Restaurant Cleaning Checklist — Kitchen, Dining & Bathroom
Key Points
- Restaurant cleaning requires separate checklists for the commercial kitchen, dining room, bar, bathrooms, and entry — each zone has different standards and frequencies.
- Commercial kitchen cleaning must comply with FSANZ Standards 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 under Food Act 1984 (VIC) — these are legal requirements, not recommendations.
- The kitchen is the highest-risk zone: food contact surfaces must be cleaned then sanitised after every service. Exhaust systems require quarterly AS 1851-compliant deep cleaning.
- Dining room and bar cleaning must be completed before each service — not just at close. A restaurant that opens with dirty surfaces is already a compliance risk.
- Documented completion records are required for council food safety inspections — a verbal cleaning program is insufficient evidence of compliance.
Restaurant Cleaning Compliance Requirements in Victoria
Before using this checklist, it's important to understand the legal framework that underpins restaurant cleaning requirements in Victoria. The Food Act 1984 (VIC) requires all food businesses to implement a food safety program that includes documented cleaning procedures. FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 (Food Safety Practices and General Requirements) sets specific requirements for cleaning food premises and equipment.
In practical terms, this means every Melbourne restaurant must be able to demonstrate — with documentation — that food contact surfaces are cleaned and sanitised, that food preparation areas are maintained in a safe condition, and that the premises is kept free from contamination risks. Council Environmental Health inspectors expect to review these records during scheduled and unannounced inspections. A signed cleaning checklist completed after each service is the minimum documentation standard.
Important: Cleaning and sanitising are two different steps. Cleaning removes visible dirt and organic matter. Sanitising kills pathogenic microorganisms on food contact surfaces. Both steps are required under FSANZ 3.2.2 — cleaning alone is not sufficient for food contact surfaces. Your cleaning checklist must reflect both steps for all food contact zones.
Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
The commercial kitchen is the highest-risk zone in any restaurant and carries the most rigorous cleaning requirements under FSANZ. The following checklist covers the tasks that must be completed after every service, weekly, monthly, and quarterly.
After Every Service — Kitchen
| ✓ | Task | Frequency | FSANZ Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise all food preparation benches and surfaces | After service | FSANZ 3.2.2 — food contact surfaces |
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise chopping boards | After service | Separate boards for meat, fish, veg, pastry |
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise all utensils and cookware | After service | Commercial dishwasher minimum 71°C or manual 2-stage |
| ☐ | Degrease cooking surfaces — stovetop, grill, and griddle | After service | Remove carbonised grease before it accumulates |
| ☐ | Clean deep fryer — drain and wipe basket and exterior | After service | Full oil change per manufacturer or food safety program |
| ☐ | Wipe down all splashbacks and wall tiles behind cooking equipment | After service | Grease accumulation = fire and contamination risk |
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise pass window and hot hold surfaces | After service | Food contact zone |
| ☐ | Sweep and mop kitchen floor | After service | Food-safe floor cleaner; squeegee to drain |
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise all sinks | After service | Three-sink system or equivalent sanitising process |
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise refrigerator handles and door seals | After service | High-touch food contact zone |
| ☐ | Remove all rubbish — kitchen bin and food waste | After service | Do not leave food waste overnight in kitchen |
| ☐ | Clean rangehood filters — degrease | Weekly | Minimum — more frequent for high-volume operations |
Weekly — Kitchen Deep Tasks
| ✓ | Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Deep clean oven — inside, racks, door seals, glass | Weekly | Oven cleaner safe for commercial kitchen use |
| ☐ | Clean under all equipment — fryers, ovens, combi steamers | Weekly | Move equipment if possible; degrease floor beneath |
| ☐ | Clean inside refrigerators and cool rooms | Weekly | Remove all items; wipe shelves and walls |
| ☐ | Clean floor grout and drains | Weekly | Enzyme cleaner down drains to prevent odour buildup |
| ☐ | Degrease extraction canopy interior surfaces | Weekly | In addition to filter cleaning |
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise all storage shelving | Weekly | Dry store, cool room, and refrigerator shelving |
Quarterly — AS 1851 Exhaust System
| ✓ | Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Full exhaust system deep clean — ductwork, plenum, fan | Quarterly | AS 1851 compliant; more frequent for high-heat kitchens |
| ☐ | Issue AS 1851 compliance certificate | Quarterly | Required by council, insurer, and building owner |
| ☐ | Deep clean grease trap | Quarterly | Frequency depends on volume — some require monthly |
AS 1851 exhaust system compliance: Melbourne councils and insurers require commercial kitchen exhaust systems to be professionally deep cleaned and certified under AS 1851. Golden Star provides AS 1851-compliant exhaust deep cleaning for Melbourne restaurants with compliance certificates accepted by City of Melbourne, City of Stonnington, City of Yarra, and all other Melbourne councils. Request a quote.
