How to Prepare Your Restaurant For Hood Cleaning?

Running a restaurant is an overwhelming job. Whether you are an owner or a manager, you know how much effort and work it takes to get all the tasks done in the best way. Because it’s the type of business where everything has to always be flawless, and just one mistake is enough to ruin a reputation that has been built over the years. That is why everything must be perfect, from the interior to the kitchen. People want a nicely decorated space, delicious food, friendly waiters and everything else, as well as affordable prices. That’s why it’s so hard to have a successful restaurant.

But one thing is crucial for your restaurant, and that is the kitchen. No matter how much you have invested in the interior and what kind of wine selection you have, if the food is not tasty, people will not come. The taste of food is of course not the only thing you need to take into account when it comes to the kitchen. What is equally important is that everything is perfectly clean and that you follow all regulations regarding the cleaning of all parts of the kitchen. What is often overlooked is hood cleaning, and that has very far-reaching consequences. So we will help you and explain how to prepare your restaurant for hood cleaning, and we will also tell you a thing or two that you need to know about the importance of hood cleaning.

What is a kitchen hood and how does it work?

If you are new to this business, you may not even know exactly how it works. And it is important that you know that, in order to know what needs to be done in order to be regularly maintained. The kitchen hood is also known as the exhaust hood is located above the complete cooking equipment you have. These include fryers, grills, and everything else where it is necessary to hood remove heat, grease, smoke, smells, and everything else that is in the air. Filters play a very important function because they prevent bigger debris from entering the fans and thus damaging them. Filters are most often made of stainless steel and must also be cleaned regularly. Fans are of course a crucial part because they suck up air. Grease traps that you also have under the sink are also here to pick up as much grease as possible from the air. Of course, nothing would work without ducts that are everywhere on the ceiling because they serve to deliver and remove air.

How to prepare your restaurant for hood cleaning?

You need to do a few things in preparation for this process. Basically, it’s all about what’s most important, and that’s the safety of everyone. First, make sure that you have turned off all electrical appliances and turned off all gas valves. This is absolutely the most important thing, so as not to endanger your workers, cleaning workers and all your equipment. If something has worked until recently and is still hot, let it cool completely. Don’t take any risk. Now that you have ensured that everything is safe, it is time for the next step in preparation. Buy as many plastic sheets as possible so you can protect your kitchen. Whether you do it or professionals, know that this is an extremely dirty job and that is why everything must be covered with plastic sheets otherwise you will never be able to clean everything. If greasy fluids spill, an unpleasant odor will be felt for a very long time, and bacteria can also develop. So cover everything. You also need chemical cleaners, as well as brushes, unless all this is brought by professionals. And of course, since you’ve protected the entire kitchen, protect your hands with gloves as well.

How often does this need to be done?

Some restaurants should do it every month, and some once a year. It depends on the volume of the work. We will share with you the suggestions of professionals on what to do. If you use wood, charcoal, or coal, you should definitely clean the hood once a month. Solid fuels will get everything dirty very quickly, so this must be done every month. Since solid fuels are rarely used for this purpose, all other restaurants that operate daily should do the cleaning once every three to four months. Those restaurants that don’t work full time and have plenty of days when they’re closed don’t have to clean more than twice a year. And finally, all those places that work only occasionally, for special purposes, such as celebrations, it is recommended to clean once a year.

Benefits of hood cleaning

There are so many benefits and why this has to be done regularly, and we will tell you just a few of them. For example, you need to provide your employees with a comfortable work environment so that they can work successfully. Also, everything must be safe, and if you do not clean the hood, the probability of a fire breaking out increases significantly. According to the hood experts from Premier Grease, the excess grease becomes a hazard. A fire can certainly happen in a commercial kitchen, so don’t make it even more likely that it will happen due to your negligence. Irregular performance of this task will also cause an unpleasant odor to be felt in your restaurant, which will drive away all guests. Of course, by law, you are obliged to do all this regularly, and if the inspection finds that you are not doing that, they will suspend you. Another benefit is lower power consumption.

DIY or hire professionals?

And lastly, what people often wonder is whether to do this on their own or to hire professionals. It is certainly possible to do it yourself, we explained to you everything you need to buy before you start and what to do. However, since this is a very important task, and also a very dirty one, if you have enough money, it is definitely better to leave it to the professionals. They have the experience, knowledge, and all the necessary equipment. Also, they will do the job much faster and cleaner than you would. You can make a deal with them to come every three months, for example, and then you won’t have to think about it at all anymore.

Conclusion

When running a restaurant, do not forget to prepare the kitchen before hood cleaning, otherwise, you will spend much more time restoring everything than to the process of hood cleaning.