There are an estimated 15,000-20,000 food trucks in the US.

With all that savory goodness riding around on four wheels, it is important to keep your vehicle tidy and sanitary.

Whether you are servin’ up barbecue or dishing out mac and cheese, here are some great tips for cleaning inside your food truck. And don’t forget to lock up that secret sauce before you close for the night!

1. Daily Cleaning

Your daily cleaning schedule should involve a number of basic routines to ensure the cleanliness and productivity of your operation.

Be sure to wash all the dishes and brush your grill. It is important to empty your garbage pails daily. Don’t use private dumpsters for this, lest you make any unwanted enemies. Instead, use a public receptacle.

You will want to be sure to wipe down all cooking and serving surfaces, including your steam table. It is important to empty the water wells every day, so bacteria does not grow underneath where food is being served.

You need to switch out your cutting boards each day to keep food prep sanitary. Deep-clean the dirty boards. You should also wash and sanitize your window ledges.

Be sure to scrub down all cooking tools and appliances. This includes your coffee machine, ovens, and microwave. Also, be sure to sweep and mop the floor, and to wash all floor mats.

Each day, you will need to cover all of your food bins and change all foil linings on your grill, range, and flattop. Remember that your customers are counting on you to provide healthy, germ-free dining on the go!

2. Monthly Cleaning Schedule

Each month, you will want to do a little deep cleaning that will make your daily tasks a cinch. Use a disinfectant to clean the walls and ceiling, taking care of any hidden germs or dirt.

You should also wipe down exhaust hoods, making sure they are dust and grease free.

Once a month, clean your light fixtures and remove any dust or dirt. Scour out your refrigerator with a tough brush and disinfectant. Make sure to clean the coils as well, as they can collect lots of dust.

Wash the can-opener and remove all lime on your sinks and faucets. You will need to do a little heavy lifting so you can wash behind your oven, stove, and fryers, if they are movable.

Once a month is also a good time to clean and sanitize your ice machine. In addition, this is when you can clean out your freezers.

3. Annual Business

Some attention to keeping your truck up to code each year will save you a lot of headaches in the long run. You will want to check your fire extinguishers and fire suppression system. This is also the time to calibrate ovens and thermometers.

You can clean the pilot lights on your gas equipment, and have a professional check for any signs of pests and have them removed. This is also when you should restock your first-aid kit and update your safety sheets.

Some entrepreneurs prefer to have a professional company clean their range hoods and filters each year. It is important for them to be free from all dust, pollen, and dirt. Doing this yourself can be somewhat messy and take up a lot of time.

Cleaning Inside Your Food Truck

Cleaning inside your food truck is a critical factor for your business. Keep a checklist of your daily, monthly, and annual cleaning schedule, and you can provide worry-free fantastic food service to your customers.

For more tips on your food truck, check out our blog for other helpful articles.

Want more food truck advice? Check out more blog posts here!

Thinking about starting a food truck? Request a free custom quote and one of our food truck specialists will help you design the truck of your dreams.

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Cleanliness is so important, especially in a small space, cooking for the masses.  At the end of a long day working on the truck it can be tempting to save the deep clean-up for the morning but DON’T! Make sure every night you have a check list of what to clean.

You should also have a list of daily, weekly, monthly, and semiannually cleaning to dos.  Here is a list to help guide you:

During your shift on the truck make sure to clean the following:

• Brush the grill between cooking red meat, poultry, and fish.
• Wipe down the cooking line and prep areas.
• Switch cutting boards.
• Empty the trash (use public trash receptacles to do this; don’t use privately owned dumpsters).

At the end of your shift clean the following:

• Clean the fryers.
• Clean the microwave (inside and outside).
• Brush the grill.
• Wash and sanitize all surfaces (cutting boards, the service window ledge, cooking line, and prep tables).
• Empty and clean the steam table.
• Cover all bins in the cooler with plastic wrap.
• Wash the floor mats.
• Sweep and mop the truck floor.
• Change any foil linings on the grill, range, and flattops you use.
• Wash the can opener.
• Wash hood filters by hand or run them through a dishwasher.

At the end of the week clean the following:

• Empty coolers and wash and sanitize them.
• Remove lime on sinks and faucets.
• Clean the coffee machine.
• Clean the ovens. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Sharpen knives (okay, this isn’t cleaning per se, but it needs to be done).
• Oil cast-iron cookware.

At the end of the month clean the following:

• Wash behind the hot line (oven, stove, and fryers) to cut down on grease buildup, which is a major fire hazard.
• Clean freezers.
• Empty and sanitize the ice machine.
• Calibrate ovens.
• Calibrate thermometers.
• Wash walls and ceilings.
• Wipe down the dry storage area.
• Restock your first-aid kit.
• Update your material safety data sheets, which outline how to safely use any chemicals in your kitchen.

At least twice a year clean the following:

• Clean the exhaust hoods twice a year.
• Some professional companies specialize in hood cleaning. Doing this job yourself can be very messy and time consuming. Simply search for professional companies online or in your local yellow pages.
• Check fire extinguishers (this task may need to be done twice a year, depending on where you live).
• Check the fire suppression system.
• Clean the pilot lights on gas kitchen equipment.
• Have a professional pest control company inspect your vehicle for signs of pests and have them removed.

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s blog! If you have any questions about this article please feel free to email sales@customconcessions.com.

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