# How does ur kitchen clean floor at end of night?



## cwjalex (Sep 18, 2010)

just changed careers and started line cooking at my first job.  The way the guys clean the floor at the end of the night is they fill up 5 gallon buckets with water and repeatedly dump them so the crap and garbage goes towards the few drains in the kitchen and then they use a broom and squeegee.  It looks horribly inefficient because they have to clean the same spot over and over again...and still doesn't do a great job because the floor is tiled squares and has grooves where the crap gets stuck.

It would make a lot more sense to me if they had a wet mop and bucket like the kind custodians use...I was just wondering how other restaurants do clean up?


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2010)

I worked in sweep and mop places (which really doesn't seem all that effective).  Once a week (in theory), we were to dump the buckets of soapy water all over, scrub it with brooms and blast it down the drain with a pressure hose.  I would have liked to seen it done daily but, you know, payroll.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Sweep first!!!!!

Mop with hot water and Mr Clean or similiar.

For really filthy areas, sploosh hot water over area, soak in for a few minutes then mop as normal.

*A properly "just mopped" floor should take less than 5 mins for a 10 foot section to dry.*

Rinse mop out several times and wring out as much water as possible before hanging up mop to dry.

Hose out mop bucket and squeezer before putting away.

Sounds simple and stupid doesn't it? The amount of places I've been to where you could smell the mop a mile away, and the bucket was full of greasy black cold water is mind boggling.....


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

First, clean the rest of the kitchen, EVERYTHING else
Pads, mats, duckboards, etc., up and out to the "wash area".
Sweep the floor at least once
Soak/scrape obvious problem areas
Mop with HOT, soapy (preferably floor cleaner detergent) water, scrubbing where necessary, change water in mop bucket as necessary
Rinse with clean, HOT, water, changing mop bucket probably twice as often as with soapy water.
Rinse again with chlorine/Quat sanitizer USING sanitizer mop, NOT the cleaning mop!
Turn off the lights, set the alarm, lock the door and go home!


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## leeniek (Aug 21, 2009)

This is what we do

-clean all surfaces including grills

-sweep

-with some floor soap and a broom scrubber, do a deck scrub

-mop

-sweep using a large broom to get rid of the bits brought up by the deck scrub

-do a final mop using quats in the bucket with a clean mop head, not the one we just used


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## sgtgoodie (Aug 8, 2010)

In the galley after all of the ovens, machines, tables etc...were cleaned and inspected, the steam jacketed kettles would be filled and the water heated. The chief cook after pouring GP soap on the deck would pull 4 of the 8 drain plugs and thus dump a couple hundred gallons of hot water on the deck which quickly turned into a big soapy mess. The cooks on watch would scrub the whole floor with scrub brushes and then push the soapy water into the drain pit under the kettles. Then the other 4 kettle plugs would be pulled and a couple hundred gallons of rinse water would once again flood the deck. The cooks would squeegee the water into the pit once more and then finish mop the deck before falling into formation to be secured for the day.


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## Guest (Sep 27, 2010)

Sweep first! Sweep well. When we used to dump hot soapy water everywhere we would use deck brushes to scrub the entire floor then squeegee excess water into the drains and finally we would wet vac the floor. It worked out well.


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## 2buckchuck (Sep 2, 2010)

We've got a night porter a my restaurant, and along with front of house, we washes the mats and floors in the kitchen. Sooo nice


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## rezacatering (Sep 11, 2010)

it does not matter how slow or busy we are with san diego catering. Our procedure is always the same. At the end of every night we take out the mats and clean broom them of debre,

then we sweep the floor, especially paying attention to corners and hidden areas under table..etc..etc. Then we use HOT water with soap and a little bit of bleach and mop every square inch.

The mop MUST be re-soaked and drenched after every 10 square feet to allow the mop to be fresh and clean for the next 10 square feet. Once a month we add a thick floor brush and brush everything clean. I am a clean freak when it comes to the floor and walls.

Reza

San Diego Catering


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Live Steam


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## marcus5556 (May 6, 2010)

clean the kitchen top to bottom

sweep

pour soapy water down the line

deck brush

spray down with hose

squeegee

every night it is also one of the cleanest kitchens i've worked in


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

A good kitchen will have floor drains, which allows you to flood the floor and squeegee it down the tube.  But many N.American kitchens don't.


