Restaurant Kitchen Deep Cleaning Checklist
- Who checks
- Head chef or sous chef signing off the deep clean
- When
- Per the deep cleaning schedule, usually weekly or monthly, with the kitchen closed
- Time
- ~45 min · 25 items
| Location | Date and time | Inspector | Signature |
Daily cleaning keeps visible surfaces in order. A deep clean covers what never gets reached on working days: hood filters and canopy, the space behind ranges, walls to full height, ceilings, the ice machine, floor drains. That is where grease that catches fire builds up, along with food debris that feeds cockroaches.
The checklist is built for signing off the result: the inspector follows the cleaning crew and checks every area. Start with prep and safety, then work through the zones top to bottom, from the hood to the floor. Anything accepted with remarks is redone before the kitchen opens, not "next time".
Preparation and safety
-
1
Food is put away or covered before cleaning starts Open food, dishes and utensils moved to refrigerators and storage so chemical splashes and dirt cannot reach food.☐ Yes☐ No
-
2
Equipment is de-energized before washing Ranges, slicers and mixers unplugged, gas shut off; a warning tag on isolated equipment.☐ Yes☐ No
-
3
Cleaning and sanitizing chemicals are used per instructions Chemicals in original or labeled containers; concentration and contact time per the manufacturer's instructions.☐ Yes☐ No
-
4
Alkaline chemicals are handled with gloves and safety glasses Chemical-resistant gloves and goggles for degreasers and oven cleaners; the area is ventilated.☐ Yes☐ No
Hood and ventilation
-
5
Hood grease filters are cleaned down to bare metal No grease layer or residue on the filters, channels or mesh visible against the light; filters reinstalled the right way round.☐ Yes☐ No
-
6
Inside surfaces of the hood canopy are free of grease Run a gloved finger along the inner wall and gutter: no sticky layer or grease drips.☐ Yes☐ No
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7
Exhaust ducts are cleaned by a specialist contractor on schedule A certificate from the last cleaning is on file; frequency depends on frying volume and your local fire safety requirements.☐ Yes☐ No
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8
Supply air and A/C grilles are dust-free No dust buildup or dark streaks on or around the grilles.☐ Yes☐ No
Cooking equipment
-
9
The combi oven cavity is clean and the door gasket has no carbon buildup Cleaning cycle run per the manufacturer's instructions; no grease, carbon or white scale inside; door gasket clean.☐ Yes☐ No
-
10
Ranges and griddles are free of carbon on the sides and back Not just the burners: side panels, back panel and drip trays under the burners are clean.☐ Yes☐ No
-
11
Fryers are boiled out and refilled with fresh oil Vat cleaned per the manufacturer's instructions, rinsed and dried; no carbon on the baskets.☐ Yes☐ No
-
12
The space behind and under cooking equipment is clean Equipment on casters pulled out; no grease, food debris or trash on the floor and wall behind it.☐ Yes☐ No
Refrigeration and mechanical equipment
-
13
Refrigerators are emptied, washed and sanitized inside Shelves removed and washed in the dish area; walls, corners and drain hole free of residue; food moved to other cold storage meanwhile.☐ Yes☐ No
-
14
The ice machine is cleaned and sanitized per the manufacturer's instructions Bin walls free of slime and pink or black residue; cleaning date recorded.☐ Yes☐ No
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15
Slicers, grinders and mixers are disassembled and washed Removable parts taken off; no food residue under the slicer blade, in the grinder auger or at the base of the whisk.☐ Yes☐ No
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16
Storeroom shelving is emptied and washed, including bottom shelves No dust, spilled grains or debris under the bottom shelf or against the wall behind the rack.☐ Yes☐ No
Walls, ceilings, floors and drains
-
17
Walls are washed to full height Including areas above and behind equipment; no grease runs or splashes, tile grout not blackened.☐ Yes☐ No
-
18
Ceiling and light fixtures are free of grease, dust and cobwebs Light covers clean and intact: a broken cover over a work area risks glass in food.☐ Yes☐ No
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19
Floors are washed with degreaser; corners and baseboards are clean The floor is not sticky underfoot; no dark rim of dirt in corners or along baseboards.☐ Yes☐ No
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20
Floor drains are cleared and sanitized Grates removed and washed, traps free of buildup and odor; water drains without delay.☐ Yes☐ No
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21
Doors, handles and light switches are washed and sanitized No greasy handprints on kitchen doors, refrigerator handles or switches.☐ Yes☐ No
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22
The grease trap is cleaned on schedule A log entry or contractor certificate for the last cleaning; no overflow or strong odor.☐ Yes☐ No
Finishing up
-
23
Chemical residue is rinsed off food-contact surfaces Tables and utensils rinsed with potable water after sanitizing if the product instructions require it; no chemical smell or whitish streaks.☐ Yes☐ No
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24
Cleaning tools are washed, dried and put away Tools color-coded by zone (different for kitchen and restrooms); mops not left standing in dirty water.☐ Yes☐ No
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25
The deep clean is recorded on the schedule with the inspector's signature The schedule shows the date, areas and inspector's name; remarks and deadlines for fixing them are recorded.☐ Yes☐ No
This template is a starting point. Check the limits and wording against your local regulations, your company standards and the equipment manufacturers' instructions.
jeCheck · https://jecheck.io/en/templates/kitchen-deep-cleaning
Common violations
- Hood filters are washed only every few months. Grease on filters and in ducts is a common cause of kitchen fires: the flames travel up into the ventilation.
- Equipment is not pulled out and only the visible part gets cleaned. Grease and food debris build up behind ranges and fryers, giving cockroaches food and shelter.
- Sanitizer is applied and rinsed off immediately. Without the contact time stated in the instructions it does not work, and the deep clean becomes ordinary washing.
- The ice machine is left off the schedule. Biofilm and mold form in the bin, and the ice goes straight into drinks with no further treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Typically weekly for the main areas and monthly for ceilings, full-height walls, storerooms and rarely used equipment; the exact frequency is set by local health regulations and your cleaning schedule. The more frying you do, the more often the hood needs cleaning.
Better not: washing walls, ceilings and the hood involves splashes and strong chemicals. Deep cleaning is done on a closed day or after closing, with all food put away.
Daily cleaning covers work surfaces, floors, utensils and equipment during and after the shift. A deep clean includes what is not washed every day: the hood, full-height walls, ceilings, the space behind equipment, refrigerator interiors and the storeroom.
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