grease?The lesson? Keep the floors and entire establishment grease-free to prevent injuries and future lawsuits.
–Plumbing Backups
While it’s true that grease becomes liquid during the cooking process, the substance hardens when it cools. Before you know it, you have a gelatinous mess on your hands. If that mess finds its way into your plumbing system, you face a heavy clog. To make matters worse, when your business’s plumbing is affected, the problem could go on to clog the local sewer system, causing a stinky mess that isn’t easy to clean.Unless you want number two all over your commercial kitchen and dining areas, cleaning grease buildup should become your number one priority.
–FOG Fees
Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) should all be disposed of properly. FOG programs around the country exist to monitor restaurants and other food establishments for the purposes of ensuring sanitary conditions and the appropriate disposal of FOG. These programs also require you to properly service and maintain all Grease Management removal equipment. If you don’t comply, you could be hit with expensive FOG build up fees.
–Environmental Damage
You might wonder how to grease buildup inside your business could possibly be an environmental concern. However, the cost to the local ecosystem becomes clearer when you consider the following. Your standard rooftop grease collector maintains about four quarts of grease. Your kitchen exhaust hood sends about a quart of grease to the rooftop collector each month. If you only change out the grease pad every year when the inspector comes around, you could find yourself dumping around eight quarts of grease onto your roof each year. The moment it rains, all that grease could flow off your roof and into your rain gutters, subsequently finding itself into your storm drain, and then into the streams and rivers. All that grease can quickly go on to kill plants, fish, and other wildlife. Keep the environment clean by keeping your restaurant free of excess grease.
–EPA Penalties
The unauthorized discharge of grease-tainted stormwater is against the law. You could be subject to fines from the Environmental Protection Agency if you don’t keep up with the buildup of grease in your rooftop collection system.
–Foul Odors
The longer grease remains in your kitchen, the worse it’s going to smell. Your goal is to keep a clean and pleasant-smelling environment for your customers to enjoy a meal. Having an unpleasant odor wafting from your kitchen isn’t going to cut it and could lead to declining business and negative reviews. Keep your restaurant smelling like the delicious meals you serve by keeping excess grease at bay.
–Pests
Lingering grease can attract mice, rats, drain flies, roaches, and other nasty vermin. The fact is, a buildup of heavy grease is a serious sanitation issue.
Increased Fire Risk
Aside from cleanliness, the heightened fire risk is by far the most important reason for Grease Management in your commercial kitchen. Grease is highly flammable. When it builds up, the risk of dangerous fire significantly increases. When a fire ignites, you face restaurant damage and injury, or even loss of life. The financial drain on your business could be enormous, not to mention the emotional toll on customers and staff. Your reputation could be harmed, and your bottom line could be affected for months, if not years, into the future. Keep the risk of fire at an absolute minimum by cleaning the grease inside your establishment on a regular basis.
The Step by Step Guide to Cleaning Excess Grease Buildup
You now have plenty of reasons to maintain a grease-free environment for customers and staff. Here are a few steps to follow to ensure that happens now and in the future.
Clean Your Grease Traps
Your kitchen’s grease trap doesn’t just catch grease, but it also catches oil and fat. Remember FOG? Oh yeah, your grease trap’s full of it. It’s up to you to empty it out every once in a while. If you fail to clean the trap, all that grease can find its way into the local sewer, and we’re right back to a sewer backup. You can clean a grease trap on your own. You can even get your staff to do the job for you. However, only a professional can ensure that the grease trap is opened, cleaned, serviced, maintained, and sealed properly. A wrong move can leave a grease trap that isn’t properly cleaned or that isn’t well-maintained, giving you problems sooner or later. Most grease traps have to be opened carefully, with specialized tools so that you don’t break the gaskets. All that gunk needs to be removed and then properly disposed of. You can’t just dump all that FOG down the drain, nor should you toss it into the garbage. You can get fined for that, which is another case for getting professionals to do the job on your behalf.Professionals can also repair parts and replace them as needed, making sure your FOG excess is always collected and that all the waste in the local sewer system stays right where it belongs.
How Often Should Grease Traps Be Cleaned?
Your restaurant’s grease trap cleaning frequency will vary depending on the size of your trap and the amount of grease your staff use in your kitchen. Most cities require restaurants to clean the trap so that they maintain less than 25% FOG accumulation. For most establishments, this equates to a thorough cleaning at least once per quarter and sometimes as frequently as once per month.
Grease Trap Buildup Warning Signs
You should be aware of indicators that can tell you when your grease trap should be cleaned and/or maintained. One warning sign to look for is a drain system that doesn’t go down as fast. Backed up drains are almost a sure sign that there is too much grease in your trap. Another warning sign is a strong and foul odor. FOG waste produces an extremely unpleasant odor after sitting stagnant for extended periods of time. You need to ensure you remove them frequently. Cleaning grease traps properly, and having professionals do the job, will prevent these foul odors from accumulating inside your restaurant. Finally, if your sewers are backing up, that could be an indication that your grease trap is full and needs to be cleaned out.
