A clean environment is essential for a restaurant’s success. Everything needs to be spotless, from the flooring and countertops to the appliances and tables. Otherwise, customers can become sick, and you could receive a poor rating from the health department. Here are several preparation tips to help you pass your restaurant's next health inspection with flying colors.

How to Prepare Your Restaurant for a Health Inspection

1. Maintain Adequate Temperature Controls

Some foods must be kept at appropriate temperatures at all times, whether they’re being cooked or stored. Avoid the "food danger zone" by keeping cold foods below 40 degrees, frozen foods below -18 degrees, and hot foods above 140 degrees.

Routinely check refrigeration thermostats to ensure the units stay at the right temperatures. You should also use an internal thermometer to make sure all meats are cooked before serving them to guests. 

2. Promote Personal Hygiene Among Employees

All employees must maintain a high standard of personal hygiene while working at the restaurant. Before and after handling food, workers should wash their hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

Regularly check your plumbing system to make sure washrooms have running hot and cold water. You should also keep the room stocked with soap and paper towels. In the kitchen, food handlers should wear clean clothes and hair constraints to prevent contamination.

3. Clean Food Contact Surfaces & Equipment

Food prep surfaces must be cleaned daily with soap, water, and a sanitizing solution to prevent the spread of bacteria and germs. Dishes, cookware, and other kitchen equipment can be cleaned by hand or with a mechanical dishwasher.

However, food contact surfaces like cutting boards need to be thrown out if they become cracked or damaged. Bacteria can grow within the cracks and quickly spread to other surfaces.

4. Maintain All Non-Food Surfaces

Cleanliness standards should also be applied to the other areas of the restaurant. Walls and ceilings in the dining room must be routinely wiped down to remove dirt, cobwebs, and dust.

Flooring must also be swept, mopped, or vacuumed daily to keep it free of fallen food and debris. Professional floor cleaning services will reduce the appearance of stains and markings in high-traffic areas, improving the look and cleanliness of the establishment.

Your restaurant's flooring can impact your health inspection rating, so contact the team at O'Connor's Carpet Center for professional cleaning services. Located in the Bronx, NY, these flooring experts have over 46 years of experience restoring floors and removing the toughest stains from carpets. To learn more about their products and services, including commercial flooring installations, visit their website or call (718) 409-2020.