Regular food truck cleaning of a truck kitchen is a necessity for any owner in the mobile food industry. Frequently cleaning equipment and supplies keeps them neat and presentable, increases their life and helps prevent food poisoning. However, there are areas of the truck that you may not be aware of or have been forgotten about.

4 Areas To Remember When Food Truck Cleaning

The Ice Machine

There is a reason this is number one on the list. A lot of food truck employees, managers included; forget that ice is food, and consumption can lead to food poisoning if the product is contaminated. Regularly cleaning the ice machine and ice storage bin will assure a healthy, contaminant-free product.

Underneath and Behind Equipment

It is easy to forget about kitchen areas that are not visible, but the whole out of sight out of mind principle does not hold in your food truck’s kitchen. Bacteria and pests will be attracted to food scraps no matter where they hide. You can also be sure that the health inspector will check underneath every piece of equipment and work table to see if the area is clean.

Refrigeration Coils

Dirty refrigeration or evaporator coils make any refrigeration unit work harder, which can result in uneven temperature in the cabinet. If the temperature fluctuates too much, the food can spoil, so employees need to move your refrigerator and clean the coils at least once a month to make sure the unit functions properly.

Splashes on the Walls

Bacteria can grow on the food splashes and, depending on what area of the country you operate in, fruit flies or other pests may be attracted to the splash. Also, health inspectors will not like dirty walls and neither will customers. It is best for you and your staff to wipe down walls as soon as the splash occurs, so the food does not become dried on and harder to clean at the end of the night.

One way to assure that all of these areas in your food truck are cleaned every day is to put together a cleaning schedule that lists what needs to be cleaned and by whom. You can go a step further and have the person responsible for cleaning each area initial the schedule, indicating that they have cleaned it in order to keep your employees accountable.

RELATED: 3 Steps To Making Sure You Have A Clean Food Truck

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, the cleanliness of a food truck reflects on the owner. Sad to say, but this can mean that you may wind up in the truck, on your hands and knees, with rubber gloves and hot, soapy water. A vendor who isn’t scared off by the most menial tasks makes certain they get done. And, at the same time, this sets the tone for the entire staff.

Does your food truck cleaning schedule have items we may have missed? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section or social media. Facebook | Twitter

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