Vent Hood Cleaning
A dirty ventilation hood can be a major fire hazard. You can also get fined by your health inspector for having blocked or soiled ventilation components. Your staff should be engaging in nightly, weekly, and monthly cleaning duties. One of those duties is likely the cleaning of the grease filters on the vent hoods. But how well is your staff inspecting the hoods to ensure they are free of all grease and debris?You can maintain the cleanest vent hoods and keep the health inspector happy with regular vent hood cleaning by experienced professionals. A vent hood cleaning service will ensure that every inch of your unit is clean and well-maintained. Most importantly, the service will keep you code-compliant. Those codes exist to keep your restaurant, personnel, and customers safe from foul smoke and dangerous fire. For those reasons and more, you will sleep easier knowing that your vent hoods are cleaned by those who know the value of cleaner and more breathable air.
Cooking Oil Pickup
It’s not just grease you have to worry about. You also should think about any cooking oil your kitchen is producing to excess. It can be dangerous to leave used cooking oil just hanging around. Talk about a fire hazard! A single spark can pose a dangerous situation to your building, staff, and loyal customers. For this reason, ensure that you are removing used cooking oil on your premises and that you are following all local rules and regulations while doing so. You can ensure that your restaurant follows the law by calling on certified professionals who regularly work with FOG related removal. Removing used cooking oil doesn’t have to be a messy job. In fact, professional services exist whose reputation depends on fast, clean, and courteous pickups of all types of substances, including used oil and grease.
Clean Your Kitchen Floors
Grease doesn’t have to spill in a puddle to cause a fire or slip hazard. Grease can accumulate on your kitchen floors for a long time. This results in a sheet of grease that must be removed if you hope to leave your restaurant safe for staff and customers alike. Your kitchen floors are especially susceptible to grease buildup after the grease trap has been cleaned and maintained. While your staff is undoubtedly keeping your floors somewhat cleaned with their nightly sanitation duties, professional cleaning on a regular basis can give you much better peace of mind. Professional floor cleaners use powerful degreasing agents. They also use heavy duty machines like floor scrubbers and carpet steamers. Removing grease can be done with your wait and kitchen staff, but professional services will make sure your floors are always cleaned to your satisfaction.
Now, For Major Grease No-Nos
So far, we have covered steps you can do to keep grease buildup from becoming a problem. Now we are going to discuss a couple of things you should never do to keep your restaurant clean and free from grease buildup.
No Pouring Grease Down the Drains!
Everyone in your kitchen should know that you should never pour grease down the drain directly. However, you are essentially doing that very thing when you allow food waste of any kind to grace your drain system. All waste should be disposed of properly, in the garbage bin, particularly solid food waste. Don’t rely on garbage disposals and always empty your drain strainers. The goal of your kitchen staff should be to minimize at all costs the amount of food that sneaks into the grease trap.
If you recycle cooking oil and leave that oil stored in outdoor containers, make sure they are always properly secured. These containers should always be locked away and maintained so that they are far from wastewater systems. These protocols ensure that the grease and oils never enter the natural environment. Locking the containers also keeps thieves from stealing and selling your used oil and build-up grease.
Don’t Let the Grease Buildup Get Out of Hand
You now know the damage that can be done to your restaurant if you allow grease and FOG altogether to accumulate to excess. The restaurant cleaning professionals atAPS-Hoods want to talk to you if you have heavy amounts of grease and wish to make your establishment cleaner and safer for everyone involved. Your staff and customers deserve an environment that is sanitary and that prevents slips, falls, and deadly fires. Let us provide you with a free quote and we can ensure your grease stays at a minimum for maximum health and safety. Call now in Denver, Colorado.
A restaurant kitchen deep cleaning is necessary for three primary reasons. For one, a dirty kitchen may produce lackluster food. A messy kitchen can also have contaminated air, which can seep out into the eating areas, leading to a less-than-stellar dining experience. Then there are all the fines you face by allowing your kitchen to reach the kind of cleanliness level health inspectors loathe.
Keep your food tasting delicious and your customers happy while ensuring your health inspector only gives you the best marks by putting the following checklist into action.
Here is the restaurant deep cleaning checklist all commercial kitchens should follow. If you need help cleaning your kitchen, call Aps-Hoods, now serving restaurants like yours in Denver, Colorado.
The Deep Clean Checklist for All Restaurant Kitchens
Daily Cleaning
•Clean Grills & Change Foil
Each day of operation, your cooking appliances can produce food and grease buildup. Not only does this affect the quality of the food you cook, but all that Food, Oil, and Grease (FOG) can cause the breakout of fire.
To keep your cooking appliances clean, scrub the grill, range, and flattop by following the manufacturers’ recommendations. In most cases, you will want to scrape food from the flattop or grill slats before scrubbing the cooktops with a degreaser.
Don’t forget to clean behind and underneath each cooking unit, as grease tends to hide in the peskiest of places. While you’re at it, be sure and change out all foil liners, which can also keep a potentially dangerous fire at bay.
