Grease and Grime: The Top Five Ways to Clean Up Unsightly Messes

Grease and Grime: The Top Five Ways to Clean Up Unsightly Messes

When you own a mobile food operation, you know that cleanliness is essential to your operation. A clean food truck is not only necessary to meet health and safety guidelines but also improves your reputation with your customers — improving your bottom line. If you are regularly cleaning your truck or trailer, but are still having a difficult time removing that baked-on grease or grime, try one of these tips to get your truck its most clean.

Cut through grime with citrus

There is a reason that environmentalists turn to citrus-based dishwashing detergent to clean animals that have been impacted by oil spills. Citrus-based detergents are safer and cut through oil and grease. It is worth noting that while citrus-based cleaners are great at removing grease and grime, they are not as impactful on stains. To remove stains, you may have to use one of the following tips.

Steam it away

If you want a more eco-friendly and food-safe approach to removing grease and grime, try steaming it off. You can rent a low moisture steam vapor cleaner at most home improvement stores or pick one up through many retailers. Apply the steam and wipe away the grease. This method may take a bit longer than other methods, so make sure to coordinate your schedule to clean when your truck is closed for a day.

Break out the degreaser and a scraper

Sometimes, all it takes to remove old grease and baked-on grime is time and effort. Using a degreaser in a well-ventilated area, spray your equipment and let it soak. Take your scraper and gently, but firmly, scrape the residue. Rinse your equipment with hot soapy water.

Apply heat and pressure

If you have tried cleansers and scraping and the grease or grime is still stuck, it may be time to bring in the heat. Ensure that you have donned the proper safety gear, spray your equipment with a degreaser or other cleaner and let it soak (times will vary based on the manufacturers’ recommendations). Rinse your equipment with scalding water.

Preventative Maintenance

They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While it may be tempting to skip the daily tasks, especially after a long day cooking, making sure to establish a daily cleaning protocol will go a long way toward preventing baked-on grease and grime from building up.

• Discard used oil from the fryers and give them a thorough cleaning.
• If you use a microwave, make sure to clean the inside and outside.
• Clean and sanitize all preparation stations, especially any area where raw meat is handled.
• Brush down the grill.
• Change the foil linings on grills, flattops, and ovens.
• Using a citrus-based cleaner, wash the hood filters. To save time, run them through the dishwasher.