SITHFAB001 Clean and tidy bars
In this unit of study you will learn how to;
- Clean bar and equipment
- Clean and maintain public areas
- Work safely and reduce negative environmental impacts
Introduction
The need to keep hospitality premises clean and tidy is one of the most important aspects of your role in this industry. This is to ensure the health and safety of yourself, your colleagues and your customers. Hygiene, as you have learned, is not just a matter of organisational procedure but a legal obligation and a large part of your role will be to ensure that your work environment is free of any health hazards.
A bar can be a fun place to work in and is often filled with happy people all out to enjoy themselves. The atmosphere in which you work will, therefore, often be one of pleasure. The sheen of enjoyment, however, can quickly fade if the bar isn’t cleaned properly. Even small bars can become sticky and smelly and can attract pests like bar flies and cockroaches.
So a scheduled program of cleaning is essential to any good bar attendant. Well trained staff, following a cleaning checklist every day, will not only create a good impression of the bar with customers but can then also achieve a better and steadier income.
Cleaning the bar and equipment
When working in a bar there is the general rule; ‘clean as you go’ and this applies to bar operations in the same way as it applies to all hospitality activities. If your shift starts with a clean, well-stocked bar you should be able to maintain this as you work and keep it that way until you finish.
You will need a range of equipment and implements working in a bar and it is essential that these, as well as the premises themselves, are kept clean at all times. The type of equipment you may be working with, and that needs to be maintained and cleaned on an ongoing basis, can include;
- beer, wine and postmix equipment, which will need to be kept clean to ensure thequality of the beverage being served
- other equipment used for preparing beverages; these need to be kept hygienically clean to avoid cross contamination. This equipment includes;;
- blenders
- coffee machines
- dish and glass washers
- ice machines
- refrigeration equipment
- service points and counters used by staff to prepare food and drinks must also be kept thoroughly clean and should be wiped down at regular intervals.
- food containers as well as utensils such as spoons, stirrers, shakers and so on must be checked at regular intervals and washed between uses.
Selecting and preparing cleaning agents and chemicals
In order to keep premises and equipment scrupulously clean, however, you need to use the right materials.
Cleaning agents and chemicals, regardless of whether they are used in the home or in the workplace, can be toxic and harmful to your health if not used correctly. For this reason you should always use chemicals in line with manufacturer instructions and with your organisation’s policies and procedures. Before we look at what these might be let us first look at the many kinds of cleaning agents and chemicals you may come across in your daily work.
Cleaning agents and chemicals can include;
- Neutral or all-purpose detergents; these can include (but are not limited to):
- Automatic dishwasher products: liquid, powder, tablets
- Hand dishwashing liquid
- Floor cleaners
- Glass and window cleaner
- Stainless steel polish
- Disinfectants or sanitisers that kill bacteria; these can include (but are not limited to);
- Bleach for washing towels, clothes or removing mould
- Deodorisers that kill germs and eliminate odours
- Pesticides – To eliminate vermin and insects
Different classes of chemicals
So chemicals can be used for a variety of purposes; they are vital in the removal of fats, oils, proteins and dirt. Because they are often highly concentrated and/or toxic they need to be handled with care and they will also have different classifications in terms of their risk factors. Chemicals are therefore classed as follows;
- Hazardous
- Non-Hazardous
- Dangerous
- Non-Dangerous
…. continued in learner guide ….
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