•Clean Grease Trap
All the grease your commercial kitchen produces can build up, causing overflow and a potential fire hazard. Your staff should be instructed on how to open and empty the grease traps to keep them at safe volumetric levels. With most models, the trick is to open the lid before removing the water with a bucket or small pump. The grease can then be scooped out to prepare the grease traps for the following day.
Grease trap cleaning is a job better left to the experts, as only professional grease trap cleaners have the necessary equipment and training to not only remove but dispose of the built-up grease properly.
•Disinfect Surfaces
All food preparation areas can become breeding grounds for bacteria, mold, and food-borne pathogens.
To keep your commercial kitchen clean, and prevent customers from getting sick, use a commercial-grade disinfectant that is safe for use in commercial kitchens.
Pay special attention to the surfaces where the food touches during each shift, including grills, cooktops, salad prep areas, meat slicing areas, and all others for a complete kitchen deep clean.
•Wash Food Prep Appliances
During busy shifts, non-cooking appliances can become coated with sauces, oils, and other substances. Use a professional disinfectant to thoroughly scrub down all your can openers, mixers, meat slicers, blenders, and grinders. Units with multiple missing parts may need to be disassembled before cleaning to perform the most thorough job.
•Wipe Down Walls
The walls of a restaurant can easily become coated with oil and grease, which lead to mold, fungus, and illness-causing pathogens. Keep your walls spotless by cleaning them with the appropriate disinfectant. Scrape any food that may have accumulated on the walls but be sure and clean that debris off the floor afterward.
•Mop Floors
While every effort has been made to make commercial kitchen floors as non-slip friendly as possible, unfortunately, falls happen. Rubber mats can help, but so can keeping the cleanest floor possible.
First, sweep all the debris and collect the piles into a dustpan. Ensure no solid waste falls down the floor drains, as clogs and overflow can result, making your job much harder. Mop the floor with a powerful commercial kitchen floor cleaner. Make sure you get into every nook and cranny, everywhere food and grease may want to hide.
•Wash Beverage Dispenser Heads
Caked up soda dispensers make drinks taste foul while throwing the pour mixture off balance. To keep your beverage dispenser heads flowing freely with just the right mixture, remove the heads and soak each one in a sanitizer solution. To be extra thorough, hand-wash each one with a dedicated brush, then dry and towel dry.
While you are cleaning the dispenser heads, empty out the drip pan and sanitize every side, front and back the same way. Wipe down the entire surface of the dispenser to keep it free of smudges, buildup, and bacteria. And finally, empty the ice bin and clean the sides of the interior before cleaning the ice chute inside and out.
•Disinfect Waste Disposal Area
Commercial kitchen garbage disposal areas and dishwashing stations must be cleaned every day. Your staff should be vigilant about following a strict protocol when it comes to the garbage disposal and commercial washing areas, as doing so will very much please the health inspector.
All spills must be cleaned up as soon as they happen, as stagnant water can lead to all sorts of health issues. Wipe down the sinks as often as possible using a commercial-grade disinfectant and remove all trash the moment the bins are full.
After each trash change, clean the garbage cans with chlorine to kill any bacteria and pathogens left behind. Sweep and mop the floors and thoroughly clean the dishwasher. The dishwashing unit should be cleaned of all debris before the interior is sprayed with regular water to rinse food, oil, and grease away.
•Clean Hood Filters
Your range hood filters are bound to become grease-city before the end of every long shift.
To clean the filters, remove each one from the main housing, and gently wipe off any excess grease with a paper towel.
Most filters easily slide or pop out of the underside of the unit. Slip the filters into a sink or bucket filled with hot water. Add to the water a non-corrosive, metal-safe cleaner that is designed for hood filters. Usually, this amounts to a cup of granular or 4 ounces of liquid cleaner for every gallon of water.
Soak the filters overnight, then rinse them clean the following morning. The hoods will then be ready for immediate use.
Staff members tend to enter and exit the cooler and freezer multiple times on a daily basis, and sometimes food gets spilled around. Your staff should always be trained to keep the doors to the walk-in cooler and freezer closed. The door should never be propped open for any reason, for example, nor should anything be blocking either door.
The condenser coil and fans can be cleaned at least twice per year, but they should be checked weekly for the best results. Cleaning the walls of the walk-in units is easy, as a simple solution of soap and water works best. Never use harsh chemicals in your cooler and freezer, as those substances can harm the metal surfaces.
Make sure all surfaces are thoroughly scrubbed, including the doors and floors, to keep mold, debris, and pests away.
•De-Lime Sinks
Your sinks may look clean after a thorough scrubbing, but they may have accumulated limescale. To de-lime, a sink means to clean that white-colored deposit that tends to build on the inside of pipes, kettles, and pots.
Limescale is caused by the minerals leaching from the water and will have to be cleaned. While the sinks should be cleaned daily, the weekly cleaning regimen will involve using a non-abrasive cleaner and all-purpose cleaning spray to give the sink a thorough deep clean.
•Clean Ovens
Your commercial ovens pull a lot of weight each week. Therefore, each one should be cleaned of all food particles, grease, and other debris. If this cleaning isn’t performed on a weekly basis, smoke and fire can result, not to mention costly heating inefficiencies.