Dining Room Cleaning Checklist
| ✓ | Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Set all tables — clean and sanitise table surfaces | Before service | Sanitise food contact surfaces before each sitting |
| ☐ | Wipe and sanitise all chair seats and backs | After service | Spot-clean during service |
| ☐ | Sweep and mop dining room floor | After service | After last sitting; spot-mop during service for spills |
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise menus and menu holders | After service | High-touch item; laminated menus easy to sanitise |
| ☐ | Clean entry and dining room glass | Daily | Streak-free — first impression for customers |
| ☐ | Vacuum upholstered seating and booths | Weekly | Remove crumbs and debris from seams |
| ☐ | Clean light fittings, artwork, and wall surfaces | Monthly | Dust accumulation visible on pendant lights |
| ☐ | Deep clean floor — scrubber or strip and polish | Monthly | Restore floor finish and remove scuff marks |
Bar Cleaning Checklist
| ✓ | Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise bar top surface | After service | Food contact surface — clean then sanitise |
| ☐ | Clean beer tap heads and drip trays | After service | Rinse tap heads; sanitise drip trays |
| ☐ | Wash bar glasses — commercial dishwasher or manual | During & after service | Polish and check for chips before reuse |
| ☐ | Clean and sanitise ice well and ice scoop | After service | Ice is a food — well must be sanitised |
| ☐ | Wipe down spirit bottles and back bar shelving | Weekly | Sticky residue from pouring accumulates quickly |
| ☐ | Clean beer lines — full flush and sanitise | Weekly | Per brewer's recommendation — typically every 7 days |
| ☐ | Deep clean bar floor and bar mat | Weekly | Under-bar drip mats accumulate yeast and bacteria quickly |
Bathroom Cleaning Checklist
| ✓ | Task | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Clean and disinfect all toilet bowls, seats, and cisterns | Before service + during | TGA-registered disinfectant |
| ☐ | Clean vanity, basins, and taps | Before service + during | High-touch — check during service for busy periods |
| ☐ | Mop bathroom floor with disinfectant | Before & after service | Non-slip floor cleaner |
| ☐ | Restock soap, toilet paper, and hand towels | Before service + check during | Empty soap dispensers are a hygiene failure |
| ☐ | Empty bathroom bins | After service | Sanitary disposal unit if applicable |
| ☐ | Clean mirrors and glass | Daily | Streak-free; check during service |
| ☐ | Deep clean — grout, behind toilets, exhaust fans | Weekly | Remove lime scale and soap scum from tiles |
Need a professional after-hours restaurant cleaning program in Melbourne? Golden Star provides FSANZ-compliant kitchen, dining, and bar cleaning — documentation included every visit.
Get a Free QuoteAction Steps — Implementing Your Restaurant Cleaning Program
1. Print and post zone-specific checklists. The kitchen checklist goes in the kitchen, the dining room checklist near the floor store, the bathroom checklist inside the bathroom door. Each checklist should have a daily sign-off sheet attached.
2. Assign specific staff to after-service cleaning zones. Every section of the checklist should have a named staff member or role responsible for completing it — not a general "the closing team" assignment. Ambiguity creates gaps.
3. Engage a professional kitchen cleaning program for weekly deep tasks. Weekly kitchen deep tasks — under-equipment cleaning, cool room interior cleaning, floor grout and drain cleaning — are most reliably completed by a professional cleaning team rather than end-of-service kitchen staff who are typically fatigued after a full service. Request a quote from Golden Star for a weekly kitchen deep clean program.
4. Book quarterly AS 1851 exhaust cleaning in advance. Don't wait for a council inspection to arrange your exhaust cleaning. Book it at the start of each quarter and file the compliance certificate immediately upon receipt. Golden Star provides AS 1851 certificates for all Melbourne councils.
Frequently Asked Questions
Victorian restaurants must comply with Food Act 1984 (VIC) and FSANZ Standards 3.2.2 (Food Safety Practices) and 3.2.3 (Food Premises and Equipment). FSANZ 3.2.2 requires food contact surfaces to be cleaned and sanitised — not just cleaned. FSANZ 3.2.3 sets requirements for the physical condition of premises and equipment. Compliance must be demonstrated through a documented food safety program that includes cleaning procedures and records. Council Environmental Health inspectors review these records during inspections.
Cleaning removes visible dirt, food residue, and organic matter from surfaces. Sanitising kills pathogenic microorganisms on those surfaces. Both steps are required for food contact surfaces — you cannot sanitise a dirty surface effectively because organic matter deactivates many sanitisers. The correct sequence is: remove food debris, wash with cleaning agent, rinse, apply TGA-registered sanitiser at the correct dilution and contact time, allow to air dry or use a clean cloth. Skipping either step is a FSANZ 3.2.2 compliance failure.
AS 1851 recommends exhaust system cleaning every 3 months (quarterly) for most commercial kitchens — more frequently for high-heat operations such as charcoal, wood-fired, and wok cooking that generate higher grease loads. Melbourne councils, building owners, and insurers require an AS 1851 compliance certificate after each clean. Operating a commercial kitchen without current AS 1851 certification can void your fire insurance and create council compliance issues. Golden Star provides AS 1851 exhaust deep cleaning and certificates for all Melbourne restaurants.
After-service kitchen cleaning — cleaning benches, utensils, cooking surfaces, floors, and bins — is typically performed by kitchen staff as part of their close-down duties. Weekly deep cleaning tasks (under-equipment cleaning, cool room interiors, floor grout and drains) and quarterly exhaust system cleaning require professional cleaning equipment and FSANZ-compliant products that most kitchen staff are not trained or equipped to use. The most reliable approach is kitchen staff handling daily close-down tasks and a professional cleaning company handling weekly and quarterly deep tasks on a scheduled program.
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