Fast, convenient, and compact, food trucks are quickly becoming the ideal way to grab a bite on the go. Offering flavour and variety, Vancouver food trucks bring an array of cuisines to locals and are especially popular with business professionals. Oftentimes situated outside office buildings and downtown hotspots, these restaurants on wheels are consistently growing in popularity.

With that said, all food facilities are held to high safety standards. Whether you’re operating your food truck from a local square, park, festival, farmer’s market, or special event, it’s considered a commercial kitchen. Apart from food handling, grease cleaning is required to adhere to fire safety regulations. Making food truck cleaning a non-negotiable in Vancouver. Here’s why you need professional cleaning of your food truck and how it will help protect your business:

Why is Food Truck Cleaning Important?

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.

Keeping Your Food Truck Clean

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…

Throughout Your Shift:

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.

After Each Workday:

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.

At the End of Each Week:

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.

At Least Once a Month:

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.

Twice a Year:

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.

What’s Next?

You can keep your food truck clean and well maintained to further the success of your business. As you can see, there’s a lot of work that goes into keeping them clean. If you’re looking for help, our team of professionals are up to the task. At Total Commercial Solutions, we specialize in deeps cleans and maintenance for commercial kitchens. With our expertise, tools, and experience, we can take care of the cleaning so you can focus on the cooking. Reach out for a quote on services today!