I was recently asked by a client if I could clean up their kitchen before a large presentation to the district managers from several states. The client is a chain food joint (ie. Chili's, Bennigan's,...) and he was not asking about the exhaust hood, but just the tile floors and some of the equipment where there is some grease build up. He is not concerned with the water hurting anything, as this is something the do on their own, but with a little electric washer. I have never seen a post on this, and that scares me a little. Has anyone tried this before? Any information would be appreciated as always.
Restaurant kitchen cleaning...NOT EXHAUST HOOD
- Thread starter krisp23
- Start date
Yes
I use to clean a local Holiday Inn. Kitchen just they way you said. teh floor and some pieces of equpiment. First you want to make sure you cover all electrical outlets with duct tape. If they want certain peices cleaned I would tell them to pull them out from the wall before I got there. I also made sure they signed a wavier freeing me from any and all damages to any thing. I used my landa jet wash(surface cleaner) and some bio-degradeable degreaser. Worked like magic the tiles came out squeky clean. The one I cleaned had water drans all over the place so all the water went to the drains nice and easy. If they don't have floor drains you will have to suck it all up wiht a wet vac. That could be a pain. It really it not that hard just make sure they sign a wavier so they can't blame you. The place I cleaned for had me clean it because one waitress had slipped and fell due to the build-up of grease on the floor. Good luck Hoped I helped out
I use to clean a local Holiday Inn. Kitchen just they way you said. teh floor and some pieces of equpiment. First you want to make sure you cover all electrical outlets with duct tape. If they want certain peices cleaned I would tell them to pull them out from the wall before I got there. I also made sure they signed a wavier freeing me from any and all damages to any thing. I used my landa jet wash(surface cleaner) and some bio-degradeable degreaser. Worked like magic the tiles came out squeky clean. The one I cleaned had water drans all over the place so all the water went to the drains nice and easy. If they don't have floor drains you will have to suck it all up wiht a wet vac. That could be a pain. It really it not that hard just make sure they sign a wavier so they can't blame you. The place I cleaned for had me clean it because one waitress had slipped and fell due to the build-up of grease on the floor. Good luck Hoped I helped out
kmjt1021
Member
Yeah I do it quite a bit, have you cleaned kitchen equipment before, it can be a pain, even down to using razor scrapers to get some of the build up carbon off. I use Sodium Hydroxide with a thickening agent to make it cling, if you don’t want to do that a spray on oven cleaner will work also, it is more expensive though.
Start with the equipment, scrape off any heavy grease, and apply the cleaner. Move the equipment if possible to get to the floor underneath, scrape up any heavy grease from the floor and throw down some degreaser. Let all of this work while you go tape off or cover anything electrical. Make sure that the cleaner you have soaking on the equipment and the floor does not dry, reapply if this starts to occur.
You may need to also use a degreaser on the walls. They tend to get a grease build up also. Don’t use the caustics, use something more user friendly, and of course if they are painted, don’t use degreaser at all, the best I would do for a painted wall is 409 wipe down. If it is a tile wall I would also use less pressure washer, 1500 @ 2.1 is my weapon of choice, simply as a precaution for the electric and not wanting to blast out any loose tiles, which you will want to look for before cleaning.
Clean the wall starting at the wall farthest away from the hood, this allows the equipment to soak longer, when I get to the hood I do the equipment, don’t be surprised if you have to reapply the cleaner on the tougher area’s. I also would have at some point have spread some cleaner down on entire floor, allowing it to soak, while I am working on something else. (Caution: this will make the floor slippery, a tradeoff I make because it can help tremendously with removing the dirt from the grout) don’t let the cleaner on the floor dry.
Once the equipment and walls are done, I would use a surface cleaner on the floors, it can be done with a wand, but you may have to go over every grout line, not fun. I may also use the wand for a final rinse of the floor. The surface cleaner will loosen the dirt but leave it in place, I either use the wand to push it towards a drain or towards a common area where it can be vacuumed up.
Obviously this is a sample of what we do. You will have to adapt it to your situation. Before you give a bid, find out if they can move most of the stuff out of the kitchen before you start, or if you are not cleaning the tables you may be able to move most of the stuff to the tables and cover them with plastic. Most of my customers want the underside of the table and legs cleaned for health inspection purposes.
