Bar and Restaurant Cleaning in the Time of COVID-19

COVID-19 cleaning bars and restaurants

As bars and restaurants reopen across the country, proper cleaning is essential as customers return to dining rooms and bar stools in the age of COVID-19.

Cleaning basic surfaces in your bar is no longer adequate. Focus on surfaces not typically cleaned on a regular basis, including countertops, dispensers, lighting, art, bar stools, walls, and chairs.

These surfaces need to be cleaned on a regular basis with an industrial-grade disinfectant. Using a good virucide (a chemical agent that deactivates or destroys viruses) on your surfaces will kill these viruses pretty quickly. Any USDA-approved cleaning product will work sufficiently.

The wait staff is your restaurant’s first line of defense against a dirty dining area. The staff needs to be instructed and properly trained to clean the areas they may not typically focus on. The staff also needs to be aware of their cleaning practices throughout the day.

In today’s environment, the wait staff should have a sterile bucket, filled with cleaning solution. The key to prevent the spread of the virus in your establishment is using this solution to wipe down tables, chairs, menus, and dispensers after each customer.

Don’t forget about cleaning these other non-typical areas that also need attention and should be cleaned with a chemical solution:

Low-hanging light fixtures over tables are typically dusted but these need to be cleaned thoroughly because they are close to the customers while they are eating. Dust them and then wipe them down regularly with disinfectant.

Window sills and blinds also need to be a cleaning focus because they have horizontal surfaces where viruses can sit.

Wall signs and other wall art are typically overlooked in the cleaning process. Wiping down these signs and art with a virucide is necessary to make sure the establishment is being cleaned correctly.

Today, only cleaning the basic area of your dining room means it is not clean. Be sure you’re not overlooking any possible areas of transmission and help curb the spread of COVID-19.

By Brad Pierce, owner and operator of OSA Specialized Cleaning in Phoenix, Arizona.
Photo by Oliver Hale on Unsplash