Cleanliness is one of the most important things your bakery can focus on when striving towards success. Cleanliness is next to godliness, and having a spotless bakery will keep it ahead of the competition and will provide a comfortable and enjoyable setting for your customers. Four components that need to be maintained in order to have a clean bakery include:
Employee Hygiene
Although your bakery's employee appearances will vary as you will have front-of-house and back-of-house employees, it is important to keep in mind that your bakery’s employees are your bakery’s first impressions. If customers walk in to your bakery to find an unclean looking employee, or to watch your employees take out the trash only to turn around to help them, they will not trust that employee with their products. To make sure employee hygiene is good at all times:
- Set handwashing times and guidelines
- Set employee appearance rules
- Do not let sick employees work
Seating Area
If you choose to have a café in your bakery, you need to make sure that it is maintained at all times. No one wants to sit in a dirty lobby or have to bus their own table. To make sure that your bakery's seating area is always cleaned:
- Always fully clean the lobby each evening
- Keep enough staff to make sure lobby can be attended to
- Train employees on proper table wiping, floor sweeping, and trash removal procedures
Preparation Area
If your customers see your bakery's employees creating products on unclean spaces or with unclean utensils, you can bet they will not be back. To keep your preparation area clean at all times:
- Keep the “clean as you go” policy
- Keep buckets of sanitizer ready for quick wipe downs
- Keep clean dishes available at all times
- Set complete cleaning times and procedures
Equipment Cleanliness
Keeping your bakery’s equipment clean will keep it sanitary and will make it look nice, but more importantly it will also increase its lifespan. Bakery equipment that is properly cleaned and maintained is more likely to hold up without clogs, breakdown, and other malfunctions which can save you money in the long run. To ensure your bakery’s equipment is properly maintained:
- Read the equipment manual
- Create a cleaning procedure
- Make sure the equipment is clean daily, if not weekly
A clean bakery, in conjunction with great bakery foods, will keep customers returning again and again. A clean bakery will also keep your bakery within city and state compliance, and will prevent your customers from harm. Always keep cleanliness as one of your bakery’s main goals to achieve a great-looking, safe, and successful bakery.