Oh the answer to your question is yes
Start with the equipment, scrape off any heavy grease, and apply the cleaner. Move the equipment if possible to get to the floor underneath, scrape up any heavy grease from the floor and throw down some degreaser. Let all of this work while you go tape off or cover anything electrical. Make sure that the cleaner you have soaking on the equipment and the floor does not dry, reapply if this starts to occur.
You may need to also use a degreaser on the walls. They tend to get a grease build up also. Don’t use the caustics, use something more user friendly, and of course if they are painted, don’t use degreaser at all, the best I would do for a painted wall is 409 wipe down. If it is a tile wall I would also use less pressure washer, 1500 @ 2.1 is my weapon of choice, simply as a precaution for the electric and not wanting to blast out any loose tiles, which you will want to look for before cleaning.
Clean the wall starting at the wall farthest away from the hood, this allows the equipment to soak longer, when I get to the hood I do the equipment, don’t be surprised if you have to reapply the cleaner on the tougher area’s. I also would have at some point have spread some cleaner down on entire floor, allowing it to soak, while I am working on something else. (Caution: this will make the floor slippery, a tradeoff I make because it can help tremendously with removing the dirt from the grout) don’t let the cleaner on the floor dry.
Once the equipment and walls are done, I would use a surface cleaner on the floors, it can be done with a wand, but you may have to go over every grout line, not fun. I may also use the wand for a final rinse of the floor. The surface cleaner will loosen the dirt but leave it in place, I either use the wand to push it towards a drain or towards a common area where it can be vacuumed up.
Obviously this is a sample of what we do. You will have to adapt it to your situation. Before you give a bid, find out if they can move most of the stuff out of the kitchen before you start, or if you are not cleaning the tables you may be able to move most of the stuff to the tables and cover them with plastic. Most of my customers want the underside of the table and legs cleaned for health inspection purposes.
Oh the answer to your question is yes
How do you price this type of work? I was thinking about going hourly @ $65 because I have no idea how long it will take or what he wants me to do. I am definately going to have a release waiver, and he is fully aware that I have never done this before, and cannot make any promises.
kmjt1021
Member
I just estimate how long I think it will take, times how much I want to make an hour, which may drop depending on how much they want done, the kitchen I clean most often takes us about 8 hrs, 4 people and I get $1500.
I understand that without any experience with this you not wanting to just quote a hard price, and if they are willing to let you work at $65 per hour than go ahead if that is your price. Keep in mind that your inexperience may also inflate the amount of time you spend there when working up the final bill.
I learned by just jumping in. I also lost money the first time, but I went in knowing this was something that I would probably need to learn to do since I was already cleaning the exhaust systems. I may only do 10 or 15 a year, but it is usually because someone is having an inspection, and they just realized that maybe they have let some thing go and need a lot done and done now. Those circumstances usually mean I can charge more. I use them as a way to give my guy a bonus. They seem happier if I throw an extra $100 bucks at them once in a while.
I understand that without any experience with this you not wanting to just quote a hard price, and if they are willing to let you work at $65 per hour than go ahead if that is your price. Keep in mind that your inexperience may also inflate the amount of time you spend there when working up the final bill.
I learned by just jumping in. I also lost money the first time, but I went in knowing this was something that I would probably need to learn to do since I was already cleaning the exhaust systems. I may only do 10 or 15 a year, but it is usually because someone is having an inspection, and they just realized that maybe they have let some thing go and need a lot done and done now. Those circumstances usually mean I can charge more. I use them as a way to give my guy a bonus. They seem happier if I throw an extra $100 bucks at them once in a while.
Ok,, Kris…
When doing this presentation get together a joke. Lighten up the crowd.. It will help trust me…. Nothing dirty, just some type of clean fun. Maybe that’s your. Second have something in writing to outline the things your going over. Make it short and sweet. ooopps. Shake everyone’s hand and introduce yourself with eye contact. Be honest and tell them the truth if asked. Never BS…. If they ask a questions and your not sure tell them you will get the answer.
