Chemical Inventory Best Practices for Commercial Kitchens
All commercial kitchens must keep inventories of chemical products. From cleaning to sanitizing, they play a critical role in foodservice operations. Although these agents can be helpful, they can also be dangerous, so it’s important to keep your supply well stocked and safeguarded. If you’re looking for assistance, this guide to chemical inventory best practices for commercial kitchens explains how to manage stock, reduce hazards, ensure compliance and control costs.
Complete Inventory
The first step in following chemical inventory best practices for commercial kitchens is building a well-stocked supply. By stocking your kitchen with everything from detergents to degreasers, you’ll have the right product for every task—which is key to preventing misuse that can lead to hazards or inefficiencies. To help make sure your foodservice business has everything it needs, see the list of common kitchen chemicals below:
- Mild Detergents - Dishwashing liquids are great for hand washing wares, as well as for light cleaning of equipment surfaces.
- Degreasers - Heavy-duty oven, range and grill cleaners remove carbon buildup and baked-on grease.
- Sanitizers - Used to clean food-contact surfaces, they reduce microorganisms like viruses and bacteria to safe levels.
- Disinfectants - Stronger than sanitizers, disinfectants neutralize nearly all microorganisms, making them perfect for use on floors and walls.
- Dishwashing Chemicals - From rinse aids for dishwashers to drying agents for glasswashers, dishwashing chemicals play a critical role in keeping dishes and glasses ready for service.
- Floor Cleaners - Often alkaline or enzymatic, these agents break down grease to prevent slips and maintain hygiene.
- Descaler - Using descaler to remove lime buildup is a critical step in cleaning a commercial ice machine, coffee maker or steamer.
- Specialty Cleaners - Window cleaners, glassware restorers and silverware pre-soak are examples of agents that aren’t always top-of-mind but are still very important.
- Hand Soap - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes that proper handwashing in restaurants is critical for preventing foodborne illnesses, so always keep soap stocked.
- Vinegar - Whether you’re cleaning ovens or unclogging sinks, vinegar is an inexpensive, non-toxic cleaner that you can use in a variety of situations.
Safe Storage
One of the most important aspects of maintaining a commercial kitchen chemical inventory is safe storage. Preventing food contamination and staff injuries are the main concerns, so use the following industry guidelines to limit these risks as much as possible:
- Keep away from food prep areas - Food wholesaler Chef’s Store recommends storing kitchen chemicals in locked closets or cabinets to limit access—if a large distance and physical barriers are put between chemicals and food, the probability of accidental contamination decreases significantly.
- Store in original containers - Keeping chemicals in their original containers means that there won’t be any misidentification that leads to improper use.
- Label all chemicals clearly - If you for some reason transfer a chemical to another container, such as putting degreaser in a spray bottle, be sure to follow OSHA guidelines for labeling secondary containers and include the chemical name and hazard warnings on the bottle.
- Avoid placing near heat sources - Aerosol sprays and solvent degreasers are especially flammable, so be sure to keep them away from heat sources to reduce the risk of fires.
- Place liquids on lower shelves - Since large items tend to break when they fall, storing liquid agents on lower shelves decreases the risk that the bottle or container will burst open and chemicals will spill out if it falls on the floor.
Detailed Management
Once you’ve built an inventory of chemicals in your commercial kitchen, remember to manage it properly. From reordering supplies as needed to safely disposing of expired or unused chemicals, proper planning helps prevent hazards and control costs, so here are some ways to keep everything in check:
- Maintain accurate records - Use spreadsheets to keep track of what you have and in what amounts, making sure to update them consistently at regular intervals.
- Set reorder points - Once you have accurate records, you can establish thresholds at which you’ll reorder essential products to make sure you never run out.
- Track expiration dates - Expired cleaning products—especially sanitizers and disinfectants—lose effectiveness, so be sure to dispose of them in a timely manner.
- Dispose of chemicals properly - Indianapolis-based facility supplies wholesaler A.G. Maas advises to read manufacturer labels and contact waste companies so you don’t contaminate the water supply or break environmental laws.
- Rotate stock - Even though the First-In-First Out (FIFO) method is usually associated with food, it works for chemicals, too. Something as simple as pushing older products to the back and bringing newer ones forward helps ensure you’ll go through your older stock before it expires.
