Cleaning Schedule Template: Free UK Kitchen Log

Kitchen cleaning schedule (free UK template)

A cleaning schedule tells staff what to clean, how and how often. Signed off each day, it also becomes your proof that the cleaning actually happened.

Print the free template below, or run it in LogBooks Hub so each task is ticked off with a timestamp and an optional photo.

How often: Tick off tasks as they are done, every day you are open. Review the schedule itself whenever you change equipment, products or menu, and at least every four weeks alongside your SFBB review.

Printable A4, no sign-up or email needed.

What to record

Each item or area to be cleaned, for example prep surfaces, chopping boards, fridges, door handles and floors

How often: after use, every shift, daily, weekly or another set interval

The method and the product, including dilution and contact time from the label

Any precautions, such as gloves or goggles

When it was done and who did it

Who checked it, and any task that was missed with the reason

A filled-in example

Sample entries only, to show the level of detail an inspector expects.

Example Cleaning schedule entries
Item / area	How often	Method and product	Done	Initials	Checked
Prep surfaces	After use	Detergent, rinse, sanitiser (BS EN 1276), contact time per label	14:10	JS	AK
Chopping boards	After use	Dishwasher, hot cycle	14:20	JS	AK
Door handles, taps	Every shift	Sanitiser spray, disposable cloth	17:00	PL	AK
Walk-in fridge	Weekly	Empty, wash and disinfect shelves, clean door seals	Mon 10:00	PL	AK
Extractor filters	Weekly	Soak in degreaser, rinse, refit	Missed, done Tue 09:30	PL	AK

Why this log matters

The Food Standards Agency says you must be able to prove you are cleaning effectively, and that your cleaning schedule must cover what needs to be cleaned or disinfected, how often, and which products to use (GOV.UK). A schedule on the wall with sign-offs is the simplest way to do both.

What a good schedule covers

Items that touch food: work surfaces, chopping boards, knives, slicers, mixers, fridges and freezers, ice machines.
Frequently touched items: door and fridge handles, taps, switches, tills, scales, probe thermometers, bin lids.
Other areas: floors, walls, ceilings, storage areas, drains, waste areas, ovens, microwaves, dishwashers and hot-holding units.

You do not need to disinfect everything. Concentrate on surfaces that touch food and things that are touched often. Always clean and then disinfect anything that has been in contact with raw food.

Choosing and using products

Not every cleaning product kills bacteria. Check that disinfectants and sanitisers meet BS EN 1276 or BS EN 13697; the code is printed on the label. Follow the dilution rate and leave the product on for the contact time the manufacturer gives, or it will not work properly. If you use a sanitiser, use it once to clean off grease and dirt, then again to disinfect.

When a task is missed

Do the task as soon as you notice, before food is prepared on that surface.
Write down what was missed, why, and when it was done.
If the same task keeps being missed, change the time it is scheduled or who owns it, and retrain staff.

LogBooks Hub can send a reminder when a cleaning task is overdue and escalate to a manager if it is still not done.

Common mistakes

A schedule on the wall that lists tasks but has no sign-off, so there is no proof anything was done

Using a cleaning spray that does not meet BS EN 1276 or BS EN 13697 on food surfaces

Wiping sanitiser straight off instead of leaving it for the contact time

Leaving out frequently touched items such as handles, taps and probe thermometers

Never reviewing the schedule after new equipment arrives

The easier way: keep it on your phone

In LogBooks Hub this log reminds staff when it is due, stamps each entry with who and when, can hold a photo as evidence, and goes into your audit pack PDF in one click. It is one of 90+ ready-made logbooks, from £30 a month. Works on any device in the browser, or grab the iPhone or Android app.

Frequently asked questions

Does a cleaning schedule have to be written down?

The Food Standards Agency says you must be able to prove you clean effectively, and advises setting up a cleaning schedule and record. Writing it down means staff know what to do, and the sign-offs show an inspector it is happening. The Safer Food, Better Business pack includes a blank cleaning schedule you can use, or you can use your own.

What disinfectant should I use in a food business?

Use a disinfectant or sanitiser that meets British Standard BS EN 1276 or BS EN 13697. The standard is shown on the label. Not all cleaning products kill bacteria and viruses, so check before you buy. Always follow the dilution rate and contact time on the label, and clean off grease and food before you disinfect.

What is the difference between cleaning and disinfecting?

Cleaning, usually with a detergent and hot water, removes grease, dirt and food. Disinfecting uses a chemical to kill bacteria, and only works on a surface that is already clean. A sanitiser does both jobs, but you still use it twice: once to clean, then again to disinfect. Surfaces that touch raw food always need both steps.

How often should a commercial kitchen be cleaned?

It depends on the item. Food-contact surfaces and equipment are usually cleaned after each use, handles and taps every shift, floors daily, and fridges and extractor filters weekly. SFBB also suggests regular extra checks such as a deep clean behind equipment and of walls, ceilings and vents. Write your own frequencies into the schedule and keep to them.

Kitchen cleaning schedule (free UK template)