How to organise a bar cleaning schedule.

Daily bar cleaning checklist

Daily bar cleaning involves regular tasks aimed at maintaining a clean and inviting atmosphere, while weekly bar cleaning tasks focus on more thorough cleaning. This includes wiping and sanitising the bar between customers and cleaning and polishing tables, chairs, and countertops

Managing trash and waste recycling should also be a part of this routine. Emptying trash cans and properly storing empty container boxes are vital in keeping your bar clean and clutter-free.

These tasks are vital for keeping the bar clean and ensuring a positive experience for customers.

Weekly bar cleaning checklist

Maintaining a high standard of cleanliness also includes a series of weekly activities. This includes tasks like emptying and cleaning reach-in coolers and clearing and wiping shelving units. Scheduling these tasks at the conclusion of the least busy shift is a smart move, minimising disruption to business operations.

Creating a closing checklist that prioritises tasks for each day of the week can help to systematically cover all cleaning duties across the week and ensure that all areas of the bar receive the required attention, following a bar deep cleaning checklist.

Monthly bar cleaning checklist

Deep-cleaning tasks are crucial for maintaining your bar’s cleanliness and appearance but may not be addressed in the daily or weekly routines. These tasks, such as scrubbing grout and deep-cleaning carpets.

Cleaning procedures, including the use of a keg line brush, are typically carried out every few weeks, or monthly, ensuring your bar remains pristine.

Bartenders are typically tasked with the responsibility of conducting deep cleaning, which includes various bar cleaning tasks. These shifts are scheduled once every few weeks, or monthly, depending on the specific cleaning procedures and areas involved.

Opening up a clean bar

A clean, organised bar at the start of the day sets the tone for the day’s service. Part of this involves proper glassware preparation, ensuring that beverages are presented in a hygienic and visually appealing manner. This involves preparing a backup supply of glassware, clearing tap blockages, loading and cleaning glassware with bar glass cleaners , voiding touching the rim of a glass and setting glasses to air dry.

Another vital opening task is arranging liquor bottles strategically, such as on the top shelf, based on inventory management and customer preferences. The opening tasks should also encompass cleaning tables and chairs and arranging clean implements like bottle openers and wine keys.

• •Preparing glassware and liquor bottles

Service preparation for glassware and liquor bottles entails more than just neat arrangement. To ensure visually appealing glassware, it is recommended to:

Soak the glasses

Scrub them with a paste made of three parts bicarbonate of soda, one part salt, and a little water

Maintain a streak-free surface by holding the glass by the stem and gently rubbing a clean coffee filter over the base.

Liquor bottles should be stored upright at room temperature in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Regular cleaning of these bottles, at least once every 2 weeks, ensures they remain clean, presentable, and ready for service.

• •Setting up for success

A clean and organised workspace is the starting point for setting up the bar for success. Effective organisation techniques, such as labelling wells and liquor shelves and establishing a mise en place for efficiency, allow bartenders to deliver rapid and efficient service from behind the bar. Preparation for daily service requires refilling disposables, restocking the bar fridge, cleaning the bar area, and checking liquor and beverage backups.

The initial setup of a bar should include basic necessities such as cutting boards, coasters, bar mats, ice bins, blenders, and towels. To ensure a successful bar setup, it’s crucial to avoid common mistakes such as poor staff management, neglecting industry trends, and mishandling inventory control.

Maintaining standards during peak hours

While maintaining cleanliness standards during peak hours can be challenging, it is certainly achievable. Spot cleaning is a crucial practice during these times. It involves regular wiping down of tables, particularly in areas with high foot traffic, ideally every 30 minutes or as necessary. Bartenders should promptly and courteously address any spills and messes, offering a solution such as covering the cost of cleaning affected clothing.

Keeping glassware clean and gleaming during peak hours is also crucial. It involves ensuring that glassware is fully dry and at the right serving temperature.

• •Spot cleaning and quick fixes

Peak hours can lead to a cluttered bar with spills and messes on the counter, broken pour spouts, and water glasses cluttering the space. Efficiently spot cleaning a bar counter involves promptly using a clean damp cloth with a sanitising solution to wipe down any spots of dirt.

Training your bar staff to maintain cleanliness during service by cleaning as they go is a key strategy. Here are some steps to follow:

1. •

   Establish a consistent cleaning schedule.

