Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Checklist: Daily, Weekly & Monthly Tasks
Free printable commercial kitchen cleaning checklist covering daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly tasks. Covers NYC health code requirements, equipment cleaning, and inspection prep.
A clean commercial kitchen is not an occasional project. It is a daily operating requirement that affects your health inspection grade, fire safety compliance, food quality, and insurance standing. Yet most kitchens lack a structured cleaning schedule, relying instead on end-of-shift habits that miss critical areas.
This guide provides a complete commercial kitchen cleaning checklist organized by frequency — daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly. Print it, post it, assign responsibility, and use it as the foundation for a kitchen that passes every inspection.
Why a Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Checklist Matters
A written cleaning schedule does three things that verbal instructions and general expectations cannot:
1. Health inspection readiness. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH) grades restaurants on a point-based system. Cleanliness violations — dirty surfaces, grease buildup, improperly maintained equipment — add points to your score. An A grade requires 13 points or fewer. A structured cleaning checklist keeps you in that range consistently. See our full NYC health inspection kitchen checklist for details on the DOH scoring system.
2. Fire safety compliance. Grease accumulation is the leading cause of commercial kitchen fires. NFPA 96 requires regular cleaning of exhaust hoods, ductwork, and fans — but grease builds up on every surface, not just the hood. A daily cleaning routine removes grease before it becomes a hazard.
3. Accountability and consistency. When tasks are written down and assigned, they get done. When they are assumed, they get skipped. A sign-off sheet creates a record that protects you during inspections and shows your staff exactly what is expected.
Daily Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
These tasks must be completed every operating day. Assign each section to the station responsible.
Cooking Line (End of Each Shift)
- Scrape and wipe down all grills and flat-tops
- Drain, filter, and wipe fryer exteriors (full oil change per schedule)
- Wipe down range tops, burner grates, and drip trays
- Clean the salamander or broiler interior and catch tray
- Wipe down the exhaust hood exterior and accessible surfaces
- Empty and clean grease troughs and drip pans
- Wipe down all stainless steel surfaces and backsplashes
- Clean cutting boards — sanitize and air dry
Prep Areas (End of Each Shift)
- Clean and sanitize all food-contact prep surfaces
- Wash, rinse, and sanitize all prep utensils and tools
- Wipe down prep tables, shelving, and storage bins
- Remove food scraps from work areas and dispose properly
- Clean the food slicer, mixer, and any prep equipment used
- Check that all food items are covered, labeled, and dated
- Return all ingredients to proper storage locations
Dish Area (End of Each Shift)
- Run a sanitize cycle on the dish machine and clean interior
- Clean the three-compartment sink (wash, rinse, sanitize basins)
- Wipe down the dish machine exterior and landing areas
- Clean drain screens and remove debris
- Organize clean dish storage area
- Restock detergent and sanitizer as needed
Floors (End of Each Shift)
- Sweep the entire kitchen floor, including under equipment where accessible
- Mop the kitchen floor using a commercial kitchen floor cleaner
- Squeegee excess water toward floor drains
- Check that floor drains are flowing and not clogged
- Clean floor mats — scrub, rinse, and hang to dry or replace
Walk-In Cooler and Freezer (Daily Check)
- Check and record temperatures (cooler at 38-40 degrees F, freezer at 0 degrees F or below)
- Wipe up any spills on shelves or floor
- Verify all items are covered, labeled, and dated
- Check FIFO rotation — oldest items in front
- Remove any expired or spoiled items
General (End of Day)
- Empty all trash cans — reline with clean bags
- Clean and sanitize handwashing sinks — restock soap and paper towels
- Wipe down light switches, door handles, and push plates
- Verify pest traps are in place and undisturbed
- Secure all food storage areas
Weekly Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Tasks
Assign weekly tasks to a specific day and a specific person. Many kitchens use Sunday or Monday when volume is lower.