To clean your ovens, use a dedicated hand brush to sweep out any crumbs from each unit’s interior. Remove the racks and wash them separately by dunking them in soapy water.
For stubborn debris, use a scouring pad or wire brush to keep the racks clean. Wipe down the walls and doors of the oven with warm water or an industrial-strength oven cleaner. Finally, clean the doors and fans to promote maximum airflow. Some oven doors are removable, making them much easier to clean.
•Clean Floor Drains
Floor drains are easy to miss when performing a weekly deep cleaning, which is why keeping a restaurant deep cleaning checklist is so handy. Above all, instruct your staff to keep the drains free of as many solids as possible. Many people are unaware, but mop water filled with particles is one of the most common causes of commercial kitchen drain clogs. Make sure all particles are filtered out before the mop water is dumped down the drain.
To keep your drains clean every week, begin by flushing out loose debris using hot water. For best results, stay away from chemical-based drain cleaners. Instead, use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, which works to break down built-up materials within the pipes.
If a drain becomes clogged, you can eliminate the problem with a snake drain or drain auger, which may require the services of a professional plumber or commercial kitchen deep cleaning service.
Over time, a coffee machine can develop buildup, gunk, and grime. This can affect the taste and quality of the coffee, leading to poor customer experience. Descaling can help your coffee maker produce the choicest blends. Use a white vinegar and water solution by filling the coffee pot with one-third vinegar and two-thirds distilled water. Turn the machine on and allow the coffee maker to fill the pot with the heated solution.
Dispose of the brewed byproduct, then remove the spray head. Use a soft-bristled brush with warm water to scrub the spray head until all debris is gone. While you are at it, scrub the funnel and filter it in a similar manner.
Poor a pot of warm water into the coffee maker and brew a pot, then repeat the process until all traces of vinegar are gone. Reattach the spray head and give the exterior of the machine a thorough cleaning with a food-grade disinfectant.
For any grime that is built-up on the outside of the maker, use a baking soda and water solution along with a microfiber cloth before wiping the machine down and drying to remove any trace of moisture.
•Empty Grease Traps
Grease traps can be located inside or outside your kitchen, depending on the size of your commercial kitchen operation. Deep cleaning your grease trap can prevent the local water supply from becoming contaminated. You can also avoid potentially hefty fines by keeping your grease trap as clean as possible.
You know it is time to clean your grease trap when 25% of the liquid consists of grease or oil. This is usually once per month for a restaurant-style layout.
It is recommended that you hire a professional to clean the grease trap, as the job can get extremely messy. If you are doing the job yourself, make sure you empty and clean the trap thoroughly.
While you are at it, go on a grease hunt by washing behind all the fryers, flat tops, stove, and oven with a degreasing agent. When you are finished, use a polishing agent on any stainless-steel units for a healthy sheen.
•Clean Ice Machine
Failing to clean your ice machine could put a hefty dose of bacteria into each customer’s drink. A deep clean of the ice maker is more than a simple empty and scrub down.
To ensure the best job, we recommend that you hire the services of a professional kitchen cleaning service who can scrub down each individual component of your ice machine, and some disassembly may be required.
If you are doing the job yourself, turn off the machine, unplug the water supply and power connection, then discard all the ice. Drain the water from the ice maker while you’re at it.
Check your manufacturer’s instruction manual for which cleaner to use inside and outside the machine. Some require scrubbing with a nickel-safe cleaner, while others need a mild phosphoric acid solution.
Flush all the water from the system and clean all the condensers to ensure they remain free of food and grease.
Finally, clean all parts that touch water or ice with a commercial kitchen deep cleaning solution or bleach to kill any microorganisms that remain. Be sure and rinse the machine thoroughly after this deep clean and allow it to air dry.
You can then wipe down the exterior before plugging the unit back in and allowing the ice maker to resume its regular operation.
•Wash Ventilation Hoods
Your monthly deep clean is never complete until your ventilation hoods are sparkling clean.
Vent hoods are designed to keep exhaust fumes from permeating throughout your kitchen. The stainless-steel units also collect grease and debris. Over time, the buildup can occur, leading to a smoky kitchen and risk of fire.
To clean your greasy ventilation hoods, unplug the unit and then remove the grease receptacles, which are usually located on the sides of the hood.
Do not throw the collected grease in the trash, but instead, store it in a dedicated container for later disposal.
Soak the receptacles in hot water with the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner, then remove the filters and spray them with a chemical degreaser or all-purpose cleaner.
Scrub the exhaust hood with a degreaser and soft cloth and be sure and clean the fan blades.
This is another job we recommend that you leave to a professional, as restaurant vent hood cleaning can be tedious. Furthermore, all grease must be removed, which is sometimes tough for a do-it-yourselfer, leading to the risk of fire down the road.
By hiring professionals to do the job, you can protect your investment while keeping your commercial kitchen sanitized all year long.
Professionals can also inspect and provide HVAC cleaning services to ensure your restaurant is always well ventilated for a healthy and customer-friendly environment.