2. •

   Use a checklist app like Pilla to keep track of cleaning tasks.

3. •

   Provide clear cleaning checklists for your staff to follow.

4. •

   Conduct regular deep-cleaning to ensure a thorough clean.

5. •

   Ensure designated places for all items to promote organisation and cleanliness.

By implementing these steps, you can ensure that your bar stays clean and presentable throughout service.

• •Keeping glassware gleaming

Cloudiness in glassware is mainly attributed to hard water minerals, excessive rinse aid film or grease buildup, and deposits of calcium and magnesium. To address this, it is advisable to use glass washer detergents or bar glass detergents designed specifically for cleaning bar glassware.

Proper hand washing of glassware is crucial and should commence with a clean sink and empty glass contents. Warm water should be used for washing, and it is advisable to use a bar glass detergent specifically formulated for efficient cleaning.

Closing down with care

Carefully closing down the bar is as important as setting it up. It prevents contamination and prepares the bar to be safe and ready for the following day. Key responsibilities involve sanitising bar tops and stools, cleaning bar surfaces, washing glasses and mixers, restocking fresh mixers and beverages and ensuring that floors, trash bins, and mats are clean.

It’s also important to exercise caution when using cleaning products, refraining from using bleach or strong chemicals that may cause harm to faux leather or solid wood.

With the final call for the day, it’s vital to ensure the completion of all cleaning tasks. This includes rinsing the glassware with the appropriate solvent, rinsing with distilled water, rinsing with deionised water and air-drying the glassware instead of towel drying.

Proper handling and storing of leftover liquor at the end of the night is also important. For lower ABV bottles, such as cream liqueurs and wine-based aperitifs, the best option is to store them in the fridge.

Lastly, cleaning bar taps and dispensers involve pumping a cleaning solution, such as oxy cleaner or starsan, through the lines to remove any residue, and leaving the lines to dry overnight before use.

Seasonal scrub-down: The semi-annual overhaul

Beyond daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning routines, a semi-annual overhaul or seasonal scrub-down is vital for maintaining cleanliness. This involves stripping away the old wax from the floors, applying a thin coat of wax, and removing excess wax using a wringer. Upholstery and trim also need regular vacuuming to prevent dust buildup, and prompt spot treatment to clean spills before they set.

Thoroughly cleaning carpets and eliminating stains involve using specialised carpet stain removers or mild detergents, and pretreating stains before conducting a comprehensive deep cleaning of the entire carpet. A comprehensive semi-annual maintenance should also involve deep cleaning of bathroom tile and grout, sanitisation of vents, grills, and ductwork, power washing of exterior areas such as loading docks and sidewalks, and performing preventive plumbing checks and mold inspections.

Customising checklists for your venue

Just as every bar is unique, so should its cleaning checklists be. Special focus should be placed on the bar layout dimensions, bar equipment, and unique cleaning requirements when designing a customised checklist. A tailored checklist for a themed or specialised venue may include specific tasks related to the theme, such as cleaning and maintaining particular decorations or specialty glassware and utensils.

The cleaning checklist can also be tailored to the size and layout of the bar by organising tasks for various shifts and taking into account specific areas of the venue, using a free bar cleaning checklist template.

• •Incorporating staff feedback

Invaluable for improving cleaning routines and ensuring all areas are covered, staff feedback plays a major role. You can incentivise staff feedback by creating an open and appreciative atmosphere, acknowledging employees regularly, and openly requesting feedback while showing receptiveness. Assigning specific tasks to different staff members and rotating them to foster ownership and expertise can help integrate staff feedback into a bar cleaning schedule.

Taking into account staff feedback is crucial for creating a clean and inviting atmosphere that is readily noticeable by patrons. Examples of impactful staff feedback might include suggestions for improving cleaning protocols, identifying areas needing extra attention, and reporting hygiene-related issues.

• •Having the right tools

Having the right tools can significantly influence the maintenance of a clean and hygienic bar. Essential cleaning tools for daily maintenance include glass rinsers, glassware sanitiser, bar sinks, towels, disinfectant cleaners for surface sanitation and wipes for cleaning bar, tables, and chairs.

For weekly cleaning tasks, additional equipment like glassware cleaning tools, reach-in cooler cleaning tools, dishwasher or power wash equipment, and tools for wiping down glasses, cups, and mugs are needed.