Equipment Deep Clean
- Remove and deep clean exhaust hood filters — soak in hot degreaser solution, scrub, rinse, and air dry
- Boil out fryers (or clean with manufacturer-recommended solution)
- Pull out removable oven racks and clean with oven cleaner
- Clean the interior of microwaves, steamers, and warming cabinets
- Wipe down the exterior of all refrigerators and freezers
- Clean the ice machine exterior and drip tray
- Descale the coffee machine and beverage equipment
- Clean and sanitize can openers
Surfaces and Storage
- Clean walls behind the cooking line — degrease and wipe down
- Clean shelving in dry storage — remove items, wipe shelves, reorganize
- Clean under and behind prep tables
- Wash trash cans inside and out
- Clean the grease trap surface area and check grease level
Floors and Drains
- Scrub floor along baseboards and in corners
- Pour hot water through all floor drains to clear buildup
- Clean floor drain covers — scrub and sanitize
- Inspect floor for cracked tiles or damaged grout that could harbor bacteria
Restrooms and Staff Areas
- Deep clean employee restrooms
- Clean break room and staff areas
- Restock first-aid supplies
- Verify handwashing and food safety signage is posted and legible
Monthly Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Tasks
Monthly tasks target areas that accumulate grime over weeks but do not need daily or weekly attention.
Behind and Under Equipment
- Pull out all movable equipment and clean behind and underneath — ranges, fryers, prep tables, refrigerators
- Degrease the wall and floor areas normally hidden by equipment
- Check for pest evidence behind equipment (droppings, nesting, gnaw marks)
- Inspect gas lines, electrical connections, and water lines for damage
Ventilation and Exhaust
- Inspect the hood interior (behind filters) for grease accumulation
- Check the grease trough drain for clogs
- Listen to the exhaust fan for changes in sound that indicate wear
- Check the hood cleaning compliance sticker — confirm your next professional cleaning is scheduled per your maintenance schedule
Cold Storage Deep Clean
- Deep clean walk-in cooler — remove all items, scrub shelves, walls, and floor
- Deep clean walk-in freezer — defrost if needed, scrub surfaces
- Check door gaskets for wear or gaps
- Verify condensation drain is clear
- Clean condenser coils (exterior units) or schedule service
Administrative
- Review the cleaning schedule — adjust for any equipment changes or staff turnover
- Audit cleaning supply inventory and reorder
- Conduct a mock DOH inspection using the health inspection checklist
- Review pest control reports with your exterminator
- Check the grease trap and schedule cleaning if the FOG layer is approaching 25% of trap depth
Quarterly and Seasonal Deep Cleaning
This is your commercial kitchen deep cleaning cycle — the comprehensive, everything-gets-touched cleaning that resets the kitchen to baseline condition.
Professional Services
- Schedule professional hood, duct, and fan cleaning per NFPA 96 frequency requirements
- Schedule professional grease trap cleaning if not done monthly
- Have a pest control company do a full treatment, not just bait station checks
- Service the ice machine — professional descaling and sanitizing
Deep Cleaning Tasks
- Degrease all walls and ceilings in the kitchen, especially around the cooking line
- Clean light fixtures and replace burned-out bulbs
- Deep clean all ovens — full degreasing of interior, door, and seals
- Clean the interior of all refrigerators and freezers — shelves, walls, gaskets, drain pans
- Strip and refinish kitchen floor (if applicable) or deep scrub with commercial floor cleaner
- Snake and flush all floor drains
- Clean vents, returns, and any HVAC components in the kitchen
- Inspect fire suppression system — verify semi-annual inspection is current
- Inspect and replace any worn equipment parts — gaskets, knobs, handles, wheels
Documentation
- File all cleaning certificates and inspection reports
- Update your maintenance log with dates and notes
- Take photos documenting kitchen condition for your records
- Review and renew service contracts for the coming quarter
Equipment-Specific Cleaning Guides
Different equipment requires different approaches. Here are the essentials for your highest-maintenance items.
Fryers
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Filter oil | Daily (or per manufacturer) |
| Wipe exterior | Daily |
| Boil out with fryer cleaner | Weekly |
| Full oil change | Per oil quality test (typically 1-2 weeks) |
| Clean behind unit | Monthly |
Never use water on a hot fryer. Allow it to cool completely before boil-out procedures. Use only manufacturer-approved fryer cleaning solutions.
Grills and Flat-Tops
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Scrape and wipe cooking surface | After each use |
| Clean drip trays and catch pans | Daily |
| Deep clean with grill brick or pad | Daily at close |
| Degrease exterior and sides | Weekly |
| Clean behind and under unit | Monthly |
Season flat-tops after deep cleaning with a thin layer of cooking oil to prevent rust and maintain the cooking surface.