I wish I had more time to get more detailed…
1. Use cold water in restroom, walk-ins and any small office areas or dry storage.
2. Do not use any Acid based cleaners around stainless steel. (caustics OK)
3. Talk about whether your going to move any equipment and who is supplying the manpower on that particular application.
4. Explain water is going to get the walls everywhere wet about 36 to 48 inches high, papered good and dry goods need to be moved.
5. Stainless will need to be wiped down and is this something your doing or they are doing.
6. Old walk-ins can’t handle the humidity and can freeze the compressors. ( if its and old unit you need to warn them)
7. make sure when moving portable coolers and freezers your people plug them back in. ( I bought 1100.00 dollars worth of meat one night)
8. Dish rooms are extra money as well as restroom. (150.00 extra each)
9. Most interior kitchens take about two men 3 to 4 hours. ( 375.00 to 550.00) average 450.00)
10. I stay away from offices because of safes and puters.
11. Cover ordering terminals with plastic no matter how high they are.
12. Safety safety safety,,,,, caution HOT FRYERS AND WATER don’t Mix.
13. warn them about Grout damage,, some old restaraunts dont have grout,, its all grease and dirt. they dont even realize that. tell them after you clean its a good time to repair any grout. dishrooms are really bad. the chemicals from the dish room tare the grout up.
Equipment,,,
Never charge by the piece,,, do this by the hour with a minimum set up. Maybe 95.00 set up and 45.00 to 65 per hour.
if the customer says they don’t care about the electronics have them sign off that your have told them and you will not be responsible. (Don’t take this one on a handshake. That equipment is expensive and the new stuff is puterized.
equipment is just something you cant bid by looking. hourly is the only way to go.. it can take you hours to clean this stuff. Maybe two nights.. it really depends on the level you and your customer wants.
I have tons more on this just don’t have time,,, call me and we can talk 6026942680
When doing this presentation get together a joke. Lighten up the crowd.. It will help trust me…. Nothing dirty, just some type of clean fun. Maybe that’s your. Second have something in writing to outline the things your going over. Make it short and sweet. ooopps. Shake everyone’s hand and introduce yourself with eye contact. Be honest and tell them the truth if asked. Never BS…. If they ask a questions and your not sure tell them you will get the answer.
I wish I had more time to get more detailed…
1. Use cold water in restroom, walk-ins and any small office areas or dry storage.
2. Do not use any Acid based cleaners around stainless steel. (caustics OK)
3. Talk about whether your going to move any equipment and who is supplying the manpower on that particular application.
4. Explain water is going to get the walls everywhere wet about 36 to 48 inches high, papered good and dry goods need to be moved.
5. Stainless will need to be wiped down and is this something your doing or they are doing.
6. Old walk-ins can’t handle the humidity and can freeze the compressors. ( if its and old unit you need to warn them)
7. make sure when moving portable coolers and freezers your people plug them back in. ( I bought 1100.00 dollars worth of meat one night)
8. Dish rooms are extra money as well as restroom. (150.00 extra each)
9. Most interior kitchens take about two men 3 to 4 hours. ( 375.00 to 550.00) average 450.00)
10. I stay away from offices because of safes and puters.
11. Cover ordering terminals with plastic no matter how high they are.
12. Safety safety safety,,,,, caution HOT FRYERS AND WATER don’t Mix.
13. warn them about Grout damage,, some old restaraunts dont have grout,, its all grease and dirt. they dont even realize that. tell them after you clean its a good time to repair any grout. dishrooms are really bad. the chemicals from the dish room tare the grout up.
Equipment,,,
Never charge by the piece,,, do this by the hour with a minimum set up. Maybe 95.00 set up and 45.00 to 65 per hour.
if the customer says they don’t care about the electronics have them sign off that your have told them and you will not be responsible. (Don’t take this one on a handshake. That equipment is expensive and the new stuff is puterized.
equipment is just something you cant bid by looking. hourly is the only way to go.. it can take you hours to clean this stuff. Maybe two nights.. it really depends on the level you and your customer wants.
I have tons more on this just don’t have time,,, call me and we can talk 6026942680