Restroom Refresh and Inspection Checklist

Mid-shift restroom check run by FOH support staff at a full-service restaurant. Covers cleaning, restocking, fixture inspection, and escalation of maintenance or pest issues to the manager on duty.

Use this workflow
1

Sanitation and Surfaces

  1. Wipe and sanitize sinks and countertops
  2. Disinfect high-touch points
  3. Verify sanitizer concentration with a test strip

    • Restroom sanitizer should match the BOH three-bay sink standard — quat at 200-400 ppm or chlorine at 50-100 ppm depending on the product. Log the ppm reading; this is the same documentation health inspectors check on the line.

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  4. Scrub toilets, urinals, and stall partitions

    • Use the dedicated restroom brush and bowl cleaner — never the kitchen-side brushes. Cross-contamination between restroom and BOH cleaning tools is a frequent health-department write-up.

2

Paper and Dispensers

  1. Restock toilet paper to two rolls per stall

    • Each stall should hold one in-use roll plus one backup. Running out mid-service is the #1 guest complaint surfaced on Yelp and Google reviews for FSR restrooms.

  2. Refill paper towel dispensers
  3. Test dispenser feed and clear jams

    • Pull one sheet from each dispenser to confirm the roller engages. Jammed paper-towel dispensers drive guests to use cloth napkins or hand-dryers, neither of which is the design intent.

3

Amenities and Restock

  1. Refill hand soap and lotion dispensers

    • Top off bulk-fill dispensers from the labeled refill jug stored in the janitor closet. Never decant unlabeled chemicals into a dispenser — OSHA HazCom requires the secondary container to carry the product label.

  2. Restock feminine hygiene and courtesy products
  3. Replace air freshener cartridge if depleted
4

Fixtures and Plumbing

  1. Inspect faucets, toilets, and urinals for leaks

    • Look for running toilets, dripping faucets, and pooling water at the base. A continuously running toilet wastes thousands of gallons per month and shows up on the water bill before anyone notices on the floor.

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  2. Submit a maintenance ticket to the GM

    • Log the location (men's, women's, ADA), the fixture, and a photo. The GM decides whether to call the on-call plumber or hold for the next scheduled visit. Do not attempt repairs beyond tightening a visible loose connection.

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  3. Replace burnt bulbs and check exhaust fan

    • Restroom exhaust must run continuously during service per most local building codes. A non-functioning fan creates odor complaints and a humidity load that damages drywall over time.

  4. Tighten loose stall hardware and dispenser mounts
5

Floors and Waste

  1. Sweep and mop with the wet-floor sign deployed

    • Slip-and-fall claims are one of the top OSHA-reportable incidents in restaurants. The wet-floor sign must be visible from the doorway before mopping starts and stay up until the floor is fully dry.

  2. Empty trash and replace liners
  3. Check for pest activity near baseboards and drains

    • Look for droppings, gnaw marks, drain flies, and grease buildup at the base of fixtures. Restroom drains are a common entry path for sewer flies in older buildings. Any sighting goes on the IPM log for the next pest-control visit.

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  4. Notify the manager on duty about pest activity

    • Pest sightings during service require an immediate MOD escalation — they don't wait for the closing report. The MOD decides whether to close the restroom, call the pest-control vendor, or document for the next scheduled treatment.

6

Final Walk and Sign-Off

  1. Polish mirrors and stainless fixtures streak-free
  2. Photograph graffiti or wall damage for the maintenance log

    • Graffiti and gouges should be photographed and dated, then queued for the next deep-clean or paint cycle. Tracking visible damage prevents the slow accumulation that turns into a costly refresh between health inspections.

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  3. Sign off the restroom check

    • Sign-off goes on the shift checklist and the kitchen-side cleaning log. The MOD reviews completion at pre-shift and again at close; gaps are coached the same shift, not a week later.

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