How to Clean Restaurant Furniture

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Restaurant Cleaning

What can you do when your restaurant furniture gets dirty?
Customers are completely turned off by furniture that isn’t well maintained;
and that is above and beyond the problems caused by potential bacterial
contamination. I know I don’t like to see a table wiped off with a questionable
rag. Sticky table tops, grimy chairs and dull metal can all add to the
impression that you just don’t care. Follow these tips for a clean, and
attractive, restaurant.


Tackle Table Tops

Each type of table top needs to be cared for properly, but
all benefit from warm, soapy water before and after every use. A nice touch is
to dry the tables after washing. Few things are less appealing than sitting
down at a damp table and sticking to the surface.

Laminate table tops should be cleaned with warm water and a
mild detergent. To remove stains, a mixture of baking soda and water along with
a stiff bristle brush are perfect. Stubborn stains should be attacked with
acetone or a surface-specific cleaner.

Resin table tops respond best to an all-purpose cleaner. To
cover up common scratches some furniture polish works well. Just make sure to
spot-test the particular product you want to use.

Wood table tops that aren’t finished in polyurethane should
be dusted daily. Every 3-4 months, a hard paste wax should be applied during
the first year to develop a protective coating. In subsequent years, you can
decrease frequency. Spills should be cleaned up quickly to avoid water damage,
but if some forms, then a paste wax applied with fine steel wool can help
remove the rings.

Metal finishes should be cleaned with a damp cloth, with no
cleaners. A soft-bristled brush will help removed any food that has adhered to
the surface. If grease stains develop, use a mild soap and brush combination,
but be careful not to scrub too enthusiastically.


Sparkling Chairs

No matter what material your chair is made from, much of the
cleaning will follow the suggestions above. One of the caveats with chairs is
that they have many nooks and crannies where dirt can hide. Upholstery is
another built-in problem. Still, if those chairs aren’t cleaned, they will put
off potential diners.

To get into the nooks that a chair comes with, get a set of
brushes. Smaller brushes can get between small decorative elements while large
ones will hit the joins at the legs and seat. A few seconds with a brush,
before you vacuum, will keep the chairs clean and avoid frustrating the
employee tasked with cleaning the floors.

If you have fabric seats on your chairs, you can treat small
stains with spot treatments. Have spots dealt with immediately to prevent them
from becoming permanent. Each chair should be brushed off daily to prevent the
buildup of small crumbs. For more serious cleaning, you might want to bring in
a professional upholstery cleaning crew; they can handle your carpets too, if
need be.

The best thing you can do for your restaurant is to set up a
regular cleaning schedule. That way everything will be addressed regularly,
preventing long term problems that put off guests.