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## coulis-o (Jan 23, 2010)

normally use hot soapy water and a mop and bucket.

but, the last restaurant i worked at sprayed this kind of biological chemical on to the floor, left it for 5-10 mins, then went over it with a cold mop bucket and water as if to dry-mop the floor. I looked at the head chef funny when he asked me what was i doing putting hot water in the mop bucket for....


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## chefbazookas (Oct 11, 2010)

I once worked for "Chee-Chee's" for about three weeks in a managment trainee program. The floor was red square tile and had about a half-inch layer of greasy slime coating on it. I could barely hold myself upright trying to ambulate on that gelatinous mess. How the staff and cooks worked back there without breaking bones and busting skulls I have no idea. My first closing shift I was careful to watch the floor cleaning process which consisted of...nothing. They did _nothing_ to the floor but sweep (and that was half-assed). When I asked the GM why they didn't clean the floor at night he simply said, "I leave that to the kitchen keys. I don't micromanage." My response of "You apparently don't try to walk back there, either." earned me a fierce glare but didn't prompt any changes. I quit the next day. Who works like that??


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## stl243 (Dec 16, 2010)

sweep well.  very well.

deck scrub with degreaser.

mop with hot water/floor cleaner.


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## coup-de-feu (Aug 4, 2010)

Some schools of thought say NOT to sweep first.  The logic is that sweeping pushes dust particles into the air which land all over the kitchen.  So first hot soapy water is put all over the floor, then its scrubbed and squeegeed to the drains.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Typical European kitchens have floor drains, typical N. American ones do not--save for grilles under steam kettles/tilt skillets.  If the floor does not have drains, I would suggest NOT to pour water all over it, or else you're just giving the dirt a bath....


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## allium (Dec 8, 2010)

foodpump said:


> Typical European kitchens have floor drains, typical N. American ones do not--save for grilles under steam kettles/tilt skillets. If the floor does not have drains, I would suggest NOT to pour water all over it, or else you're just giving the dirt a bath....


I was unaware that most N. American kitchens lack drains. That's incredibly senseless.

Best method I've seen is a sweep, hose, soap & scrub, hose, squeegee, dry-mop method. Makes the floors sparkle. I have no idea how one can remove (nearly) all debris without hosing the floor down. Not everything in a kitchen can be pulled out every night.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

How to remove debris without hosing down the floor?

I run a chocolate and pastry place, lots of sticky residue on the floor, and no, I don't have floor drains.

Ya go to a hardware store and get a stiff brush mounted on a broom stick.  Dribble water all over the mess with the brush, wait a few minutes, then scrub, then mop.


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

foodpump said:


> ... and no, I don't have floor drains....


Really? No "hand wash" sink or any other "sink" in your kitchen???

I though ALL sinks in kitchens were required to drain into a "floor sink" (fancy name for a floor drain!).


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

No....

My hand sink and my pot sink and my pre rinse sink empty into my grease trap--as required by law, my d/washer by passes the grease trap and goes directly to the sanitary lines.

If I did have floor drains, --that is, a grille w/ a basin underneath on the floor surface-- by municipal plumbing code, it would have to go to my grease trap, even condensate from my a/c and coolers have to go to my grease trap.  Don't ask me why, that's what the code wants.


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Interesting, to say the least, the "code" does not require an "air gap" (6" required in California) in the sanitary sewer connection, i.e. a sink/grease trap drain MUST end 6" above a "floor sink" that is directly connected to the sanitary sewer?


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## allium (Dec 8, 2010)

foodpump said:


> How to remove debris without hosing down the floor?
> 
> I run a chocolate and pastry place, lots of sticky residue on the floor, and no, I don't have floor drains.
> 
> Ya go to a hardware store and get a stiff brush mounted on a broom stick. Dribble water all over the mess with the brush, wait a few minutes, then scrub, then mop.


