Your food truck is a commercial kitchen. As such, they need to meet the health and safety standards required of any company in the food service industry. Due to the limited amount of space, your food and equipment are often jammed closely together. As a result, operators risk cross-contamination if not properly and regularly cleaned.

Furthermore, a clean food truck is a safe one. Not just in the dishes your serving – although food hygiene is crucial – but in preventing injuries, accidents, and fires. Working in a hot, fast-paced environment is physically and mentally grueling. However, increased levels of cleanliness and organization keeps your staff safe and helps them work more efficiently.

When cooking for the masses from a small space, cleanliness is crucial. While it can be tempting to toss your chef’s hat to the side and forego your end of day cleanup, don’t! Smaller, daily cleaning tasks is the way to go. Not only does mess love to accumulate, when dealing with food, your food truck can go from sanitized and sparking to rotting and rancid very quickly.

For proper food truck maintenance, the following tasks are divided into daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks…

• In between cooking various meats such as red meat, poultry, and fish, you should be brushing the grill to avoid cross-contamination.

• Regularly wipe down cooking surfaces and prep areas (countertops, cutting boards, hot plates, etc.).

• Regularly empty the trash to avoid bad odours and pests. Make sure you’re discarding your trash into public receptacles unless you’re licensed to use a private dumpster.

• Clean the fryers to remove excess grease and improve sanitation.

• Sanitize all surfaces and utensils. From the cooking line and cutting boards to the service window ledge, knives, and spatulas.

• Clean the interior and exterior of the microwave.

• Sweep and clean the floor mats and truck floor.

• Ensure any bins in the cooler are covered and sealed with plastic wrap.

• Empty and clean the steam table.

• To prevent fires, replace any foil liners on the grill, range, and flattops that were used.

• Handwash the hood filters or pop them in the dishwasher.

• Empty, wash, and sanitize coolers.

• Clean your sinks and faucets, being sure to remove built up grime in the edges

• Clean coffee machines and kettles.

• Wipe down the interior of your oven, adhering to the manufacturer’s manual.

• Oil down any cast-iron cookware.

• Sharpen your knives. Not exactly a cleaning task but a dull knife can lead to injuries in the kitchen.

• To minimize grease buildup and prevent fires, wash behind the hotline (including stoves, ovens, and fryers).

• Clean out the freezers and fridges, checking the expiry dates of all food items.

• Calibrate the ovens and thermometers.

• Empty the ice machine and sanitize the area.

• Wash the walls and ceilings (cooking oil loves to coat these surfaces)

• Check and replenish your first-aid kit.

• Clean the exhaust hoods.

• Check the fire extinguishers and replace them if needed.

• Have the fire suppression system checked.

• Check for signs of pests and rodents, having them professionally removed if needed.

Enhance the success of your business by ensuring your food truck remains clean and well-maintained. The task of keeping them pristine involves considerable effort, and if you're seeking assistance, our team of professionals at Total Commercial Solutions is ready for the job. Specializing in deep cleans and maintenance for Food Truck Trailers, we bring expertise, tools, and experience to handle the cleaning, allowing you to concentrate on your culinary endeavors.