Proper hygiene and sanitation among restaurants are non-negotiable. It plays a big role in customer satisfaction and trust. A clean and sanitary restaurant is an assurance for guests that they are in safe hands. Proper restaurant disinfection is a major component of proper food handling to ensure food is free from food-borne illnesses.

There are three levels of sanitation.

1. Cleaning

Cleaning is simply removing dirt, germs, trash, and grub using a cloth. Cleaning makes your restaurant look tidy to the naked eyes. However, cleaning is not enough.

2. Sanitization

The process of sanitization kills 99% of bacteria, fungi, and some microbes. These solutions must be mixed as per advised concentrations. For it to be effective, it should be left on a surface for at least 1 minute without wiping it down immediately.

Cotton cloths or microfiber towels will cause the sanitizer to be ineffective. There are special kinds of towels called quat-friendly towels, which works best with sanitizers.

3. Disinfection

Lastly, disinfection kills most bacteria and viruses. Like sanitization, it must be done the proper way and avoid contact for at least 10 minutes for it to be effective.

Reducing the risk of cross-contamination is essential. Proper cleaning, sanitizing, and restaurant disinfection should be done inside the kitchen and more so in the dining area. Every table transition, tables, chairs, booster seats, bar tops, menus, and condiment bottles should be cleaned. If your restaurant has self-order kiosks and other high-touch surfaces, it is best to apply regular disinfection to avoid cross-contamination.

Follow these 5 essential tips for effective restaurant disinfection.

1. Crumbs and spills

Use disposable paper towels or cloth that can pick up food particles and absorb liquid. This is the first step in making sure the table or surface is ready for disinfection.

2. Clean

A surface cleaning solution will do when cleaning surfaces. You can also use wipes to remove any food residue or dirt. Using disinfectant wipes limits the growth of odor-causing bacteria and extends the life of the sanitizer.

3. Rinse

Rinsing the surface will remove the cleaning solution. Thus, after applying the cleaning solution, you should also rinse it. Rinsing is essential because it removes chemicals present in cleaning solutions that may not be compatible with the sanitizer.

4. Sanitize & Disinfect

Some germs may still remain on surfaces. This is where sanitization comes in. It removes germs that remain on surfaces and eliminates the risk of cross-contamination. This reduces the chances your customers may spread viruses and bacteria through surface contact. 

5. Let it dry

After you sanitize and disinfect, it is important to air-dry surfaces to let disinfectant solution sink in. Sanitizers need at least a  minute to kill germs, while disinfectants should be left for at least 10 minutes.

There are a lot of invisible threats to your employees, customers, and your business. These invisible threats can be dealt with using the right methods. Follow the above techniques to properly clean and sanitize your restaurant. You also have the option to hire disinfection experts to do this job for you.

Saniservice is the leading disinfection company in the UAE which provides custom solutions tailored to clients across different sectors such as residential, corporate, education, healthcare, and food & beverages. We use 100% chemical-free disinfectants, certified Food-Grade, and safe for restaurant disinfection.