It’s important to follow best practices for properly cleaning restaurant tables. This is true every single day that a restaurant is in operation, but will be even more critical as restaurants start to re-open for dine-in services.

Cleaning Restaurant Tables

Cleanliness is about more than just food safety. Your restaurant cleaning procedures tell your diners that you care about their health and that you’re doing everything you can to put safeguards into place. Expectations are high, so for the sake of your guests, your community, and your business, it’s a good idea to brush up on how to clean sticky restaurant tables so that you’re ready to thrive every time your doors open. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about cleaning five common types of restaurant table tops.

How to Clean Tables in a Restaurant: Essential Procedures

How you clean your table tops depends on what material they’re made out of. And to help you out, we’ve outlined the basics for five of the most popular varieties of restaurant tables. Here’s how to clean tables in your restaurant:

Wood

Skip the chemical-based cleaners when it comes to wood table tops, since in addition to not wanting those chemicals anywhere near food they can also degrade the quality of the wood. Instead, use warm, soapy water and a clean dish towel to wipe the table clean, then dry it. Make sure to use a mild soap, and to dry the surface completely when you’re done.

Resin

Keep your resin table tops clean with a mixture of warm water and mild soap, and apply with a clean dish towel. Resin is prone to scratches, and those scratches can harbor bacteria. If you have any scratches, take care of them fast with fine-grit sandpaper, and then proceed with cleaning.

Laminate

Once again, warm water, mild soap, and a clean dish towel are all that you need to keep this surface clean. For stain removal, opt for natural options like a paste made from white vinegar and baking soda. Apply after removing any dirt from the table, and follow up with a full cleaning.

Steel

You need to clean your steel table tops correctly in order to maintain their inherent shine. To do so, stick with just water and a clean dish towel, using a bit of mild dish soap if needed. If your tabletop is looking a little lackluster, use glass cleaner to bring back that shine. Just be sure to do it after service has ended for the day, and wipe off tables again in the morning using just water and a towel.

Werzalit

Werzalit is a composite material that is durable against scratches and stains. To keep it clean, you’ll want to follow the same procedures as you do for other restaurant table tops, using warm water with a couple of drops of mild soap and a clean dish towel, followed by complete drying.

Taking care to clean your table tops right speaks to the quality of your business and is part and parcel of operating a safe establishment. These restaurant cleaning procedures will help you keep your customers satisfied and also help your table tops last longer, saving you a lot of money in the long run.

Need a total table top redo? View our selection and find the right style for your business.