I'm thinking mostly of the crap that gets under shelving, immovable equipment, &c.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

For stuff like speed racks, walk-in shelving, and anything portable, it does make sense to rent a pressure washer, truck the stuff outside, and let 'er rip.  For immovable stuff, you got to do it the "old fashioned way" with a brush-on-a-stick to clean the crud off, and a good shot of sanizer afterwards.

Pete, no, no air gaps.  Don't know why, other than the chance of a sewer back up.  Code here demands back-up prevention devices on ice machine drains  and dishwashers, but not on sinks.  I never argue with those city plumbing boys, give them what they want, and sign off on my occupancy permit please.  Weirdest thing I ever encountered was a demand to have a 2 hr rated fire wall  and doors around my walk in cooler and freezer in Singapore.  I did it, went over budget to to do so, but I did it for them.  Still to this day I can't figure out  why they wanted it though......


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## ronniesc (Sep 28, 2010)

This is what we do while cleaning kitchen.

We first clean the kitchen top to bottom

then we sweep and pour soapy water down on the floor

deck brush


This is our process of cleaning kitchen.


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## grayson3410 (Dec 26, 2013)

Obviously, as stated a million times above, we clean everything top to bottom before we clean the floors. But to clean the floors, we hook up a hose to out 3-well sink, spray the floors with hot water, making sure to get under the line coolers and grills, then scrub with a scrub brush and dish soap. After a good scrub, we spray the soap down the drains, squeegee the water to the drains, and sweep any accumulated grime off the drains.  This leaves the floors REALLY clean, and the next morning the kitchen smells fresh for the opening cook.


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## chef torrie (Mar 1, 2011)

Clean all surfaces and equipment first

Sweep well 

Hot hose and deck brush w soapy water

Squeegee excess water into floor drains

Follow with a barely wet mop w bleach

I hate quarry tiles. luckily we don't have them anymore


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## mannlicher (Jan 8, 2006)

it sure helps if your cooking equipment is on wheels, and can be rolled out of the way.  If you can move to clean, then HOT water, a good degreaser, and lots of  hard work can, and will, make the floors sparkle, and be grease free.

I'll put time and money into cleaning any time.  Walls, floors, surfaces.  It's the key to success.


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## honseycornor (Mar 27, 2014)

Tiles are nice decors to your home but they may be very tough to maintain. Getting your tiles to look clean always is a lot harder than it seems. steam-cleaning your tiles will help you with this task. This is a way of cleaning tiles by using a steam-cleaning device.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

live steam pressure .


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Live steam can be very harsh on the grout--the stuff in between the tiles.  Once the grout loosens up and cracks off, steam gets under the tiles and loosens them up.

D a m h I k t........

There is no substitute for daily cleaning with hot water and small amounts of soap.

Put it this way.

You can shower daily, or even multiple times a day

Or...

you can take a steam bath with a brick and harsh chemicals once a week.

 What's easier on your body?


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## raibeaux (Dec 21, 2012)

I'm considering a steam machine myself.  I've seen the small ones demonstrated and hey work pretty good, but were slow going.  Others seem like they would work good, the ones that steam and vac pickup at the same time.  But they are pretty expensive.

Expensive or not, they may be worth it, but I don't know anything about brands, what to look for, etc.  I think I would maybe go for $3000 or less if it did a good job and wasn't a pia to operate, clean and store.  I just don't know enough about it to decide.  And don't have anywhere to observe one.

Anyone out there with experience with these things???

Thanks


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## chef torrie (Mar 1, 2011)

We use live steam three times a week. (We don't have quarry tiles or any grout, but like foodpump said, it kills grouted tiles if done too often)

But EVERY night it gets swept very well. Scrubbed with super hot soapy water and a deck brush, squeegee'd, wet mopped, dry mopped.

A clean kitchen is so super important. I've been in so many gross kitchens, and have even turned down jobs because of kitchen conditions.


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## dobzre (Mar 3, 2011)

Our kitchen is stainless steel top to bottom. With the push of a button, all of our tables and equipment lift 1ft off of the floor using hydraulics and the kitchen goes into "Sanitize mode," high pressure water jets blast the floors, walls and ceilings then it is blown dry and then a fine mist of chlorine is sprayed over all surfaces. Then our 10,000hp exhaust system then removes all smells, and contaminants from the air.