Get Regular Commercial Kitchen Cleaning from the Denver, CO Experts
This commercial kitchen deep cleaning checklist should give you some idea of how extensive the process can be. The fact is, while a deep clean of your restaurant sounds simple enough, all the hard work may be too much for you and your staff to manage. There is a lot that can go wrong, and your main goal should always be to keep both your customers and the health inspector happy.
Aps-Hoods can help you do both with complete commercial kitchen deep cleaning by experienced professionals. We service in Denver, Colorado. If you are located in either of those areas and you want a commercial kitchen that is always clean, we have the training and equipment to get any sized job done. Call us now for a free estimate.
Some business owners avoid searching for professional hood cleaning services because they feel their staff can perform the task better. However, if you truly want to protect your restaurant, and your time and financial investments, you owe it to yourself to hire professionals who can deliver the training, experience, and proper tools to do a thorough and inspection-passing job. There are quite a few reasons why you would be better off searching for restaurant hood cleaning services rather than let your staff perform all the cleaning for you.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
The Importance of Restaurant Hood Cleaning Services
Greater Health Standards:Professional hood cleaners know that you face fire and health inspections and that you’ll be fined heavily if your restaurant isn’t kept up to code. With spotless ventilation hoods, your restaurant will be seen by inspectors and customers alike as having one of the cleanest restaurants in town.
Diminished Risk of Fire:
Ventilation hoods can quickly accumulate oil, grease, and other contaminants. That sludge coating may look harmless, but all it takes is a spark to put your restaurant, staff, and customers in grave danger. Professional vent hood cleaning services are designed to keep your vent hoods free of all fire-causing substances, protecting your business and everyone inside.
Better Air Quality:
The job of your ventilation hood system is to scrub the air of impurities and to provide your staff and customers with clean, breathable air that all good restaurants are known for. When all that oil, grease, soot, and other contaminants are left to accumulate, those particles can get trapped in your HVAC and make-up air systems, filling your restaurant with foul odors and harmful air. Professional vent hood cleaners will ensure your air is always clean and pleasant to breathe for staff and customers alike.
Remain Fire & Health Code Compliant:
Every restaurant faces regular fire and health code inspections. A single violation could cause your business to face heavy fines or even a shut-down until any issues are corrected. Filthy vent hoods are one of those aspects of restaurant safety inspections that can send up major red flags. Dirty air and fire are certainly major risks of an unclean vent hood, but there is also a potential risk of dirty particles getting into your customers’ food. Professional vent hood cleaning services are in the business of making sure you pass all NFPA and health code standard inspections.
More Energy Savings:
Cleaner vent hoods don’t have to work as hard to replace the air in your commercial kitchen environment. This means that your HVAC system and make-up air systems will have an easier time maintaining a healthy environment for staff and customers. When you hire professionals to clean your vent hoods, you’ll begin to notice a decrease in your monthly energy bills. Find the right service, and before long your vent hood cleaning services may just pay for themselves.
A Cleaner Working & Dining Environment:
Every commercial kitchen is going to get some grease and grime on their vent hoods. By remaining vigilant with regular cleaning, however, you can ensure that your staff and customers both have an environment they’ll love to spend time in. To put it simply, hiring professional vent hood cleaning services is simply good for the restaurant business.
The Qualities All Good Vent Hood Cleaning Services Possess
You have a lot of choices when it comes to finding the ideal cleaning services to keep your vent hoods in tip-top and spotless condition.
1. Experienced Technicians
Vent hood cleaning is not for amateurs, which is another reason why you should never let your staff tackle the job. Technicians who work on ventilation hoods know how to clean the hoods of top brands on the market. Using specialized tools and techniques they’ve honed for years, professionals are able to dig down into the tiniest nooks and crannies where grease, oil, and debris like to hide. Furthermore, professional vent hood cleaning services typically employ technicians who can maintain and repair your equipment. While cleaning a vent hood, a technician may notice that a fan has a defective part, for instance. If that’s the case, the technician should be able to identify the problem and troubleshoot the issue to restore the fan to optimal conditions. Many companies not only provide cleaning services but also vent hood and component repairs. These companies work with top brands and can furnish you with any type of part for quick service done right. You could say that these are all-in-one vent hood services, which is what you want when the protection of your business and the success of your restaurant are always firmly on your mind.
2. Known for Keeping Clients NFPA Compliant
When searching for a company for your needs, ask about other restaurants they’ve helped, and make sure those businesses remained compliant with the National Fire Protection Agency. Only restaurants that remain code compliant are able to avoid fees and shut-downs that can cost you big. With referrals from other restaurants around the area, you can ensure that your restaurant will remain compliant long into the future.
