Cleaning the kitchen equipment

The correct cleaning of all equipment used for the serving and cooking of food is of vital importance to prevent the multiplication of bacteria. This cleaning may be divided into the pan wash (plonge) or scullery, and the china wash-up.

Kitchen hygiene

Scullery

For the effective washing up of pots and pans and other kitchen equipment the following method of work should be observed:

• Pans should be scraped and all food particles placed in a bin.
• Hot pans should be allowed to cool before being plunged into water.
• Pans that have food stuck to them should be allowed to soak (pans used for starchy foods, such as porridge and potatoes, are best soaked in cold water)
• Frying pans should be thoroughly wiped with a clean cloth; they should not be washed unless absolutely necessary.
• Trays and tins used for pastry work should be thoroughly cleaned with a clean dry cloth, while warm.
• Pots, pans and other equipment should be washed and cleaned with a stiff brush, steel wool or similar article, in hot detergent water.
• Pan scrubber are electrically driven with a hydraulic or flexible drive transmission; brush-type heads can be varied to suit different surfaces or type of soiling; pan scrubbers can either be wall mounted near the pot wash or free standing mounted on mobile dollies to assist with equipment cleaning.
• The washing-up water must be changed frequently; it must be kept both clean and hot.
• The cleaned items should be rinsed in very hot clean water to sterilize.
• Pans that have been sterilized (minimum temperature 82 degree Celsius) dry quickly; if it has not been possible to rinse in very hot water they should be dried with a clean cloth.
• Equipment should be stored on clean racks; pans should be stacked upside down.

China wash-up

The washing up of crockery and cutlery may be done by hand or machine.

Hand washing

• Remove scraps from plates with a scraper or by hand.
• Wash in water containing a detergent as hot as the hands can bear (whether gloves are worn or not).
• Place utensils in wire baskets and immerse them into water thermostatically controlled at 82 degree Celsius for at least two minutes.
• The hot utensils will air-dry without the use of a drying cloth.
• Both the washing and sterilizing water must be kept clean and at the correct temperature.

Machine washing up

There are several types of machine that wash and sterilize crockery. In the more modern versions, the detergent is automatically fed in as the machine operates continuously.

To be effective the temperature of the water must be high enough to kill any harmful bacteria and the articles passing through the machine must be subjected to the water for sufficient time to enable the detergent water to cleanse all the items thoroughly. The detergent used must be of the correct amount and strength to be effective. Alternatively, low temperature equipment is available that sterilizes by means of a chemical: sodium hypochlorite (bleach)

Where brushes are used they must be kept free from food particles.