“If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.” This saying is a staple mantra in the foodservice industry. What can be so perplexing to anyone involved in with food safety and facility cleanliness is what if there is no “lean” time? What if your foodservice entity is busy, all day, every day? Working a cleaning schedule into your everyday schedule can be tricky. You have personnel who are operating on all cylinders. Moving quickly from task to task. Production and service are important to the success of any foodservice organization and cleanliness throughout the process is paramount. Operators, managers, servers, bussers, stewards and the like; everyone must be on the same, focused, example setting page.
Ideally, as operators we would have a single dedicated employee who would be a cleaning sous chef for our production people. Following them from task to task, cleaning up behind them, probably whispering the other food service mantra… “Clean as you go.” Cleanliness is an all-day everyday task. Just when you think you have all the bases covered, your floors are spotless and the equipment is gleaming… you get a visit from the Health Department!
These men and women are trained, white-glove professionals. They look at the whole picture in its entirety, looking in nooks and crannies and everywhere in between. Health Department agents are trained to find the hidden dangers, the not so obvious cleanliness, and safety issues. Like… Dirty door gaskets. 
They will point out, document and dock you for dirty, moldy or ill-fitting door gaskets. It is so important to routinely check your refrigeration, freezer door, and drawer gaskets as well as the soap dispensers and drink dispensers; all the gaskets inside are around this equipment need to be routinely checked for cleanliness with a fine-tooth comb. If the gaskets are loose or corroding, mildew, mold or bacteria can form where raw food, chicken blood, and cleaning solutions may settle… and that is a recipe for disaster.
The gaskets on your freezers and refrigeration are very important to the overall cleanliness of your equipment. Snug-fitting clean gaskets, free of debris and mold can ensure a high grade from the health department as well as providing optimum operation and efficiency of your equipment. Dine Company – The Restaurant Store is your headquarter for replacement gaskets for all your equipment, hot or cold. Make Dine a part of your cleanliness routine.
