So I Ran This Restaurant For Years

Man, keeping the place clean felt like fighting a war. We tried a bunch of fancy cleaning companies. Big brands, local guys, eco-friendly ones – you name it. Bills just kept stacking up like dirty plates. Stuff cost a fortune, and half the time they’d miss spots or show up late. Felt like throwing cash down the drain.

Finally Had Enough, Did It Myself

Okay, buckle up. Started simple. Walked around with a notepad, looked at everything. Top to bottom. Stuff was nasty. Grease? Everywhere. Behind the stoves? Scary. Under the sinks? Like a science experiment gone wrong. I took pictures too. Ugly, honest pictures. Noticed the vents over the fryers? Completely clogged. Fridge coils? Forget about it. Realized pros were skipping the hard parts. Why pay top dollar for half a job?

My Big "Aha!" Money Move

Stopped buying those premade cleaning kits labeled "Restaurant Grade." Total rip-off price. Went straight to the hardware store:

• Grabbed giant jugs of degreaser concentrate (the cheap, powerful stuff, diluted myself).
• Bulk packs of generic scrub pads & microfibers.
• Long-handled scrapers (life-savers for the grill buildup).

Saved like 60% on supplies right there. Labeled the heck out of everything, mixed properly. Felt stupid not doing it sooner.

Real Cleaning Starts When You See Grime

Had a Monday, we were closed. Armed my small crew with my cheap-but-lethal supplies. Didn’t hire outsiders. Here’s the battle plan:

1. Took down the filters. Soaked those sticky monsters overnight in hot water + degreaser + dash of dish soap. Next morning? Grease just slid off. No elbow grease needed.
2. Stove hoods. Scraped off the hardened grease first (using those scrapers). Then sprayed on heavy-duty degreaser. Let it sit, watched it eat through the sludge. Wiped clean. Actually sparkled? Couldn’t believe it.
3. Fridge coils. Found them hiding behind a panel, totally fuzzy. Vacuumed the dust off. Careful like – didn’t bend them. Easy peasy. Fridge stopped groaning after that. Less electricity? Yes please.
4. Deep under equipment. Moved stuff. Actually. Moved. It. Found lost spoons, petrified fries… nightmares. Scraped and scrubbed like crazy. Put down non-slip matting later to stop crud building up so fast.

The Game Changer Was Freezing Stuff Out

You won't believe this. Drains kept stinking and backing up, especially the floor sinks. Called the drain guys again? Nope. Tried one more dumb idea:

• Poured a whole bag of plain ice down the smelliest drain.
• Followed it with hot water.
• Just. Ice. And. Hot. Water.

The ice pushes fat deposits off the pipe walls. Hot water washes it away. Smell? Gone instantly. Drain flowed smooth. Did this twice a week on all drains since. Haven’t called a drain service in months. Boss mode.

It's Not Fancy, It Just Works (And Saves Money)

Been strict for 3 months now. Every night? Small team cleans using our routines. Monday is deep clean day. Costs plummeted. No more surprise $800 bills from cleaners when they de-grease the hood properly now for pennies. Health inspector came? Complimented our cleanliness. Felt amazing. Saving thousands? Definitely. Feels good knowing exactly how clean it really is.