Deep Cleaning Checklist
Weekly kitchen deep cleaning checklist: hood vents, behind equipment, walk-in scrub-down, floor grout, and drain cleaning.
- Estimated time
- 90 min
- Frequency
- weekly
- Business type
- restaurant
- Category
- cleaning
- Role
- kitchen manager
- Role
- prep cook
- Role
- line cook
- Role
- dishwasher
Purpose
Reach areas daily cleaning misses and maintain health code standards on a weekly schedule.
Run this deep cleaning checklist once per week during a slow period or after close. Assign sections to multiple staff; the kitchen manager signs off when every zone is complete.
Hood & Vents
Degrease hood system components.
-
Hood filters removed for cleaning
-
Hood interior and surfaces degreased
-
Exhaust vents wiped and pass inspection
Pass / Fail
Behind Equipment
Clean areas blocked during daily service.
-
Movable equipment pulled from wall
-
Walls and floors behind equipment scrubbed
-
Equipment returned and leveled
Walk-In Deep Clean
Scrub cooler interior beyond daily wipe-down.
-
Shelves removed and washed
-
Walk-in walls and floors scrubbed
-
Door gaskets inspected and pass
Pass / Fail
Floors & Drains
Address grout and drain buildup.
-
Floor grout scrubbed and degreased
-
Floor drains snaked and cleaned
-
Deep clean notes or maintenance requests (optional)
Note
Frequently asked questions
How often should a restaurant kitchen deep clean?
Most independents deep clean weekly: hood filters, behind equipment, walk-in walls, and floor drains. High-volume kitchens may rotate zones daily to cover everything each week.
Who should complete the deep cleaning checklist?
The kitchen manager schedules deep cleaning and assigns tasks to line cooks and dishwashers. A manager must sign off before the kitchen reopens for service.
How is deep cleaning different from daily kitchen cleaning?
Daily kitchen cleaning covers prep surfaces, fryer filtering, and floors. Deep cleaning pulls equipment, scrubs hood vents, cleans walk-in gaskets, and clears drains.
Do health inspectors check deep cleaning records?
Inspectors look for grease buildup behind equipment, dirty hood systems, and neglected drains. A signed weekly deep clean log shows proactive sanitation management.
How long does kitchen deep cleaning take?
Plan about 90 minutes with a team of three, or split zones across two nights if you cannot close the kitchen fully.
Want this checklist in an app your team can run daily?
SOP Chef templates fix the blank page. The app will track temps, completion, and inspector-ready logs. Join the waitlist for one email when it ships.