The Best Way to Clean & Sanitize Your Restaurants Tables

Have you ever sat at a table at a restaurant, and it was sticky and gross? Now in the wake of an ongoing worldwide pandemic, we have to be more careful than ever when it comes to sanitizing our establishments.

As the vaccine rollout increases throughout the world, experts still believe we will be taking precautions such as sanitizing and mask-wearing till 2022. While sanitizing your restaurant, brewpub or brewery is always the no. 1 priority, pandemic or not; we need to be extra vigilant in doing so.

Why to effectively clean your establishments’ tabletops

Just as you spend time ensuring that the back of the house is clean and sanitized, so should you care about the tabletops. There are various reasons why you must adequately sanitize your tabletops:

• Be the change – as we move into a new era of post-pandemic, your guests want to know that they are coming to eat and drink in an establishment that is germ-free, and they will get protected from the virus.
• Prevent cross-contamination from guests’ food.
• Kill microbes, fungi, and 99% of bacteria when you sanitize effectively.
• Your reputation depends on it. As a consumer, if you were to see dirty tables or put your arms in a sticky mess on the table, the thoughts you have about the restaurant will have lasting effects. The more bad reviews, negative word-of-mouth comments, and your patrons not returning will cause a loss of revenue and any hope for them returning.

Don’t let a dirty table affect your company’s bottom line!

How to clean your establishment’s tables

The first thing to remember is that there is a difference between cleaning and sanitizing. Cleaning is just removing food particles and grime off of your counters. Sanitizing is killing pathogens to ensure it is safe and that your guests get protected from germs.

Have you tried Bioesque Botanical Disinfectant Solution? I highly recommend this product to ensure your surfaces are clean and sanitized.

Start by making your solution. Each product has different concentrations, so follow these instructions correctly.

• Start by cleaning the tabletop with soap and a rag. Get all food particles, liquid and grim off the table.
• Dry with a cloth or paper towel.
• Spot test to ensure compatibility with the surface you are cleaning on.
• Spray the entire surface until very wet.
• Allow to air dry for 4 minutes (if desired, you can wipe the remaining wet areas dry).
• Do not rinse.

It takes 1 minute to kill viruses, 2 minutes to eliminate bacteria, 3 minutes to eliminate fungi, and 4 minutes to disinfect Norovirus. It is crucial to follow these guidelines in surface cleaning to protect your staff and patrons.

How often should you clean your tables?

 Each day at the start of the shift, have all staff clean and sanitize all surface areas. Make a schedule for areas that require extra attention and rotate staff.

Every time patrons get up to leave, immediately wash and sanitize the surface, including the seats and condiments. If your staff feels unsafe doing so, have them wear gloves for added protection.

At the end of each shift, all these surface areas should be cleaned and sanitized the same way as was done at the beginning of the day.

Employee training

You may have all the tools necessary to sanitize your surfaces, but your efforts will be meaningless if the employees are not following the right sanitizing practices.

If you invest in training your employees, your profits will increase. Have an effective and comprehensive training course to ensure staff knows your company’s cleaning standards. Ensure they know the company’s goals and how patrons can lose faith in the business if they are not meeting expectations.

Create a checklist

Creating a checklist and go over it often with your staff. Monitor staff performing their job and ensure that they are following the list and company standards. Also, encourage personal hygiene and let them know that it is an expectation for all employees to practice good personal hygiene practices.

* Don’t forget the condiments!

Research from Bowling Green State University discovered that the most common object in a restaurant are dirtier than you think.

The researchers swabbed the three most common items in arms reach – salt shakers, ketchup bottles, and menus. Aerobic bacteria was discovered on 100% of the ketchup bottles and more than 83% on the menus. Coliform bacteria was on 17% of all the salt shakers and 4 % of ketchup bottles. E.coli was on 8% of menus and 4% of ketchup bottles.

These are significant numbers, and it is vital to make sure that all items in arms reach get cleaned.

Keeping it Clean

Properly sanitizing your restaurant, brewpub or brewery is vital today. Don’t let a dirty table ruin your establishments’ reputation and keep your patrons coming back to a clean and safe environment.

Train your employees to follow the best practices and procedures in sanitizing all surfaces and ensure they feel comfortable in the workplace. Your staff is the face of your business, and when they are trained and happy, your consumers will be too.

Use the right chemicals for effective sanitation, such as the Bioesque Botanical Disinfectant Solution. In just 4 minutes, your surfaces will be free of viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Have a question or want to learn more about how I can help? Schedule a free call with me and tap into my 35+ years of real-world knowledge in the sanitation and chemical sector. And while you are at it, follow along on Instagram and LinkedIn for daily tips and tricks to secure your facility’s reputation.