Every restaurant in Durham Region is inspected by public health. Most of what an inspector checks is about how food is handled, which is the operator's job. But a clean, well-maintained premises supports every part of the inspection. This guide explains the rules, what inspectors look at, and how to divide the work between your staff and a cleaning company. For our service, see restaurant cleaning services.
The rules: the Health Protection and Promotion Act and O. Reg. 493/17
Food premises in Ontario are regulated under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and its Food Premises regulation, O. Reg. 493/17, which came into force in 2018. The regulation covers the design and maintenance of the premises, equipment, food handling and temperature control, sanitation, pest control and food handler training.
Among other things, the regulation requires food premises to be kept clean and sanitary and in good repair, requires utensils and food-contact surfaces to be cleaned and sanitized, and requires at least one food handler or supervisor who has completed food handler training to be on the premises during every hour of operation.
Who inspects in Durham
In Durham Region, public health inspectors from the Durham Region Health Department inspect food premises in Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington and the northern municipalities. Inspections can be routine, follow-ups, or the result of a complaint. Inspectors can issue orders and, where there is a health hazard, close a premises until it is fixed.
For details on how inspections are scheduled and how results are shared with the public, check the Durham Region Health Department's website, since procedures can change.
What inspectors look at
Inspectors focus first on the things that most directly affect food safety: temperatures, cross-contamination, handwashing and sanitizing. The physical condition of the premises comes next, and this is where cleaning matters.
- Food held at safe temperatures and protected from contamination
- Handwashing sinks stocked and accessible
- Dishwashing and sanitizing done correctly
- Food-contact surfaces and utensils clean and sanitized
- Floors, walls and ceilings clean and in good repair
- Washrooms clean and supplied
- No signs of pests
- Garbage stored and removed properly
What your staff do and what a cleaner does
Most food safety tasks have to be done by your own trained staff during service: sanitizing food-contact surfaces between uses, washing and sanitizing utensils, keeping handwashing sinks stocked and managing food temperatures. These cannot be handed to an overnight cleaning crew.
A cleaning company is most useful for the after-close work that staff struggle to finish at the end of a long shift: degreasing kitchen floors and drains, cleaning walls and the exteriors of equipment, cleaning behind and under movable equipment, resetting the dining room, and cleaning and restocking washrooms. Periodic deep cleans, such as floor scrubbing and wall washing, can be scheduled on slower nights.
A note on exhaust hoods and grease
Kitchen exhaust hoods, filters and ducts collect grease that can become a fire hazard. Cleaning the inside of exhaust systems is specialized work done by hood-cleaning companies, and fire safety rules apply to it. Bluestone Janitorial does not clean exhaust hoods, ducts or grease traps; we clean the kitchen around them. If your kitchen needs hood cleaning, hire a specialist and keep their service records.
Building a cleaning routine around inspections
The best preparation for an inspection is a routine that keeps the restaurant inspection-ready every day, rather than a scramble when an inspector is expected. Write down what is cleaned after each service, each night and each week, and who does it.
A simple nightly list for the kitchen might include degreasing floors and drains, wiping walls and splash areas, cleaning equipment exteriors, cleaning sinks and emptying and cleaning garbage areas. For the front of house: tables, chairs, booths, floors, entrance glass and washrooms. Weekly tasks might include moving equipment to clean behind it, washing walls and cleaning light fixtures in reach.
Pests
The regulation requires premises to be protected against pests. Cleaning helps by removing food residue and grease where pests feed, but it does not replace a licensed pest control service. If your cleaning crew sees signs of pests, such as droppings or damage, they should report it to you the same night.
Kitchen floors and drains
Kitchen floors collect grease, food debris and water, and they are one of the first things an inspector sees. Mopping alone spreads grease around. A nightly routine of sweeping, scrubbing with a degreasing cleaner, rinsing and squeegeeing to the drain keeps floors safer and cleaner. Floor drains should be cleared of debris and cleaned so they do not smell or attract pests.
Areas under and behind cooking lines, fryers and refrigeration units are where problems build up. Equipment on casters can be moved for cleaning; fixed equipment needs attention with long-handled tools. Schedule this at least weekly.
Walls, equipment exteriors and storage areas
Walls near cooking and dishwashing areas get splashed with grease and food. Regular washing keeps them in sanitary condition and makes any damage, such as cracks or missing tiles that need repair, easy to spot. Equipment exteriors, such as oven doors, refrigerator handles and shelving, should be cleaned nightly.
Dry storage, walk-in coolers and garbage areas are often overlooked. Inspectors check these too. Floors and shelving in storage areas should be kept clean, and garbage areas should be cleaned regularly so they do not attract pests.
Front of house and washrooms
Customers judge a restaurant by its dining room and washrooms, and inspectors look at washrooms as well. Washrooms used by customers and staff must be kept clean and supplied with soap and paper towels or a hand dryer. A nightly clean of fixtures, floors, partitions and mirrors, plus restocking, handles most of this; during service, staff should check washrooms on a schedule.
In the dining room, tables, chairs, booths and high chairs need cleaning after each use and a full clean after close, including under tables, where food builds up quickly.
After an inspection
If an inspector notes cleaning or maintenance issues, deal with them quickly and keep a record of what was done. A thorough clean can bring the premises back to standard, and then your nightly and weekly routine keeps it there. If the issue is structural, such as damaged flooring or walls, it needs a repair, not just cleaning.
Keep simple records
Records do not have to be complicated. A nightly checklist signed by whoever did the work, a weekly list for deeper tasks, and service records from specialists, such as pest control and hood cleaning, show that cleaning is planned and done. They also help you spot tasks that keep getting missed. If an inspector asks how something is managed, a record answers the question faster than a memory.
If you use a cleaning company, ask for its checklist for each visit and keep it with your own records. Agree on a way for the crew to report problems they notice overnight, such as a leaking sink, a broken tile or signs of pests, so they can be fixed before the next service.
Restaurant cleaning in Durham
Bluestone Janitorial cleans restaurants after close in Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa and Bowmanville. See our restaurant cleaning services or commercial cleaning in Oshawa to book a free walk-through.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check the current text of any regulation, or ask the responsible ministry or public health unit, before relying on it.