3. Works Around Your Schedule
Your ventilation hoods can’t be cleaned during your peak hours when your equipment is heated up and flames are active. Instead, a professional service works around your schedule, ensuring that your business operations are never interrupted as your vent hoods are cleaned. A professional vent hood cleaning service will operate when your kitchen is either shut down for the night or during slow periods if you happen to operate 24/7. This ensures your commercial kitchen remains clean and safe, no matter what hours of operation you keep. For the best results, you are encouraged to ask about monthly cleaning services. This keeps your restaurant as clean as possible, even during the busy seasons. The company of your choice should be able to show up and clean without delaying your normal operations or disturbing your staff and customers. Instead, the best vent hood cleaning services will work in the background, doing a thorough job until your entire commercial kitchen cleaned and maintained just as it should be.
4. Possesses the Necessary Accreditation
A company worthy of your money will have no problem showing you the proper accreditation certificates that prove the organization is authorized to clean vent hoods in your area. You have put too much time and money into your business to trust your vent hoods to anyone who can’t hold or refuses to possess the proper credentials. Ask for accreditation and get proof before hiring the vent hood cleaning services for your needs.
5. Provides Photo Documentation
Not every cleaning service offers photo proof that your vent hoods have been cleaned, but this is a good perk to ask about when searching for a nearby company. The companies that do offer photo proof use this method as a way of going above and beyond, and there are many benefits to having before and after photographs in hand. For one, you get to see just how much grime and gunk were removed from your vent hoods, ducts, and fans. Furthermore, you can show the fire and health inspectors the photographs to prove that proper kitchen cleaning is a priority to your business. For those reasons, it may pay to ask the vent hood cleaners you’re interested in if they offer photo proof, as photographic evidence can help you remain confident that your restaurant kitchen is always as clean as it could be.
6. Offers Preventative Maintenance
A good company will know how to check for faulty fan components, frayed wires, and appliances that aren’t working as well as they should. By hiring a vent hood cleaning service that employs experienced technicians, you can ensure that you’re always getting the most out of your vent hoods and all associated components while they’re being cleaned.
7. Performs a Thorough Job
Professional vent hood cleaners have their reputation on the line when it comes to doing a thorough job. If only one restaurant owner complains about a service online or off, that could damage the company’s ability to drum up a new business. For that reason, search online reviews and ask other businesses in the area to see which vent hood cleaning services are the best nearby. When you find a company with an observable penchant for helping customers like you, you can remain confident that your vent hoods will be cleaned with precision and that your business investment will always be well protected.
8. Charges Affordable Fees
You should be able to have your vent hoods thoroughly cleaned without breaking the bank. Companies that clean vent hoods and other commercial kitchen equipment charge based on a variety of factors. You may be charged based on the number of vent hoods you have, the intricacy of your HVAC and make-up systems, whether or not you also require vent hood maintenance and repairs, and if you have multiple restaurant locations. A company worthy of your business will work with you to ensure you get a fair deal for all hood cleaning services and maintenance, repairs, and whatever other tasks you require.
9. Has the Proper Hood Cleaning Equipment
Vent hood cleaning services require heavy-duty tools and powerful chemical solutions in order to cut through all that grease and grime. Examples of equipment that professional hood cleaners might employ include power washers, chemical degreasing solutions, hand-held scrapers, brushes, and others. These tools and chemicals are specially designed to remove pesky grease, oil, and other contaminants to keep your business protected from fires, foul odors, noxious air, and broken equipment, all of which can bring your business to a standstill. Keep your business always operating at its best by finding vent hood cleaning services that deliver the proper tools to perform any sized job.
10. The Company Guarantees That You’ll Pass Inspection
When searching for a company to clean your vent hoods, ask the representative if the organization guarantees you a passing score for all fire and health inspections. A company that isn’t certain of their ability to have you pass the necessary inspections is not worthy of your business. On the other hand, if the company promises to help you pass, no matter what, an organization like that may be worthy of your contention. Only when you get a guarantee that your restaurant will receive stellar marks the next time the fire and health inspectors come calling will you be able to find the cleaning crew that’s perfect for your needs.
If your restaurant operates in Denver, Colorado, we encourage you to contact APS-Hoods, the local leader in commercial kitchen cleaning services. Our vent hood cleaning services, most specifically, are designed to keep your ventilation, ducts, and fans spotless while protecting your business from a dangerous fire. We only employ the most experienced and well-trained cleaning, maintenance, and repair technicians, which means that we not only do a good job, but we also protect your business investment in several key ways. Our professionals clean with precision, ensuring that all nooks and crannies are free of grease, oil, and other debris. We guarantee that you will pass the necessary fire and health code inspections. When inspectors get a glimpse of our thorough work, they’ll have no choice but to deem your business NFPA and health code compliant. Furthermore, we are able to identify issues and troubleshoot the sources to keep your appliances and vent hood equipment consistently operational and at maximum efficiency. This saves you money in energy costs and keeps the air in your restaurant pure for complete staff and customer satisfaction. We are fully accredited to operate in Denver and bring the necessary tools, training, and experience to finish any sized job. For vent hood cleaning services you can always count on, contact APS-Hoods, your local source in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Centennial, Colorado for precision hood cleaning done right.
