One sign of a good and clean restaurant is how sanitary and well-maintained the bathrooms are! Restrooms that are not cleaned and disinfected properly can lead to unsanitary conditions, bacteria and pathogen growth, and potentially the spread of disease – not to mention unpleasant odors and unsightly presentation. An unclean restroom could mean no repeat business from guests. For a restaurant owner or manager, keeping the restrooms clean and in good condition needs to be a top priority and part of an overall health and safety plan for the establishment.
In many states and locales, there are specific restroom health and safety standards that are mandated for food service businesses. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created specific requirements for restroom cleaning and maintenance that many areas follow.
Restrooms Cleaning Guidance
Most health guidelines recommend that restaurant restrooms be cleaned at least once daily. Some restaurants, however, may need to clean their restrooms more often, depending on how busy they are and the amount of traffic they receive.
It is also suggested that a restaurant have dedicated and trained janitorial staff responsible for the cleaning. Smaller establishments may consider training and incentivizing current staff to clean the bathrooms or utilizing an outside professional cleaning company.
Restaurants should also maintain a restroom cleaning log, an essential tool for keeping track of the cleanliness and disinfection of a restroom. This log will help ensure that all restroom areas are cleaned and disinfected regularly and provide useful documentation to track any problems or issues. The cleaning log should be kept in a visible location in the restroom as a reference for employees.
Needed Cleaning Supplies
To properly clean and disinfect a restaurant restroom, the following supplies should be on hand and well-stocked:
- Protective Gloves and Masks
- Brooms and mops
- Sponges, scrub brushes, and cloths
- Cleaning and disinfecting solutions
- Easy-to-use surface wipes
- Disinfecting multi-surface wipes
- Sanitizing wipes
- Glass cleaner
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- Drain, tile, and grout cleaner
- Stainless steel polish
- Air freshener with disinfectant and fragrance
Restroom Cleaning Checklist
To help guide the process and keep cleaners on track, a restroom cleaning checklist should be followed on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Daily Cleaning Tasks:
- Sweep and mop floors
- Vacuum surrounding carpeted areas
- Clean and disinfect sinks and countertops
- Clean and disinfect inside and outside of toilets
- Clean and disinfect all surfaces and fixtures
- Clean mirrors
- Empty the trash cans
- Remove dirty linen
- Restock paper and soap supplies
Weekly Cleaning Tasks:
- Clean walls, windows, and ceilings
- Dust light bulbs and light fixtures
- Shampoo carpets
- Check for leaks, molds, and mildew
- Remove soap buildup
- Check floor and sink drains
- Check for adequate stock of supplies
Monthly Cleaning Tasks:
- Clean air vents
- Scrub/polish floors and grouts
- Polish stainless steel/metal fixtures
- Clean wall and ceiling trim, doors, baseboards, and window frames
- Clean and disinfect inner and outer surfaces of trash receptacle
- Clean air vents
- Scrub/polish floors and grouts
- Polish stainless steel/metal fixtures
- Clean wall and ceiling trim, doors, baseboards, and window frames
- Clean and disinfect inner and outer surfaces of trash receptacle
Preventive Maintenance
Due to the high volume of daily traffic and use, restaurant restrooms require a high level of preventive maintenance and protocols as well. To prevent more extensive and expensive issues, a few key measures can be performed in advance, which include:
- Closely following all scheduled maintenance and cleaning procedures
- Attending to any small repairs right away to avoid more significant problems
- Training and educating all employees to monitor restrooms for cleanliness and functioning
- Being prepared for unexpected messes and issues with proper stocking of supplies, including cleaning wipes, disinfectant sprays, and extra paper products
A clean restroom sets a tone for the overall customer experience in a restaurant. Keeping it sanitary and well-maintained is essential to the safety of customers and staff – and for the reputation and success of the business.
