The employee kitchen or break room is a problem area for many offices and commercial businesses. Since multiple people use these areas for preparing and eating their meals, maintaining cleanliness can be a problem. Here are a few tips you can use in your business to maintain clean and sanitary kitchens.
1). Establish Rules for a Clean Office Kitchen or Break Room
Your first step should be to outline rules for keeping your kitchen or break room clean. Post a list of rules in a clearly visible area, and ensure all of your employees review them.
You should also post signs in critical areas to remind employees of their responsibilities in keeping these areas clean. This way, everyone will know how to do their part and you can update the rules when specific problems occur.
For example, you might notice that employees often leave the microwave a mess. You can create a rule that requires every employee to wipe down the microwave after they use it. Similarly, you can require employees to wash their dishes immediately after finishing their meal.
2). Provide Access to Cleaning Supplies
It’ll be easier to maintain a clean break room if your employees have access to cleaning supplies. You can buy these supplies in bulk or obtain products from a local grocery store. There are many eco-friendly cleaning products on the market, and buying those products can help you maintain your organization’s green initiatives.
Make sure to keep information available to your employees about the hazardous or caustic nature of the cleaning supplies you provide. You should provide latex gloves and protective eyewear for your employees to use while cleaning the kitchen area. They’re more likely to help keep the kitchen clean if they can work safely.
3). Initiate a Policy for Clearing Out Old Food
The rules you use to maintain a clean office kitchen should include requiring employees to take dishware home with them.
Rather than having coffee mugs, plastic containers, and silverware cluttering up this public area, make sure your employees take these items with them after each workday. The rule will make keeping a neat appearance in common eating areas easier.
You should also set a day for clearing out leftover food. If you don’t make this a mandatory routine, employees may leave old food in your break room’s refrigerator for weeks or months.
Most businesses set this day for the end of the work week. Let your employees know that you will throw their food away if they don’t remove it by the end of each week.
4). Prioritize Sanitation
In the post-pandemic world, sanitization has become a bigger concern. It’s not enough to keep surfaces visibly clean. Your employees must also sanitize common areas to eliminate germs and bacteria. When buying cleaning products, make sure they are proven to kill bacteria and germs.
5). Hire a Professional Cleaning Service
You’ll be better able to maintain a clean break room when you have professional help. An experienced third-party janitorial service will provide you with a better quality of cleaning service because they’ll have the tools and equipment to clean every corner of your kitchen or break room.
A weekly cleaning from a professional service will help you sanitize those hard-to-reach areas that your employees may miss throughout the week.
Experience the Long Beach Janitorial Services difference. Schedule a consultation today to tell us about your cleaning needs!