Image Source Tile Ceilings – Denver, CO – If you are in the process of building or renovating your restaurant kitchen, many questions are bound to arise about which materials are best to use. It is not just about aesthetic value either, but about fire safety, cleaning efficiency, and ease of repair. Let our experts at APS Hoods advise you on some basic rules of thumb when it comes to commercial kitchen Tile Ceilings. Different states have various regulations about which materials are permissible for use in commercial kitchens. However, the general requirements revolve around the material being safe for its use in a kitchen environment.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
Easy to clean/smooth: No-textured materials are permitted, as it is hard to clean out dust and grime. Vinyl coated tiles are fantastic, and sealed wood or concrete ceilings are acceptable as well.
Non-absorbent: Since steam will rise to the top of your kitchen, an absorbent and porous material will leave your ceiling susceptible to mold. That will present a health hazard and a costly repair in the future.
Other Considerations for Restaurant Ceilings
Ease of Access to Infrastructure: Since you may need to repair above-ceiling pipes or fix electrical wiring, the wisest choice for a ceiling solution is a drop tile grid, not large panels of wood or Sheetrock, This way, all that has to be done for an HVAC or electrician tech to do their inspections or repairs—is popping the individual tile or group of tiles off. Then they can be replaced when the service is over.
Easy Repair: If a part of the ceiling becomes damaged, say—from a leak or fire damage—having a tiled ceiling is a huge advantage since you only need to replace the section that was damaged.
If you’d like a quote for professionally cleaning your restaurant walls, ceilings, floors, or equipment, call the experts on commercial kitchen cleaning, at APS Hoods. Reach us at 1(855) 236-6114. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
Image SourceKitchen Power Cleaning – Denver, CO: If you own a commercial kitchen for any length of time, chances are– you have probably rented a power washer or have contracted commercial power cleaning professionals. The truth is, this service is almost mandatory, as it not only cosmetically improves the look of your restaurant but also protects your facility from fire and bacteria growth.
What does commercial kitchen power washing involve?
Commercial power cleaning involves a powerful machine that appears similar to a large lawnmower with a hose and several tanks. The tanks are filled with steaming hot water and commercial grade cleaning concentrate. This piece of equipment is then taken inside your kitchen to help wash your tiles, walls, floors, hood and anything that has built up a greasy film. The high pressure (4000 psi) combined with extra heavy-duty degreasers cuts through the worst messes. Then, outside your facility, we spray down the areas around your garbage, where stains and spills often cause bacteria growth and foul odors. Our enzymatic solution will eat through these stains, restoring your exterior to a pleasant state that will never embarrass you in front of inspectors or new staff. Even your roof, where grease collected through the vents will benefit from a good power washing.
Why hire professionals for power washing your restaurant kitchen
Many local companies in each city rent smaller power washers for use in foodservice businesses. However, not many of them can compare to a larger, commercial machine owned by dedicated power washing companies. Here are the benefits to hiring the pros for your next commercial kitchen power washing job:
Stronger pressure in commercial grade machines.
No wasted time on a steep learning curve. Proper and effective use of power washers requires your staff to learn special techniques. Cleaning and washing these devices before returning back to the shop is also a job in itself.
The detergents available on the general market do not compare in strength to what is sold to professional contractors. Even if you do get your hands on a powerful solution, you must take care that it doesn’t get into the public water and get you in trouble with the city.
Not all publicity available washers have the steaming hot water feature necessary to really break down grease, while all professional machines do.
Grease disposal: a professional crew can properly discard any oil harvested from your hood and grease filter with no headache for you.
If you are ready to speak with a representative about restaurant power washing in any of our locations, please call 1(800)842-1583. We provide power washing, hood/vent/duct cleaning, commercial kitchen cleaning, fan servicing and much more in, Denver. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
Image SourceDenver, CO – Restaurant Kitchen Deep Clean One of the most important, and most overlooked, parts of running a great restaurant is doing a deep clean. While it’s easy to have regular employees do the dishes, wipe the counters, and mop the floors, it’s harder to make time to do the deep cleaning. Deeper cleaning, like cleaning the exhaust hood, ductwork, rooftop exhaust fans, and other appliances, takes a lot more time and effort. This is especially true if you don’t have the proper tools and cleaning products. So what is the cost of professional cleaning and what is the cost of neglecting a deep clean?
The Cost of Professional Cleaning
Time
Yes. The kitchen will have to be shut down for a professional deep clean. The stoves and fryers must be turned off to cool and some other appliances will need to be turned off for proper cleaning and for the safety of everyone. Cleaning the exhaust hood and ductwork takes an average of 2-5 hours. It depends on the number of hoods and air fans and how long the ductwork happens to be, as well as how easily accessible everything is. The good news: APS-Hoods service times are 24/7, so you can pick a time that you are already closed or if you are open 24/7, a time that you get the least amount of business so that you aren’t missing out on many sales.
Cleaning and Servicing Fees
APS-Hoods offers a number of services beyond just exhaust hood, air fan, and duct cleaning. We also offer:
Ceiling Tile, Wall, And Floor Have your ceiling tile, walls, and/or floor pressure washed, disinfected, and de-greased until it resembles its original condition.