Ovens (Convection, Deck, Combi)
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Wipe interior and remove debris | Daily |
| Clean door glass (inside and out) | Daily |
| Remove racks and deep clean interior | Weekly |
| Clean door gaskets and hinges | Weekly |
| Full degrease with oven cleaner | Monthly |
| Calibrate temperature | Quarterly |
For combi ovens, run the auto-clean cycle daily per manufacturer instructions. Descale monthly or per water hardness.
Walk-In Coolers and Freezers
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Wipe spills and check temperatures | Daily |
| Clean floor | Weekly |
| Clean shelves and walls | Monthly |
| Check door gaskets | Monthly |
| Clean condenser coils | Quarterly |
| Check drain line | Monthly |
A dirty condenser coil forces the compressor to work harder, increasing energy costs and shortening equipment life. Keep coils clear of grease and dust.
Ice Machines
| Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Wipe exterior and drip tray | Weekly |
| Clean ice bin interior | Weekly |
| Descale and sanitize per manufacturer | Quarterly (or per water quality) |
| Replace water filter | Per manufacturer schedule (typically every 6 months) |
| Clean condenser (air-cooled units) | Quarterly |
Ice is food. The DOH treats ice machine sanitation as a food safety issue. Mold, slime, or mineral buildup inside the machine is a violation.
Floor and Drain Cleaning Best Practices
Commercial kitchen floor cleaning is one of the most impactful daily tasks. Grease on the floor creates a slip hazard, attracts pests, and signals poor sanitation to inspectors.
Daily Floor Routine
- Scrape: Remove food debris with a bench scraper or stiff broom before mopping
- Sweep: Sweep the entire floor, pushing debris toward a central collection point
- Mop: Use hot water with a commercial kitchen floor cleaner formulated for grease. Standard floor cleaners are not effective on kitchen grease
- Squeegee: Push excess water toward floor drains. Standing water is a pest attractant and a slip hazard
- Drains: Check that floor drains are flowing freely. Remove drain covers and clear any debris
Weekly Floor and Drain Tasks
- Scrub baseboards and corners with a stiff brush and degreaser
- Pour boiling water through floor drains to dissolve grease
- Clean drain covers in a soak tank with degreaser
- Inspect grout lines and tile for damage
Quarterly Floor Tasks
- Deep scrub or machine scrub the entire floor
- Snake floor drains to clear any buildup in the lines
- Inspect and repair damaged tile, grout, or epoxy flooring
- Consider professional floor stripping and resealing if your floor has a sealed finish
Neglected floor drains are a common source of sewer odors and pest entry points. If drains consistently back up or produce odors, the problem may be in your grease trap rather than the drain itself.
Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Supplies
Having the right commercial kitchen cleaning products on hand is essential. Here is a complete supply list organized by category.
Chemicals
| Product | Use |
|---|---|
| Food-safe degreaser (spray and concentrate) | Cooking surfaces, hoods, walls, equipment exteriors |
| Sanitizer — quaternary ammonium (quat) or bleach solution | Food-contact surfaces, prep tables, cutting boards |
| Oven cleaner (caustic or non-caustic based on equipment) | Oven interiors, heavy carbon buildup |
| Stainless steel cleaner/polish | Stainless equipment exteriors |
| Commercial kitchen floor cleaner | Floors — must be grease-cutting formula |
| Dish machine detergent and rinse agent | Dish machine |
| Drain cleaner (enzyme-based preferred) | Floor drains and sink drains |
| Fryer boil-out solution | Fryer deep cleaning |
| Descaler | Ice machines, coffee equipment, combi ovens, steamers |
| Glass cleaner | Oven doors, display cases, windows |
Tools and Supplies
- Scrub brushes (various sizes — large for floors, small for equipment)
- Grill brick and grill screens
- Stainless steel scouring pads (for non-food-contact surfaces)
- Non-scratch scouring pads (for food-contact surfaces)
- Microfiber cloths (color-coded by area to prevent cross-contamination)
- Mop and bucket system (dual-bucket preferred)
- Floor squeegee
- Spray bottles (labeled by chemical)
- Bench scraper for floor debris
- Long-handled brush for drains
- Disposable gloves (nitrile preferred for chemical use)
- Safety goggles (for caustic chemical use)
Chemical Storage Requirements
NYC DOH requires all cleaning chemicals to be stored separately from food, food contact surfaces, and single-use items. Chemicals must be:
- Stored in a designated area away from food prep and storage
- Kept in original labeled containers or clearly labeled secondary containers
- Stored below food items if shelving is shared (chemicals never above food)
- Accompanied by Safety Data Sheets (SDS) accessible to all staff
How to Prepare for NYC DOH Inspections
Inspections are unannounced. The best preparation is a kitchen that operates at inspection standards every day. That said, there are things you can do to ensure you are always ready.
