How Often Should a Commercial Kitchen Be Deep Cleaned? A Guide for UK Businesses

But even the most diligent daily cleaning won’t reach the hidden corners where trouble brews. We’re talking about the grease lurking in your ventilation systems, the carbon caking onto ductwork and the gunk building up behind your kitchen appliances.

So, how often should a UK commercial kitchen be deep cleaned? The short answer: more often than you might think. Failure to stay on top of it can lead to contamination, fire hazards that’d make your insurance company weep, and potentially prosecution under the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Not exactly ideal for business, is it?

Read on to work out exactly what your commercial kitchen needs.

Routine vs deep cleaning: what’s the difference?

Routine cleaning is what your staff tackle daily. Wiping down work surfaces, mopping floors, washing utensils and giving the cooker a once-over. It’s the essential stuff that keeps your kitchen ticking along and looking presentable.

But a professional deep clean is the big guns. We’re talking about dismantling equipment, getting into those ventilation systems, and reaching the overlooked spots (like behind and beneath your kitchen appliances) that haven’t seen daylight since installation. A deep clean is essential for tackling the carbon build-up and grease that normal cleaning methods simply can’t shift.

Think of all those “out of sight, out of mind” areas like extractor fans, ductwork and the innards of your ovens. Your daily cleaning team does brilliant work, but they’re not equipped to strip down a canopy system or pressure-wash behind a commercial fryer. That’s where a proper cleaning team with the right kit steps in.

What does deep cleaning actually involve?

A professional deep clean goes beyond surface level. We’re dismantling, degreasing and disinfecting every nook and cranny.

The golden rule: how often should a kitchen be deep cleaned?

Generally speaking, a commercial kitchen should be professionally cleaned every six months as an absolute baseline. This is what most insurance policies and regulations expect to see.

But the actual frequency depends on how hard you’re working your kitchen.

Heavy use (12-16 hours per day)

If you’re running a bustling fast-food outlet, a high-volume restaurant kitchen, or anywhere that’s flat-out from breakfast through to late-night service, you need a quarterly clean. That’s every three months. The Food Standards Agency and TR19® Grease guidelines are pretty clear on this. When you’re producing that much airborne grease and working your extraction systems overtime, grease builds up fast.

Moderate use (6-12 hours per day)

Most hotels, restaurants and cafes fall into this bracket. You’re busy, but you're not running a 24-hour operation. For you, cleaning every six months is the sweet spot. It keeps your kitchen compliant with food hygiene regulations and means you’re not left scrambling when the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) pops by.

Light use (2-6 hours per day)

Community centres, village halls, small seasonal venues, or that lovely little tearoom that opens three days a week? You might get away with an annual deep clean. But don’t push it. Even light use means grease and food debris accumulate, just more slowly.

What do EHO cleaning expectations look like?

Environmental Health Officers aren’t just looking for a tidy kitchen on inspection day. They expect to see a proper cleaning schedule, documented evidence that you keep your kitchen compliant and proof that you're taking the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme seriously. If you’re cooking with deep fat fryers or chargrills, that accelerates everything. High-fat cooking means you need to be professionally cleaned every six months at a minimum, possibly more.

The bottom line? If you want to stay on the right side of regulations and keep your business running smoothly, you need to ensure your kitchen gets attention from a professional service at regular intervals.

Key factors that influence your cleaning schedule

Your cleaning schedule needs to reflect what’s actually going on in your space.

Type of cooking

Are you running a deep-fat fryer all day? Grilling burgers non-stop? Then you’re producing high volumes of airborne grease that coat everything within reach. Kitchens like these need more frequent attention than a sandwich bar or salad prep area. The greasier your menu, the more often you need a professional kitchen deep clean.

Traffic volume

High footfall in food storage areas and prep stations means more food debris, more spillages and more contamination risks. A busy kitchen is a mucky kitchen, simple as that.

Equipment age and type

Older kitchen appliances and equipment can harbour dirt more easily. They might have worn seals, scratched surfaces, or hidden crevices where bacteria set up camp. A professional service can help maintain efficiency and spot issues before they become expensive problems.

Vulnerability of customers

If you’re cooking for hospitals, care homes, or schools, you’ve got higher duty-of-care requirements. The contamination of food poses serious risks to vulnerable people, so your cleaning plan needs to be absolutely spot-on. Food safety isn’t negotiable when you're feeding those who are elderly, unwell, or very young.

Warning signs you’re overdue for a deep clean

Not sure if you’re behind schedule? Here’s what to watch for:

Persistent smells

If there’s a funky odour that won’t shift, you’ve likely got blockages in drains or rotting food waste lurking behind units. That’s a red flag.

