Sponsored by Kaivac Cleaning Systems
Grease and dirt buildup in quick-service restaurants can deteriorate grout lines in the kitchen and front of the house. The lack of cleanliness leads to costly maintenance, floor replacements, and a dirty-looking restaurant, ultimately turning customers away.
According to a P&G Professional survey, 82 percent of consumers lose their appetite when they see grease or dirt at a restaurant. This reinforces the importance of proper cleaning supplies needed to keep the kitchen and dining room visibly clean.
Replacing the traditional mop, the UniVac from Kaivac efficiently cleans and removes grease and dirt from grout lines. This compact, one-fill solution prolongs the lifespan of restaurant flooring, reducing maintenance and the time it takes to clean the floor.
“Popeye’s hand-breaded chicken causes flour and grease to get everywhere, including the grout,” says Kaleigh Timko, district manager of a Popeyes franchise in Columbus, Ohio. “This eventually causes the floor to deteriorate to the point where it’s very hard to clean, especially without ruining the grout.”
To get the floors as clean as possible Timko’s team would mop, scrub, and squeegee for at least an hour at the end of the day. “The four-to-five-step cleaning process took up a lot of time resulting in increased labor hours,” Timko says. On top of this, using a dirty mop and mop bucket redistributes dirt and grime across the floor rather than removing it. This ineffective cleaning method spreads contaminants and undermines hygiene efforts.
“With the UniVac you’re not moving dirt around, you’re actually sucking it up, getting it off the floor and into the drains,” Timko says. “It cut labor costs by reducing end-of-the-day clean-up time by 75 percent.”
The UniVac is designed to not need frequent replacements, unlike traditional mops. It is a more effective and economical cleaning system. “Using traditional mops required us to replace pieces almost weekly,” Timko says. “We changed mop pads and heads once every week and dealt with broken mop buckets all the time. Even though it looked clean, the smell of a dirty mop head is not what we want in the store. Since getting the UniVac, we’ve only had one location need to replace the scrub pad.”
With enthusiasm and support from Kaivac staff, integrating the UniVac cleaning system into Timko’s franchise locations was a remarkably seamless process. Employees are impressed by the ease of use as UniVac’s design significantly reduces the physical effort typically required for tasks like squeegeeing and scrubbing.
The UniVac’s convenience and accessibility encourages frequent use, enhancing the restaurant’s overall cleanliness. The minimalist design also reduces clutter in the back of the house, leading to a more organized workspace.
Implementing the UniVac in quick-service restaurants offers substantial benefits by effectively cleaning floors and grout more thoroughly than traditional methods. Its efficient design not only ensures a deeper clean but also saves on labor and time making it an invaluable tool for maintaining high standards of hygiene and operational efficiency within the fast-paced restaurant industry.
For more effective cleaning, visit the Kaivac website today.
By Abby Winterburn
