Equipment that businesses depend on for daily operations needs to be cleaned and well-maintained. A kitchen stovetop is among those essential items for any restaurant, institution, organization or other food-based business.
Taking care of this daily cleaning chore may also impact the bottom line is ways that some business owners could never even imagine. Consider this:
– With a clean stovetop, it is easy to spot any problematic heating issues or prevent them in the first place.
– Food left under a burner or heating element will eventually produce a burnt smell as the residue burns off the surface.
– A build-up of grease, burnt-on food or sticky food crumbs on a cooktop can create a fire hazard and possibly attract rodents, bugs and other pests.
It sounds pretty simple to take care of – and it is – but there is a technique involved to cleaning a stovetop. Here are some tips to help.
Clean as you go. If kitchen staff members wipe up spills, splatters and food crumbs as they go, it will be easier to give the stovetop a complete wipe-down at the end of their shift or the end of the night.
Tackle the surface. There are many different types of cooktop cleaning products on the market, so you want to be sure to stock the janitorial closet with the right cleanser as the type you choose will vary based on the material of the stovetop. A stainless steel cooktop, for example, will require a different cleaner and slightly different cleaning process than an enamel version.
Worldwide Janitor carries a complete line of wholesale commercial and industrial cleansers ranging from all-purpose cleaners and kitchen cleansers to degreasers and glass cleaners. Manufactured by the Snee Chemical Company, they are formulated for many types of commercial applications. Superior Oven Cleaner, for example, is a ready-to-use product that effortlessly removes baked-on and built-up grease from stovetops, hoods, grills, burners and drip pans.
For a heavy duty cleaner that removes the toughest baked on grease, try Oven, Grill, & Fry Cleaner. Oven, Grill, & Fry Cleaner is classified as a hazardous material, so it is very important to follow instructions carefully and to wear personal protective equipment like gloves and safety glasses when using this product.
Get down and dirty. Once you are ready to give the stovetop a really thorough cleaning, turn to the hood. This area becomes amazingly filthy in just a short period of time. It's best to read the manufacturer first for specific cleaning instructions, but in general the outside of range hoods can be cleaned with a simple mixture a hot water, dishwashing liquid and a splash of ammonia.
Next remove the filter and either clean or replace it. While the filter is out, scrub underneath the hood, carefully swipe the fan blades and wipe around the entire interior. Dry completely and replace the filter.
Wipe down the backsplash. The stovetop area includes much more than just the cooking surface itself. After all, cooking isn't always a neat and tidy proposition. Boiling food will splatter all over the cooktop and nearby surfaces such as the backsplash. Flipping and stirring food can result in some flying out of the pan and under the burner.
Grease in particular is an unruly substance. It is also difficult to clean if not addressed promptly, so keep a damp washrag or disposable cloth nearby to handle any splatters on the backlash or nearby surfaces.
If grease has built-up on the surface, use a commercial grade degreaser to take care of the issue.
Don't forget the small details. Now it's time to remove the drip pans and give them a deep cleaning in the sink. If there are no drip pans, remove the burner top and clean underneath. Treat this area with either a degreaser or window cleaning product, but do not use any harsh abrasives, such as a steel wool pad, that can scratch the surface.
Finally, remove the burner knobs and wash them in the sink or scrub them with a degreasing product.
It may seem like a lot of steps, but cleaning a stovetop really isn't as time-consuming as it might seem at first glance. Plus, it is totally worth it. It allows food service preparers to focus on what's really important – creating flavorful meals for customers that will earn rave reviews.
