Deep monthly café cleaning: descaling, behind equipment and more
The heavy cleaning your café needs once a month, with recording and control.
Monthly cadence = Timlup's Pro/Essential plan Covers thorough descaling, behind equipment, walls and store room PIN signature and manager dashboard for full traceability
What does deep monthly café cleaning include?
Café cleaning has three levels: daily cleaning (bar and machine of the day), weekly cleaning (backflush, gaskets, deep clean of fridges) and deep monthly cleaning (thorough descaling of groups/boiler, behind equipment, walls, store room). Each is important, but the monthly one is what guarantees the lifespan of your equipment.
With Timlup's Pro or Essential plan, the deep monthly cleaning is scheduled automatically: the list appears on the 1st of the month. Each task is signed with a PIN and the manager reviews everything from their dashboard.
Deep descaling and changing the coffee machine's gaskets may require a specialist technician (annual service). Timlup documents when it was done, but does not replace or certify it. It is a recording tool, not a compliance certificate.
Gallery: Deep monthly café cleaning
This is what a thorough cleaning looks like with Timlup.
20 deep monthly cleaning tasks for your coffee shop
Remember: this is the deep clean layer, not the daily or weekly one
Coffee machine in depth
Monthly - approx. 2 h- 1 Descale the groups, boiler and hydraulic circuit thoroughly with specific product, following manufacturer instructions (includes full rinse and operational test) 60 min
- 2 Dismantle and deep-clean the milk wands/tubes, showers/screens and gaskets of each group; descale with descaler and brush; inspect condition and replace if necessary 30 min
- 3 Clean inside the boiler (access via safety valve or plug) and purge sediment; check water level and hardness 20 min
- 4 Dismantle the grinder, clean hopper, burrs and grinding chamber with brush and vacuum; adjust grind if needed 10 min
Cold storage in depth
Monthly - approx. 1 h 30 min- 1 Defrost and clean milk fridges: empty, dismantle shelves, clean evaporator, gaskets and walls with degreaser and disinfectant; dry and reassemble 45 min
- 2 Clean pastry display case: dismantle trays and grills, clean glass, gaskets and evaporator with food-safe product; dry and reposition 30 min
- 3 Clean condensate trays and cold drains with descaler; verify no blockages 15 min
Behind and under equipment
Monthly - approx. 1 h 15 min- 1 Move the coffee machine and clean behind and under: sweep, degrease floor and wall with alkaline degreaser, rinse and dry 20 min
- 2 Move the grinder and clean the area: remove coffee residue, degrease and descale surface, check condition of wiring 15 min
- 3 Move fridges and display case (if possible) and clean underneath: sweep, degrease and descale floor, check ventilation grilles 25 min
- 4 Deep-degrease the bar kickboards and hard-to-reach areas with brush and degreaser; rinse and dry 15 min
Structure and surfaces
Monthly - approx. 1 h 10 min- 1 Clean bar walls and tiles with degreaser and brush, focusing on grout; rinse and dry 20 min
- 2 Clean ventilation grilles and extractors: dismantle, wash with degreaser, rinse and refit 20 min
- 3 Clean light fittings (diffusers and lamps) with appropriate product and soft cloth; check bulb condition 15 min
- 4 Clean seating area furniture (tables, chairs, counters) with disinfectant, focusing on legs and contact points 15 min
Store room and drains
Monthly - approx. 55 min- 1 Empty and clean store room shelves with degreaser; implement FIFO, check expiry dates and label correctly 20 min
- 2 Deep-descale bar drains: remove grilles, apply descaler, brush inside, rinse with hot water and refit 20 min
- 3 Descale back-office drain: same process, verify no blockages and that trap functions correctly 15 min
Monthly record
on completing monthly cleaning- 1 Log the deep monthly cleaning carried out (areas, product and contact time, person responsible). Part of the cleaning and disinfection schedule; Timlup helps document in an organised way but is not a certified system. Keep records for approximately one year. 5 min
- 2 Record any incidents or non-conformities detected, corrective action and person responsible, and indicate the date of the last professional coffee machine service/descaling. Part of the cleaning and disinfection schedule; Timlup helps document but does not certify. Keep records for approximately one year. 5 min
Deep Monthly Cleaning
Approx. 7h. Record with PIN.
Sun Café · Bar
Monthly — Deep cleaning
due day 1- Deep descale coffee machine
- Clean fridges and display case
- Behind equipment
- Walls, grilles and dining area
- FIFO storage shelves
- Bar and office drains
Deep monthly café cleaning: 7h, no surprises, with records
Recurring list on day 1, with Pro/Essential plan.
Monthly recurring schedule = Pro/Essential plan, list generated on day 1
Timlup automatically creates the deep cleaning checklist on the first day of each month. Pro or Essential plan required; free plan only covers daily and weekly.
Distribute heavy tasks and traceability
Distribute long tasks (descaling, moving equipment, walls) among the team, assign responsible persons and keep full history.
Signed record: Timlup documents, does not certify
Each task is recorded with a personal PIN. Traceability remains, but Timlup does not officially certify. Ideal for your C&D schedule.
Frequently asked questions about deep monthly café cleaning
Frequency, differences, payment plan and inspection.
How often is deep monthly café cleaning done?
What is the difference from daily and weekly cleaning?
Who performs the deep descaling and gasket replacement of the coffee machine?
Is monthly cleaning included in the free Timlup plan?
Is this record useful for a health inspection?
How long does the complete deep monthly cleaning take?
John Guerrero
Founder of Timlup · Founder of ChefBusiness
15+ years working on business operations and process digitisation. Behind Timlup, ChefBusiness and AI Chef Pro. These guides capture the daily-control procedures I see working in operations-heavy businesses across Spain.
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