Commercial kitchens are some of the most tightly regulated workplaces in Australia, and for good reason. From restaurants and cafés to corporate offices, schools, aged care facilities, and hospitality venues, poor cleaning practices can quickly become a serious food safety risk.
Cleaning a commercial kitchen isn’t just about appearances or passing the occasional inspection. It’s about maintaining a safe environment for food preparation, protecting staff and customers, and safeguarding your organisation’s reputation. Commercial kitchen cleaning is a huge part of Hospitality Cleaning; to meet food safety standards consistently, cleaning needs to be structured, thorough, and supported by the right processes.
This guide explains how commercial kitchens should be cleaned, what matters most for compliance, and how to maintain standards over time.
Commercial kitchens operate under constant pressure. High heat, moisture, food residue, and continuous use create the perfect conditions for bacteria, grease build-up, and cross-contamination if cleaning is not managed properly.
Even kitchens that look clean on the surface can fail food safety standards if critical areas are overlooked. Grease inside exhaust systems, bacteria on food contact surfaces, or dirty drains can all lead to compliance breaches.
Proper cleaning protects more than just hygiene. It supports workplace safety, reduces pest risks, extends the life of equipment, and ensures your business remains compliant with Australian food safety regulations.
Read our blog on commercial and showroom kitchen cleaning
In Australia, food safety is governed by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Standards Code, along with state and local council regulations. These standards require commercial kitchens to maintain hygienic premises, prevent contamination, and ensure food contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitised correctly.
Inspectors don’t just assess whether a kitchen looks clean, they examine systems, documentation, and consistency. This means cleaning must be repeatable, verifiable, and well understood by staff.
One of the most common causes of food safety issues is confusion between cleaning and sanitising.
Cleaning removes visible dirt, grease, and food residue using detergent and water. Sanitising, on the other hand, uses approved chemicals or heat to kill bacteria and pathogens after surfaces have been cleaned.
Sanitising without cleaning first is ineffective, as grease and grime prevent sanitisers from working properly. To meet food safety standards, commercial kitchens must consistently do both, in the correct order.
Every part of a commercial kitchen plays a role in food safety, but some areas demand extra attention due to their risk level.
Food preparation benches and cutting surfaces must be cleaned and sanitised frequently throughout the day, especially when switching between different food types. Cooking equipment such as grills, fryers, ovens, and stovetops accumulates grease quickly and requires more than surface wiping to remain safe.
Refrigeration areas also need regular cleaning. Spills, condensation, and food debris inside fridges and cool rooms can lead to bacterial growth if ignored. Floors and drains are another high-risk area, as grease and moisture create slip hazards and attract pests if not properly maintained.
Meeting food safety standards requires a structured cleaning routine rather than ad hoc effort. While every kitchen is different, most commercial kitchens benefit from a combination of daily, weekly, and periodic tasks.
Daily cleaning focuses on maintaining hygiene during operation, while weekly and periodic cleaning address deeper build-up that isn’t visible day to day. This layered approach helps ensure no area is neglected over time and provides evidence of ongoing compliance.
Clear responsibility and documentation are essential. Everyone should know what needs to be cleaned, how often, and how it should be done.
Commercial kitchens must use cleaning products that are appropriate for food-safe environments. This includes food-grade chemicals, correct dilution ratios, and proper dwell times to ensure effectiveness without contamination risk.
Colour-coded cleaning tools are widely used to prevent cross-contamination between food preparation areas, washrooms, and waste zones. Equipment should be cleaned, stored correctly, and replaced when worn to maintain hygiene standards.
Incorrect products or poor chemical handling can create just as many risks as inadequate cleaning.
Even the best cleaning schedule won’t work without proper training. Staff need to understand why cleaning matters, not just what tasks to complete.
Effective training covers correct cleaning techniques, chemical safety, hand hygiene, and personal responsibility. When staff understand how their actions affect food safety, compliance becomes part of everyday behaviour rather than a checklist item.
Clear supervision and accountability help ensure standards are maintained consistently, even during busy periods.
Kitchen staff play a key role in daily cleaning, but professional commercial cleaners are essential for maintaining deeper hygiene standards. Professional cleaners bring specialised equipment, training, and compliance-focused processes that go beyond what can realistically be handled during service hours.
Deep cleaning tasks such as exhaust systems, hard-to-reach equipment areas, and intensive floor cleaning are often safer and more effective when handled by experienced professionals. This support helps kitchens remain compliant year-round, not just at inspection time.
Many food safety breaches occur not because cleaning isn’t happening, but because it isn’t consistent or thorough enough. Common problem areas include grease build-up on cooking equipment, dirty drains, inadequate sanitising, and missing documentation.
Regular reviews, clear schedules, and professional oversight help identify and address these gaps before they become compliance issues.
Food safety inspections often focus on evidence as much as outcomes. Cleaning logs, schedules, and training records demonstrate that proper systems are in place and followed consistently.
Good documentation supports compliance, improves accountability, and makes inspections smoother and less stressful. It also helps identify trends and areas for improvement over time.
Most commercial kitchens benefit from periodic deep cleaning every few months, depending on usage, food volume, and equipment. High-use kitchens may require more frequent deep cleaning to remain compliant.
Grease and food residue build-up is one of the biggest risks, particularly on cooking equipment, exhaust systems, and hard-to-see areas. These can lead to contamination, fire hazards, and compliance issues.
While daily cleaning is handled by kitchen staff, professional cleaners play an important role in deep cleaning, compliance support, and maintaining areas that are difficult or unsafe for staff to clean themselves.
Cleaning schedules, logs, chemical safety information, and staff training records are commonly reviewed during inspections. These documents help demonstrate consistent compliance with food safety standards.
Yes. Inadequate cleaning, poor sanitising practices, or lack of documentation are common reasons kitchens fail inspections. Consistent cleaning processes help prevent these issues.
Cleaning a commercial kitchen to meet food safety standards requires more than good intentions. It demands consistent processes, trained staff, appropriate products, and professional support where needed.
By combining daily hygiene practices with structured deep cleaning and clear documentation, businesses can maintain safe, compliant kitchens that protect staff, customers, and reputations alike. In food environments, cleaning isn’t just maintenance, it’s a critical part of doing business responsibly.