The Exterior Keep your restaurant looking inviting and prevent future damage by having dirt and grease build up steam and pressure washed from your parking lot, dumpster area, sidewalks, roof, and building exterior.
The cost is going to depend on which services you choose and the size of your restaurant. For a free quote from APS-Hoods, click here.
The cost of neglecting the deep cleaning of the restaurant kitchen
Fire Hazard
If you have exhaust hoods and fans in your kitchen that have dust or grease build up, that is a severe fire hazard. You may be able to reach some of the gunk yourself. However, there is even more up in the ductwork or in the fans on the roof that is hard to get to and easy to forget about, since you can’t see it. But just because you can’t see grease and dust, doesn’t mean that it isn’t a danger. This report by the National Fire Protection Association lists “Failure to Clean” as the top cause of fires in eating and drinking establishments. That means that the leading cause, 22%, of fires in restaurants was avoidable. Lower Inspection Grades and Higher Inspection Fees Inspectors are trained to find the violations that most people wouldn’t think about. They are there to make sure that buildings are safe and not a health hazard. A simple oversight can cost hundreds of dollars in fees as well as a lower grade, which might turn off some customers.
Customer Perception
No one likes to be in a dirty place, but especially when they are eating. A customer perception and word of mouth are vital to a business’s reputation and profitability. If a customer sees that a place doesn’t look clean, they will not want to eat there and are likely to warn the people they know as well.
Employee Satisfaction
Just like no one wants to eat somewhere that doesn’t look clean, no one wants to work in a dirty kitchen either. If it gets bad enough, they might seek employment elsewhere. You will then have to replace them and spend the time and money training someone else. Not only that, but you want to have a safe environment for your employees. A satisfied employee is a more productive employee.
The Bottom Line
So is it worth it to spend the money and hours of downtime for professional cleaners? Doing it yourself will cost employee hours and stress. Plus, the end result is likely to not be enough. Your employees likely don’t have the experience or the tools to get the job done properly, much less the time. And is it worth the risk of customer perception, inspection fees, and fire hazards? On the other hand, having professionals come in and do a deep, thorough cleaning will eliminate any of the downsides of not having it done well. Furthermore, cleaning will take less time because professionals are trained for this specifically and they have the proper tools to get the job done well. Plus, APS-Hoods guarantees your satisfaction. It will likely save you money in the long run and will give you peace of mind. For more information about cleaning services and Restaurant Kitchen Deep Clean, contact APS-Hoods for a free estimate at (800) 750-7313 in Denver Colorado, and elsewhere around the country.Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
SourceDenver, CO – Vent Hood Cleaning Services Most restaurant owners understand the importance of engaging in a regular commercial kitchen cleaning schedule. Keeping cooktops and food preparation areas spotless is crucial for hygiene reasons, but it’s equally as important to ensure that kitchen hood fans and filters remain just as clean. Here’s why. Grease and dust can build up in range hood fans and filters quickly, posing a potential fire hazard. Grease is highly combustible, so the risk of it catching alight and sparking a kitchen fire are increased if the residue build-up isn’t removed regularly. The kitchen’s hood and ventilation system provide a layer of protection in eliminating air contaminants and odors caused by cooking. So it’s essential the filters and fans are not just cleaned and maintained regularly so they operate effectively; they also need to be cleaned properly, ideally by a professional hood services company, to minimize health and safety risks. However, even with regular maintenance, there are times when a hood fan or filter will need to be replaced completely. Some signs to look for that could indicate a hood fan or filter may need to be replaced include:
You notice damage on the filter during a routine cleaning
The vent fan no longer draws smoke or cooking smells out of the kitchen as effectively
The exhaust fan makes unusual sounds or stops turning completely
The risk of an exhaust fan failing during operating hours could be devastating to any commercial kitchen operation. The risk of fire is dramatically increased, but there is also the problem of filling the kitchen and dining area with smoke. The specialists at APS-Hoods recommend creating a scheduled routine for cleaning, maintaining and replacing hood filters in every commercial kitchen. The actual length of time between each deep clean, service and replacement will vary, depending on the condition of the individual range hood. A ventilation hood over a busy restaurant kitchen may have filters that need to be replaced every six to eight months. However, that timeframe may shorten if the range hood, duct work and fan are not cleaned and maintained regularly. The majority of commercial kitchen owners simply don’t have the available staff or resources to undertake such a detailed task. In fact, most eateries need their staff to focus on what they do best – cooking great meals and serving satisfied customers. The easiest and most effective way to ensure that any kitchen’s hood, exhaust and ventilation system is operating at its best is to book a complete hood service and duct cleaning. Appointing a professional company to take care of the cleaning allows you to keep your staff focused on their jobs. You also have the peace of mind that the job is done properly and any faulty or damaged parts can be repaired or replaced quickly. To learn more about cleaning the filters in a commercial kitchen, contact Aps-Hoods for a free estimate by calling (800) 750-7313. About Aps-Hoods: Aps-Hoods specializes in services such as complete kitchen cleaning, Vent Hood Cleaning, hood installation, and fire protection services in Denver, Cheyenne, as well as across Colorado, and Wyoming. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
