Maintaining proper hygiene in a restaurant has a huge impact on the safety of guests eating meals and on the quality of the premises. Nowadays, care for hygiene and disinfection should be the first thing we take care of when running catering services. Even though it is obvious, we do not always know how to properly clean and disinfect. It is very important that we are able to choose the appropriate cleaning and disinfection method and skillfully select products intended for this purpose.
Foam washing – a method for difficult to remove dirt
The contaminants we may encounter in gastronomy are primarily sugars, fats and proteins. Sugars are soluble in water, but their removal is not easy because under the influence of higher temperatures they caramelize, i.e., from a chemical point of view, water is displaced from sugar. Sugar changes its color, smell and form. Turns into caramel. Fats and proteins are even more difficult to remove because the former undergo polymerization and the latter denature. Additionally, fats and proteins are insoluble in water. The presence of these pollutants causes the multiplication of microorganisms that are dangerous to our health. For this reason , cleaning and disinfection processes must be carried out systematically and effectively .
One of the effective and increasingly popular methods is foam washing . It involves spreading the cleaning agent on the washed surface in the form of foam. Then rinse the foam with a stream of water. Foam is produced by strong aeration of the cleaning agent solution. The foam bubbles burst on the dirty surface, causing the contamination to be moistened with the cleaning agent and finally removed. This method works very well when cleaning vertical surfaces, such as walls, external elements of kitchen appliances, e.g. kitchen cores or convection ovens, and ceilings in cold rooms.
More and more entities operating in the food industry use foam washing . Nothing unusual! This method brings many benefits to catering establishments and significantly speeds up the process of cleaning, hygiene and safety in kitchens . When deciding to install a central foam washing system , it is worth finding out whether the service provider ensures the provision of solutions ensuring the highest level of sanitary regime. Foam washing devices should be easy to use. Equipment that is resistant to damage and made of high-quality materials should serve the restaurant for years. It is also worth checking with the service provider whether it provides professional foam preparations for cleaning and disinfection or whether we should purchase them ourselves.
Foam washing can be used on horizontal and vertical surfaces
The foam should be stable and adhere well to the surface. Then it stays on a vertical wall for a very long time, unlike a liquid which, when applied to such a surface, drains off very quickly. In this way, during foam washing, the surface is covered with the preparation for a longer time. This means that the active substances contained in the preparation, emulsifying grease and dirt, will remain in contact with the cleaned surface for a very long time. They then have enough time to react with the dirt, moisten the surface, penetrate the dirt and remove it effectively. Skillful use of the washer and foam allows you to reach hard-to-reach places . This is a very convenient, fast, simple and effective washing method.
The basis for the effectiveness of foam washing is the extended contact time of the cleaning agent with the dirt. Using this method, we do not destroy the structure of the washed materials, there are no scratches after washing because we do not use mechanical action and the pressure we use to apply the foam is very low and the foam stream does not adversely affect the washed surface. We can use this method to clean hard-to-reach places where using a brush or sponge is impossible. After completing the washing process, the foam is easy to rinse off with water.
To sum up, the most significant advantages of foam washing are:
- high effectiveness, which results from the extended time when the cleaning preparation is in contact with dirt;
- protection of the structure of washed materials – no scratches (we do not use mechanical action, only pressure);
- ability to reach hard-to-reach places;
- easy to rinse off the cleaning preparation with water.
How to properly start foam washing?
A properly carried out foam washing process should start by rinsing the washed surface with water to remove thick and easily removable dirt. If these are contaminants with a large amount of fat, it is best to use water at a higher temperature, this will make it easier to remove the greasy coatings. Then, using a foam generator, we apply the foamed cleaning preparation to the wall from the bottom up and leave it for about 10 minutes, giving the product time to work. After this time , rinse the foam with water from top to bottom.
The foam washing process can therefore be summarized in four main steps:
- step 1. – rinsing the surface with drinking water,
- step 2. – applying a layer of foam of a cleaning or disinfecting-cleaning preparation ,
- step 3 – leaving an even layer for the time recommended by the manufacturer,
- step 4 – thoroughly rinse the surface with clean water.
Professional products guarantee your satisfaction
Products recommended for foam cleaning in gastronomy are Clinex 4Dirt Foam . They are safe for all types of surfaces. Thanks to the stable, active foam, they do not flow from vertical surfaces, allowing the active substances that emulsify fat to have enough time to work. The Clinex 4Dirt product is also effective in hard water – thanks to the softening and wetting substances it contains.
For foam cleaning, we can also use Clinex DEZOFast – a high-performance disinfectant. It is not that foamy, but thanks to this, we use less water when using this product. The effectiveness of Clinex DEZOFast has been confirmed by comparative studies carried out by the University of Silesia in Katowice.
Cleanliness is health
Cleaning and disinfection processes must remove contaminants and microorganisms that may pose a threat to consumers’ health. It is important to choose a method and products that will enable us to achieve our goal easily, quickly and effectively . Washing and disinfection are necessary to ensure the appropriate quality and health safety of meals prepared for our guests.
