You are going to need to have several restaurant sinks within your establishment. Each of them will serve a different purpose, depending upon its location (i.e. in the back of the house, at server stations, behind the bar). It is important to have the right type of a restaurant sink in each of these locations in order to get the proper job done at each station. This really is an important part of your food safety program and something that health inspectors will be on the lookout for as well.
Types Of Restaurant Sinks That Are Available Today
There are a lot of different types of restaurant sinks available today. They include:
- Hand sinks: These restaurant sinks are actually rather standard. They are used for washing your hands so dishes should never be put in them.
- Kitchen sinks: There are restaurant sinks that have as many as 4 compartments in them. They are used for washing and rinsing off your restaurant’s dishes. You will need to have at least 3 compartments in order to properly sanitize dishes. If you want to also be able to wash and fill stockpots, you will want a fourth compartment.
- Bar sinks: A 3-compartment bar sink is designed so that you can wash glasses behind the bar.
Make sure that whatever type of restaurant sink you purchase is NSF approved. These restaurant sinks have features that prevent grime and bacteria from building up (i.e. welded drain boards and sealed seams).
How To Care Of Your Restaurant Sink
Restaurant sinks and faucets are made out of stainless steel, which is great because this is a very durable and rust resistant material. However, there are some simple maintenance techniques that you should utilize in order to extend their life. These include:
- Don’t use an abrasive pad or cleaner. By using abrasive pads and cleaners on your restaurant sink you are scoring the thin film of chromium and nickel that covers the sink, giving it its shine and keeping it from rusting. This essentially means that you are putting holes in this material and allowing rust to make its home there.
- Make sure that you wipe down your restaurant sink and faucet everyday. Moisture is rust’s best friend so whenever you clean your sink at the end of the day, make sure that you do so with a soft rag. This will keep moisture and rust from working together at night to cause your sink and faucet to tarnish and rust.
Of course, these are just a few of the things that you need to know. The manufacturer or store you purchase your sink from will be able to tell you more.