Signs of an infestation

Mice, cockroaches, or other unwanted visitors often turn up when deep cleaning has been neglected. They’re attracted to the food debris and grease you can’t see from your daily routine cleaning.

Equipment not performing

Is your extraction system struggling to clear smoke? Oven smoking when it shouldn’t be? That’s a dangerous level of grease build-up and a fire hazard waiting to happen.

Sticky surfaces and visible grime

If your walls have a carbon coating or surfaces feel tacky even after cleaning, your kitchen deep clean is well overdue.

What does a professional deep clean include?

When professionals like us roll up, this is what you get:

Structural cleaning

We tackle walls, ceilings, lights and floors using steam cleaning and food-safe cleaning chemicals. Everything gets properly cleaned, not just surface-level tidy.

Extraction systems

This is crucial. We clean canopies, filters and ductwork to remove the fire hazards lurking in your ventilation. We work to TR19 compliance standards because “greasier than a chippy on a Friday night” isn’t the situation you want in your extraction system.

Equipment dismantling

We take ovens, fryers and grills apart to disinfect internal components properly. This reduces the risk of fire and keeps everything running efficiently.

Documentation

After we’re done, you get a hygiene certificate and a detailed log for your cleaning checklist. This documentation is vital for insurance purposes and those EHO visits. It shows you’re taking your commercial kitchen cleaning procedures seriously.

We use the right cleaning products and cleaning equipment throughout – colour-coded, food-safe and designed for commercial kitchen cleaning.

Why professional cleaning is essential

Legal compliance

You must ensure your kitchen meets food hygiene regulations and the Safety at Work Act. Professional cleaning helps you stay compliant with health and safety regulations and keeps you on the right side of the law.

Fire safety

Grease is basically fuel waiting for a spark. A clean and safe environment prevents kitchen fires, which can devastate your business and put lives at risk. Regular cleaning means you reduce the risk significantly.

Reputation

Your Food Hygiene Rating is displayed for all to see. A clean and hygienic kitchen directly impacts the success of your business. Customers check those ratings, and a good score brings them through the door. A poor one? Well, that’s customers choosing your competitor instead.

Asset protection

Kitchen appliances are expensive. Regular deep cleaning extends their lifespan, keeps them running efficiently and prevents costly breakdowns. Think of it as maintenance that pays for itself.

Health

This is the big one. Proper commercial cleaning prevents cross-contamination and protects the health and safety of your staff and customers.

Time to get your kitchen sorted?

For most food businesses, a professional kitchen deep clean is needed every three to six months, depending on how hard you’re working your space.

A commercial kitchen deep cleaning service keeps you compliant with food hygiene standards, protects your business from fire risks and ensures food hygiene at every level. Plus, a properly maintained kitchen may help reduce insurance premiums and energy costs.

Ready to book your deep clean? Contact KDC Food Hygiene Ltd today for a quote. We’re happy to handle the grime, so you can keep cooking.

FAQs

How often should a commercial kitchen be deep cleaned in the UK?

Most commercial kitchens should be professionally deep cleaned every six months as a baseline. Heavy-use kitchens (12-16 hours daily) need quarterly cleaning, while light-use venues might manage annually. Your commercial kitchen cleaning frequency depends on cooking type, hours of operation and whether you’re using high-fat equipment like fryers.

What’s the difference between routine cleaning and a professional deep clean?

Routine cleaning is the daily stuff your staff handle, such as wiping work surfaces, mopping floors, washing up. A professional deep clean involves dismantling equipment, cleaning ventilation systems and ductwork, degreasing areas behind appliances and tackling carbon build-up that normal cleaning methods can’t shift.

What do Environmental Health Officers expect to see regarding kitchen cleaning?

EHO cleaning expectations include a documented cleaning schedule, evidence that you’re keeping your kitchen compliant with food hygiene regulations and proof that you take the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme seriously. They want to see regular professional deep cleaning records, especially if you’re cooking with deep-fat fryers or running a high-volume operation.

What are the warning signs that my kitchen is overdue for a deep clean?

Persistent funky smells that won’t shift, signs of an infestation like mice or cockroaches, extraction systems struggling to clear smoke, ovens smoking unexpectedly, or sticky surfaces and visible carbon on walls. If you’re spotting any of these, your kitchen deep clean is well overdue and it’s time to give us a bell.

Does a professional deep clean help with more than just hygiene?

Absolutely. Regular deep cleaning keeps you legally compliant with food hygiene regulations, reduces fire risks from grease build-up, protects your Food Hygiene Rating and business reputation, extends the life of expensive kitchen equipment, and can actually help reduce insurance premiums and energy costs. It’s maintenance that pays for itself.