Food trucks have rapidly grown in popularity in recent years, as they bring delicious and affordable food directly to where people are. They also typically have unique and diverse menus, allowing adventurous eaters to sample a wide range of cuisines worldwide.
While their mobility, unique food offerings and lack of a dining room make them different from traditional restaurants, food trucks must comply with food safety regulations and maintain the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. If you own or plan to open a food truck business, knowing how to keep it spotless is essential.
This knowledge helps you keep your staff and customers safe while ensuring you don’t accidentally run afoul of regulations, bringing your operations to a halt. To help you navigate the process of keeping your food truck clean, we've created a detailed food truck cleaning checklist, with tasks categorized as daily, monthly and as-needed.
Steps to a Clean and Sanitized Workspace: Food Truck Cleaning Checklist
Keep your food truck spotless inside and out by using this helpful checklist
Daily Cleaning Tasks
1. Wipe Down Surfaces
Clean countertops, cooking equipment and prep stations to eliminate food residue and contaminants. For equipment and appliances like grills, fryers and other cooking appliances, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
Use a commercial cleaning solution, like Neutron Industries’Eco-Power All Purpose Cleaner, to get rid of dirt, debris and food particles, then follow up with a product that can kill foodborne pathogens, like our Surface Defense Food Contact Surface Sanitizer. This product can be safely used to sanitize food contact surfaces and equipment. It has been demonstrated to work against 99.999% of bacteria, including campylobacter, e-coli, salmonella and listeria.
2. Sweep and Mop Floors
Keep floors clear of dirt and debris by sweeping periodically, especially after busy periods. You should also mop the floors at least once daily at closing time. However, accidental spills must be attended to immediately. Otherwise, they could pose a safety hazard and result in stains.
Our Eco-Power Probiotic Floor Cleaner is an excellent product for mopping your floors. It contains bio-additives that remove and break down grease and grime from surfaces.
3. Wash Dishes, Utensils and Cookware
Doing this helps ensure a steady supply of clean items for preparing, cooking and serving food. Remember that you’ll need strong, more concentrated dishwashing detergents to effectively clean your food truck’s dishes, utensils and cookware.
4. Clean Exterior Surfaces and Windows
Keeping your food truck’s exterior clean and its windows sparkling reassures your customers that they are making a safe and sanitary dining choice. Use agents that are specially formulated for the job, such as our Streamline Multi-Task Cleaner. You can also use our Shazam Dirt and Grime Eraser Quick Clean Up Sponge to remove deep-seated dirt from outdoor surfaces and equipment.
Clean the windshield and other glass surfaces. Our Eco-Power Glass Cleaner is a good option, with its ability to cut through grease and grime to deliver a streak-free shine.
Weekly Cleaning Tasks
1. Deep Clean Kitchen Appliances
At least once a week, remove all food items from your refrigerator and freezer, temporarily storing them in a cooler. Then, if necessary, defrost the freezer.
Use warm, soapy water and a soft cloth or sponge to clean the surfaces inside the refrigerator and freezer thoroughly. Wash bins and shelves separately. Follow up with a disinfectant specially formulated for food contact surfaces. Allow to dry completely before putting food and ingredients back inside. Then, vacuum dust and debris from vents and coils.
2. Clean the Oven and Range
Ensure the gas or power is turned off, then remove racks and tracks. Scrub the oven interior using a specially formulated product like our De-Greez Oven and Stove Cleaner and a scouring pad, then wipe down stovetops and burners using a mild detergent and water solution. If you notice any worn-out parts or damaged equipment during cleaning, contact a repair technician immediately.
3. Clean Walls, Ceilings and Exhaust Vents
Before washing walls and ceilings, dust thoroughly and vacuum to remove cobwebs. Then, scrub surfaces using a commercial cleaning product, such as our All For One Cleaner and Degreaser. Rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth.
Then, remove and soak the filters from your kitchen exhaust vents in degreaser. Use a stiff brush and degreaser to scrub the vents and hoods. Rinse the filers, re-assemble the system and allow it to dry.
4. Deep Clean the Floor
After sweeping and mopping with a commercial-grade cleaner, use a stiff brush to scrub corners and cracks. If necessary, move equipment so you can sweep and mop underneath.
5. Care for Beverage Equipment
Clean coffee makers at least once weekly by running a descaling solution through them, per the manufacturer’s instructions. Also, wipe down exterior surfaces.
If you have other beverage equipment, like soda machines, sanitize their nozzles, taps and dispenses.
6. Clean Storage Areas and Inventory
Check your inventory for spoiled or spoiling perishables and dispose of them. Clean storage areas by sweeping, vacuuming and wiping down surfaces with a commercial cleaning solution followed by a disinfectant.
Monthly Cleaning Tasks
1. Deep Clean the Food Truck Interior
Thoroughly clean all surfaces by removing grime and build-up, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Use a long-handled brush or a crevice tool to clean behind appliances, ventilation systems and other tight spaces.
2. Disinfect Surfaces
After cleaning, disinfect all surfaces with a food-safe disinfecting solution. Pay special attention to high-touch surfaces such as countertops, doorknobs, handles and light switches. Allow surfaces to air dry after disinfection.
3. Inspect and Clean the Generator and Mechanical Equipment
Examine the generator and other mechanical equipment for signs of wear or damage. Replace or repair worn or damaged parts to ensure proper functioning and safety. If you’re uncomfortable doing this yourself, it’s best to contact a qualified service provider to help you fix and clean your generator and mechanical equipment.
4. Clean Out the Disposal System
Check and clean the waste disposal system, paying attention to grease traps and hoses. Ensure all connections are securely fastened and debris-free to maintain efficient waste removal.
As-Needed Food Truck Cleaning Tasks
1. Clean Hoods and Exhaust Systems
Cleaning hoods and exhaust systems is essential for the prevention of grease fires and for maintaining proper airflow within your food truck. So, how often are food trucks required to clean hoods? The answer is whenever necessary or at least every three months.
However, if your food truck handles large quantities of grease, it's essential to clean hoods and exhaust systems more frequently. Always consult your local health department and fire code regulations for the specific requirements in your area.
2. Inspect and Sanitize Water Tanks
This keeps your water supply free from contamination and impurities. Experts recommend cleaning water storage units at least once every six months.
3. Power-wash Exterior Surfaces
Power washing is a great way to remove deeply embedded dirt, grime and grease from the exterior surfaces of your food truck.
Get Effective Cleaning Products for Your Food Truck
Dedicating time to food truck cleaning is crucial for maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of food trucks. By following our food truck cleaning checklist, you can ensure a safe, clean environment for staff and customers.
Neutron Industries offers a wide range of cleaners, disinfectants and degreasers that are specially formulated for the cleaning and sanitizing needs of the food truck industry. View our selection, and place your order today.