Maintain a Compliance Binder
Keep the following documents accessible in the kitchen:
- Current food protection certificate (at least one staff member must hold this during all operating hours)
- Hood cleaning compliance certificate and sticker (your cleaning company provides this)
- Fire suppression inspection certificate
- Pest control service reports
- Grease trap cleaning records
- Staff food safety training records
Conduct Monthly Self-Inspections
Use the DOH scoring rubric to score your own kitchen monthly. Walk through every area with the checklist and score each item honestly. Address any violations immediately. Track your scores over time — they should stay consistently in the A range.
High-Impact Areas to Watch
These are the areas where DOH violations are most common:
- Food temperature control — calibrate thermometers regularly, check temps multiple times per shift
- Handwashing — sinks must be accessible, supplied, and actually used
- Pest evidence — seal every gap, maintain pest control service, keep storage organized
- Cross-contamination — separate raw and cooked foods, use color-coded cutting boards
- Surface cleanliness — all food-contact and non-food-contact surfaces visibly clean
A greasy hood or visibly dirty kitchen surfaces are immediate red flags that prompt inspectors to look more closely at everything else.
Printable Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Schedule Template
To create a printable cleaning schedule for your kitchen, use this framework:
Structure
- Header: Restaurant name, effective date, manager name
- Daily section: Tasks organized by station, with a column for each day of the week and an initial/sign-off column
- Weekly section: Tasks with a date completed and initial column
- Monthly section: Tasks with a date completed and initial column
- Quarterly section: Tasks with a date completed and initial column
- Footer: Manager review signature and date
Implementation Tips
- Print on laminated paper or use a clear protective sleeve so it can be wiped clean
- Post in a visible location near the main prep area
- Use a new sheet each week for daily tasks, each month for weekly tasks
- File completed sheets in your compliance binder — they serve as documentation during inspections
- Review the schedule with all staff during onboarding and at quarterly meetings
When to Call a Professional
Some cleaning tasks require professional equipment, certification, or expertise. Do not attempt these in-house.
Hood, Duct, and Fan Cleaning
NFPA 96 requires professional cleaning of the entire exhaust system — hood, ductwork, and rooftop fan — at intervals determined by your cooking type. This is not a task for kitchen staff. Professional hood cleaning requires specialized tools, chemicals, and access to the full ductwork system. Learn more about cleaning frequency requirements in our hood cleaning frequency guide.
Grease Trap Pumping
While staff can skim surface grease between cleanings, a full grease trap cleaning requires pumping, scrubbing, and waste disposal through a licensed hauler. See our grease trap cleaning guide for NYC DEP requirements.
Fire Suppression System Inspection
The wet chemical fire suppression system above your cooking line requires semi-annual inspection by a licensed technician. This is not a cleaning task — it is a life safety system that must be professionally maintained.
Deep Cleaning After Pest Issues
If you have a significant pest infestation, a professional deep clean in coordination with your pest control company may be necessary to remove food sources and sanitize affected areas before the situation is fully resolved.
Equipment Repair vs. Cleaning
If equipment is not cleaning up properly — persistent odors in the ice machine, inconsistent oven temperatures, refrigerator not holding temp — the issue may be mechanical rather than a cleaning problem. Call a service technician rather than continuing to clean around a malfunction.
Bottom Line
A commercial kitchen cleaning checklist is not paperwork for its own sake. It is the operational backbone of a kitchen that passes inspections, prevents fires, produces safe food, and runs efficiently. Build the checklist, assign responsibility for every task, use sign-off sheets, and hold your team accountable.
The daily work belongs to your kitchen staff. The deep cleaning, hood and exhaust service, and grease trap maintenance belong to professionals who have the equipment and certifications to do it right.
Need professional hood cleaning, grease trap service, or a deep clean for your commercial kitchen? Get a free estimate from Empire Hoods — we serve restaurants across all five NYC boroughs.
Written by Empire Hoods Team