Pubs are busy all year round. People move in and out all day, so they need to be well maintained. Cleaning will occur constantly throughout the day due to food and drink spillages, but sometimes deep cleans will need to be arranged. We have come up with a guide to help you keep your pub spotless.
Daily Cleaning Checklist
Make a list of everything that needs to be cleaned throughout the day.
Before Opening, You Need To Ensure:
- Take out and remove all rubbish.
- The tables and chairs are straight.
- Mop and dry floors
- Dust all surfaces, wall hangings and furniture.
- Wipe down the bar.
- Clean and replace all galssware.
- Keep stock organised and cleaned (if on display).
- Clean bathroom surfaces, sinks and taps.
- Disinfect toilets.
- Refill all dispensers.
- Mop and dry bathroom floor.
During Service:
- Wipe down the bar regularly/after any spills.
- Wipe down tables after patrons leave.
- Pick up and throw away any dropped food.
- Check bathrooms regularly and clean when necessary.
- Anything else you notice that needs tidying during your shift.
At The End Of The Day:
- Sweep and mop the floor, including behind the bar.
- Clean and polish all glassware.
- Wipe down and sanitise all surfaces.
- Leave all soda guns to soak.
- Sort out and refill snacks and garnishes.
- Place chairs on top of tables.
Weekly Checklist
Your daily cleaning list when running a pub is already long. However, there are some bigger tasks that only need to be completed once a week.
- Empty and clean all fridges and freezers.
- Mop, clean and sweep behind all moveable equipment.
- Clean the cellar.
- Clean all shelves with glassware and bottles.
- Polish all taps.
- Dust the ceilings and high shelves, tackling any cobwebs.
- Clean and polish windows and ledges.
- Polish all cutlery.
- Deep clean bathrooms.
Tackling these areas helps create a warm environment where customers want to stay to eat and drink. Failing to maintain a clean pub will help push your potential patrons away.
Deep Cleaning Checklist
Pub cleaners need to know where to focus their cleaning. Deep cleaning is essential in places that serve food and drink. People do not want to stay and eat somewhere that they feel is dirty and could make them unwell.
There Are 5 Key Areas Of Your Pub To Focus Your Attention On When Doing A Deep Clean:
- All entrances and exits – these are the first and last port of calls for your customers. This makes up their first impression and the last thing they will remember you for.
- All bathrooms – this goes without saying. sweep and mop all bathrooms. Throw out the rubbish. Clean and disinfect sinks and toilets as well as polish mirrors. One bad review about the state of your bathrooms could cause major problems for your pub.
- Floors and surfaces – floors need to be swept, mopped, and left to dry before people step foot inside your pub. All surfaces need dusting and wiping down. No one wants to feel like they are walking across a sticky floor, as much as they don’t want to feel like their hands are stuck to any surface.
- Tables and chairs – this need wiping down and sanitising every day. This is where your customers will be for most of their visit. They want to feel happy and comfortable (particularly as we are still recovering from COVID-19).
- The bar – when customers buy drinks from the bar, they want clean polished bottles to choose from. No dusty labels or smudged glassware. Ensure all spills have been wiped up, and the bar is not a sticky surface for them to lean against. It is also a good idea to ensure that all rubbish and empty glasses are cleared away as soon as possible. Floors also need to be kept to the same standard as the rest of the pub, so people don’t feel like their feet are sticking as they wait for their drinks.
To help with deep cleaning, it is wise to hire commercial cleaners who know what they’re doing, use the right equipment and guarantee to get the job done before you open.
Bar Sanitation Dos and Don’ts
Do:
- Do ensure that all bar staff use designated ice scoops, and ensure that all ice buckets are used only for holding ice. Residue from other buckets and containers can contaminate the ice.
- Do make all bar staff wash and sanitise their hands before preparing and handling garnishes. They should store the garnishes in specifically designated containers.
- Do clean and polish all glassware. Use a glass washing machine and store it appropriately.
- Do regularly clean and sanitise your bar. Use a bar rag and designate one bucket filled with sanitiser to maintain cleanliness.
- Do train and educate your staff in your cleanliness and sanitation procedures.
Don’t:
- Don’t leave ice in your ice bins to be melted at the end of each day. Bacteria thrives in water at the bottom of bins.
- Don’t allow customers to pick their garnishes using their hands. You don’t know where they’ve been or when they last washed their hands.
- Don’t carry glasses by the rim. Hands are dirty and can transfer bacteria easily onto the glass.
- Don’t use caustic cleaning chemicals around the bar. With all the preparation and frantic moving about, chemicals could find their way into drinks if they are placed in the wrong area. Avoid usage to be better safe than sorry.
- Don’t ignore personal hygiene. Ensure your staff practice good habits – don’t settle for anything less.
How Often Should Pubs Clean Their Lines?
It is essential that every pub clean its beer lines. This prevents the build-up of limescale and bacteria. They should be left for no more than 7 days without being cleaned. With dirty lines, beer can become tainted. This can possibly cause people to get ill and damage your reputation.
How Do You Clean Bar Lines?
To clean your beer lines, you just have to follow this simple process.
- Run cleaning solution through the beer line under pressure until the flow runs clear.
- Wait roughly 15 minutes while the solution soaks in.
- Flow clear water through the beer line to flush out the solution.
- Sort out your next keg and tap it.
- Let the tap flow until beer comes out.
After following this procedure, you should be able to pull your next pint and it is ready to use.
Following these steps will help you clean and maintain your pub to high standards. This helps provide a spotless environment for your customers to enjoy.
