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Daily cleaning checklist for commercial kitchens.
A one-page checklist for the cleaning tasks that happen every day a kitchen is open: opening prep, during service, and end-of-night close. Print it, post it, and have staff initial each task as it is done.
What is on the checklist
Daily cleaning is split into three points in the day. Weekly and monthly deep-clean tasks live on a separate schedule so the daily sheet stays short enough to finish on every shift.
Opening
- Wipe and sanitize prep surfaces and cutting boards
- Set up fresh sanitizer buckets and check strength
- Wipe down handles, taps, and high-touch points
- Check bins are lined and empty
During service
- Sanitize surfaces between tasks and after raw food
- Change sanitizer water when it gets dirty
- Clean spills as they happen
- Wipe down the cook line during slow periods
Closing
- Clean grill, fryer, stovetop, and range hood filters as scheduled
- Wash and sanitize all prep surfaces and sinks
- Sweep and mop floors, clean drains
- Empty bins, take out garbage, lock up
Download the daily cleaning checklist
Free, one page, letter size. Print a fresh sheet per day, or a week at a time, with a column for staff initials and a manager sign-off line.
Every kitchen is different. This checklist is a general starting point, not a one-size-fits-all rule. Cleaning tasks, timing, and frequency change with your equipment, menu, layout, and your local health unit's requirements. Review it and adapt it so it matches your facility before you rely on it. Probe It Food Safety provides this resource for general guidance only.
Certified Public Health Inspector
When I check a kitchen, I am not looking for a perfect sheet with every box ticked. I am looking for a sheet that staff actually use. A checklist with the same neat handwriting filling every box for a month tells me one person signed it at the end, not that the work got done. A real one has different initials, the odd missed line, a note where something needed a second pass. Keep it simple, keep it honest, and keep it where the team can reach it.
Samira Ali · Certified Public Health Inspector · Probe It Food SafetyCommon questions
What is the difference between daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning?
Daily tasks are the ones tied to every shift: sanitizing surfaces, cleaning as you go, and a full close-down at night. Weekly and monthly tasks are deeper jobs like descaling, cleaning behind equipment, and exhaust work. Keeping them on separate sheets stops the daily list from getting too long to finish.
Do health inspectors check cleaning records in Canada?
An inspector can ask to see your cleaning and sanitation records during a routine or complaint inspection. A completed daily checklist is one way to show a cleaning routine is in place and being followed. Requirements vary by province and by your local public health unit, so check what your inspector expects in your area.
Who should fill out the checklist?
The staff doing the work fill in their own lines as tasks are done, with their initials. A manager reviews and signs off at the end of the shift or the end of the day. That split keeps the record accurate instead of one person ticking every box after the fact.
How long should I keep completed sheets?
Keep completed cleaning records on hand long enough to show a consistent routine. Many operators keep at least a few months in a binder. Retention practice varies by province and by your own food safety plan, so confirm what your health unit and insurer expect.