- Daily cleaning handles food-contact surfaces. Deep cleaning targets equipment, floors, walls and hidden grease.
- Exhaust hood and duct cleaning frequency depends on cooking volume under NFPA 96: monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually.
- Hood and duct cleaning is specialized work done by trained contractors.
Daily cleaning keeps a kitchen safe to operate. Deep cleaning removes the buildup that daily cleaning misses. The right schedule depends on volume, menu and equipment.
A practical schedule
| Task | Typical frequency |
|---|---|
| Food-contact surfaces, prep tables, sinks | Every shift or as required by your health code |
| Floors, floor drains, and mats | Daily |
| Fryers, grills and flat-tops (detail clean) | Daily to weekly, based on use |
| Walk-in coolers and shelving | Weekly to monthly |
| Behind and under equipment | Weekly to monthly |
| Walls, ceilings, light fixtures | Monthly to quarterly |
| Exhaust hood filters | Weekly to monthly, depending on volume |
| Hood, plenum and duct system | Per NFPA 96, see below |
These are planning guidelines. Your local health inspector and your equipment manuals have the final say.
Exhaust hood and duct cleaning
NFPA 96, the fire-safety standard for commercial cooking ventilation, sets inspection and cleaning intervals based on the type and volume of cooking. In general:
- Monthly for systems serving solid-fuel cooking
- Quarterly for high-volume cooking such as 24-hour operations, charbroiling or wok cooking
- Semiannually for moderate-volume cooking
- Annually for low-volume operations, such as day camps or churches
Your insurer and fire marshal may also have requirements. Hood and duct cleaning should be done by a trained, insured contractor who gives you a service sticker and a report.
Signs you are overdue
- Grease on walls, ceilings or the hood edge
- Persistent odors even after cleaning
- Pests near the kitchen
- Slippery floors that stay slick after mopping
Who should do it
Routine kitchen cleaning is often done by kitchen staff or a cleaning vendor. Heavy deep cleaning and hood work are specialized. Ask any vendor whether kitchen deep cleaning is in their regular scope or something they subcontract.
See also: what a commercial kitchen deep clean should include.