The kitchen of the future! With laser knives, lab grown ingredients, and annoying customers are ejected from the establishment via SWATbots.

Broom, mop, elbow grease for now. *sigh*


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## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Opinion from the home front....

I have an OCD things about floors.

Wherever I go my eyes are constantly observing the deck.

Carpet or hardwood or tile.

Does not matter....if at home I gotta stop whatever I am doing and at least take care of the offending area if not the entire room.

Have always cleaned the carpets with steam and about a year ago switched to a steam cleaner for the hard surfaces.

The first few times I noticed all this extra GUNK after I ran over high traffic areas.

Soooo bucket with hot soapy cleanser and a brush I got down on my hands and knees and got the rest up.

It is like I have brand new floors.

White socks while padding around making coffee and cookies?

no problem.

My feet only pick up that days "outside" tracked in by the family.

Go for the steam.

mimi


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## chefwriter (Oct 31, 2012)

Sweep, flood with soapy water, scrub, squeegee to floor drains and finish with a wet/dry vac to get the remaining water up. The vacuum needs to be opened and the inside cleaned twice a week but otherwise I ended up preferring it to a mop and bucket although we kept a mop on hand for occasional liquid spills. 

i have a $700 steamer that oddly enough has no brand name on it. Bought it at a janitorial supply house. Works great for many things. I used that for the areas near the grill and behind equipment when elbow grease just isn't enough. The vacuum is also good for getting behind and under equipment where broom may not reach.. 

I always kept a supply of kitty litter on hand to help clean up oil and grease in the event of a spill. This can also help in areas of grease accumulation if left to sit for a few days. It will absorb the grease and make it easier to remove.


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## pirate-chef (Jan 25, 2012)

clean walls down to benches, benches to floor, flood the floor , degreaser  scrub like hell squegie to the drain , clean the drains.


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## alexrossii (Apr 12, 2014)

-clean all surfaces including grills

-sweep

-with some floor soap and a broom scrubber, do a deck scrub

-mop

-sweep using a large broom to get rid of the bits brought up by the deck scrub

-do a final mop using quats in the bucket with a clean mop head, not the one we just used


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## raibeaux (Dec 21, 2012)

Will mopheads hold up being washed in a commercial washing machine?  Thanks.


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## smokeyust (Dec 18, 2008)

Our line is so over burdened and bursting at the seems that we have to sweep at least 2x a day before closing down. So I always make them pull mats first, do an initial sweep to get all the bulk, then clean and flip, then sweep again, mop for effect, dump water, mop for cleanliness. It's a pain but we push that much volume from what is essentially a galley kitchen; yes it can suck, a lot.


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## smokeyust (Dec 18, 2008)

Yes they last about 4-6 months for us.

(mop heads that is)


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## raibeaux (Dec 21, 2012)

Good.  Thanks, Smokey, appreciate that.


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## chal51 (Sep 12, 2015)

I work as dishwasher.. when the store close and I wash the floor but employee still walk on wet floor as I am not finish with that.. I am not pleased.. what will I do?


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## grande (May 14, 2014)

Mop later


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## chezpopp (Aug 8, 2015)

Clean. Sweep. Sweep again. Wet mop change water dry mop. Deck scrub and squegee every third day. Mats once a week pressure wash. Never did me wrong.


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## brian barker (Sep 23, 2015)

cwjalex said:


> just changed careers and started line cooking at my first job. The way the guys clean the floor at the end of the night is they fill up 5 gallon buckets with water and repeatedly dump them so the crap and garbage goes towards the few drains in the kitchen and then they use a broom and squeegee. It looks horribly inefficient because they have to clean the same spot over and over again...and still doesn't do a great job because the floor is tiled squares and has grooves where the crap gets stuck.
> 
> It would make a lot more sense to me if they had a wet mop and bucket like the kind custodians use...I was just wondering how other restaurants do clean up?


That seems silly. Sweep first. Then dump soapy water on the floor and deck brush the floors. Then Squeegee. Then dry mop. I also staged at a place that swept and mopped so many times on a regular basis through out the day that the deck brushing step was never needed. If your team is clean enough you can just sweep and dry mop.


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