As a food truck owner, it’s vital to make sure you clean your food truck regularly. Below are the different types of cleaning equipment you should have on your food truck, cleaning tasks to follow, and why cleaning is important.
Importance of Food Truck Cleaning
All states and the Department of Health have a requirement of cleanliness that must be met for food trucks. They maintain health and safety standards for your employees, and your customers who are enjoying your menu items. Following daily, weekly, and monthly food truck cleaning practices will ensure that there isn’t any cross-contamination during the cooking/service processes.
Maintaining a clean truck isn’t just required, but is also the responsible thing to do, and will keep your customers returning for future visits. If your food truck isn’t clean, it’s not only going to be spotted in the inspection but also by the quality of food being served to your customers. Maintaining all cleaning schedules will ensure you stay on top of your cleanliness at all times and present a tidy food truck.
Cleaning Equipment
Keeping your food truck stocked with cleaning supplies is just as important as staying on top of your food ingredients. If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, consider using green cleaning products free of toxic chemicals. Some general cleaning equipment to keep on hand include:
- Surface, glass, and disinfectant sprays
- Mop and bucket
- Cleaning rags
- Broom
- Dishwashing soap
- Disposable disinfecting wipes
Daily Food Truck Cleaning
At the end of the workday, there are some tasks that anyone with a food truck should tackle to make sure the truck is ready for the next shift. Depending on how long you’re working that day, some of these may need to be completed several times to ensure cleanliness, but it all should be done again at the end of the shift.
- Wipe all surfaces and sanitize
- Clean out and wipe down any microwaves and fryers that you’ve used on your truck
- Remove greasy liners from the stove, clean the grill, and replace them with new liners
- Wash all dishes and utensils, and put them away once they are sanitized
- Wipe down the hood of your range
- Sweep and mop the entire floor area of the food truck
Weekly Food Truck Cleaning
Some tasks need to be done once a week, maybe on one of the days you’re taking off or have a shorter operating shift for the truck. It’s a good idea to do this around the same time each week so that you develop a routine to ensure you don’t miss anything and you’ll be in the habit of getting it done regularly.
- Clean out and sanitize the coolers on the truck, removing stains and expired ingredients
- Eliminate grime in sinks, along with cracks on appliances and equipment
- Do an oven wipe-down, removing excess grease and debris
- Oil down cast-iron cookware to maintain the integrity of the material
Monthly Food Truck Cleaning
At least once a month, there are some more in-depth cleaning tasks that you do. They also make it very easy to stay ahead of your cleaning so that when it’s time for a scheduled or even surprise inspection, you’re prepared.
- Pull out appliances and clean behind them to minimize the risk of fires
- Melt the ice machine down, wash it, and then refill it
- Check your thermometers, fryers, and ovens
- Wash down the walls of your food truck to remove any splatter and cross-contamination
- Deep clean the hoods on your food truck
Operate a First-Class Food Truck With Help from Legion Food Trucks
Keeping your food truck clean is an ongoing process that pays dividends when done right. At Legion Food Trucks, we have a variety of resources available to help you be successful. Contact us today for more information and download our Food Truck Equipment Checklist.