Proper Handling
In addition to secure storage, proper handling is also a key part of maintaining an inventory of chemicals in a foodservice kitchen. Improper use can contaminate food and injure workers, so knowing how to use the agents correctly should be a top priority. Although it’s a good idea to research each product, general recommendations include:
- Understand the hazards - Use the HACCP system to identify stages in food prep where chemicals could contaminate food and apply controls, such as ensuring sanitizer residue is fully rinsed from equipment before using the machine to cook food.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions - Always adhere to the manufacturer’s directions for use and storage to ensure safety and effectiveness.
- Wear PPE - Minimize chemical exposure in your restaurant kitchen by using personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks and goggles.
- Don’t mix chemicals - Mixing bleach with cleaning chemicals like toilet bowl cleaner can make dangerous chlorine gas, so be sure to never mix cleaning agents.
Emergency Preparedness
If chemicals spill onto the floor or splash into someone’s eyes, swift action is needed to avoid serious injuries. To help you prepare for the unexpected, follow these guidelines for handling chemical emergencies:
- Manage spills properly - Clean up and contain any spills immediately to reduce the risk of slips and exposure.
- Train staff on first aid - Make sure team members know how to respond to chemical burns or eye irritation and that first aid kits are fully stocked and easy to access.
- Keep emergency numbers handy - Post contact information for poison control, emergency services and chemical suppliers in highly visible areas of the kitchen.
- Document events - Record all injuries in as much detail as possible so you can develop procedures to avoid future events.
Compliance Documentation
Compliance documentation is an important part of maintaining a commercial kitchen chemical inventory. Written records of safety procedures and data logs will not only reduce worker injuries but also maintain regulatory compliance, so keeping them up to date is key. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some examples of key documentation:
- Written HACCP plans - While not mandated at the federal level, it’s a good idea to have a written hazard and control plan to guide staff on how to prevent accidental contamination.
- Safety data sheets - Keeping safety data sheets (SDS) on every chemical used in your commercial kitchen puts important information like chemical properties and emergency measures in one place.
- Chemical inventory lists - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements mandate that businesses have a chemical inventory list of all agents used and stored on the premises.
- Employee training logs - Always maintain records of employee training on chemical hazards and PPE use for compliance with local health codes.
Reduced Usage
While safe storage, proper handling and emergency preparedness can minimize the risks posed by hazardous chemicals, limiting their use is the best way to reduce potential harm. If you’re not sure how to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals in your foodservice establishment, consider the following:
- Use smaller amounts - Although it might seem trivial, simply using limited quantities of toxic agents can decrease the risk of exposure and injury.
- Train staff - Educate kitchen staff on measuring, mixing and applying chemicals to avoid excessive or improper use.
- Control dispensing - Investing in chemical pumps and dispensers can help employees measure products effectively, reducing waste or overuse.
- Substitute non-toxic cleaners - Replacing harsh chemicals with non-hazardous cleaners like vinegar, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide is a much safer way to maintain baking pans and other kitchen equipment.
Chemical Inventory Best Practices FAQs
What Are the Most Important Chemicals in a Commercial Kitchen?
Given the importance of cleanliness in foodservice, cleaning products are absolutely essential. From mild detergent and surface cleaners to rinse aids and special degreasers, these agents help maintain good hygiene and prevent foodborne illnesses.
What Is the Difference Between Sanitizers and Disinfectants?
As explained by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), sanitizers reduce the number of germs to safe levels while disinfectants kill nearly all microorganisms. Whether you want to sanitize countertops or disinfect floors, be sure to clean them first to remove impurities so sanitizers and disinfectants can work more effectively.
Can You Use Disinfectants To Clean Food Contact Surfaces?
No. The University of Minnesota Extension warns never to use disinfectants on food contact surfaces since even small amounts can be hazardous if ingested. Always remember to read the label before using a product to sanitize a cutting board, prep table or other food prep surface.
What Are the Most Dangerous Chemicals in a Commercial Kitchen?
The most hazardous chemicals in foodservice kitchens include corrosive drain cleaners, as well as vapor-producing cleaners like bleach and ammonia. These products can burn the skin or irritate the eyes, so always train staff to wear PPE (protective gloves, face masks and splash goggles) and follow manufacturer instructions when handling these chemicals.