Food Production Cleaning Services

Food factories are cleaned with a structured, recorded process. Teams remove debris, apply a detergent to lift grease, rinse, then disinfect visibly clean surfaces with a food-safe product left on for its stated contact time, followed by a final rinse and drying where needed. Cleaning happens between tasks and product runs to control bacteria and allergens. At Alliance Cleaning, every stage follows a documented schedule that supports your HACCP plan and gives you an audit trail.

The Food Standards Agency sets out a core two-stage approach: clean first with detergent to remove dirt and grease, then disinfect the visibly clean surface and leave the product on for its contact time. The recognised food-industry method expands this into six practical stages: pre-clean, main clean, rinse, disinfection, final rinse and drying. Some sources describe seven steps by splitting these further. There is no single legal sequence, so we adapt the stages to your surfaces, equipment and risk level.

Common methods include manual cleaning for detailed equipment, foam cleaning for large surfaces, clean-in-place (CIP) for enclosed processing lines, and high-level cleaning for ceilings and structural areas. Most sites use a combination depending on the zone. We select the method to suit each area, then apply food-safe detergents and disinfectants at the correct dilution and contact time. Our IPAF certification covers safe working at height for high-level cleaning.

Cleaning with detergent removes grease, dirt and food residue but does not kill bacteria. Disinfecting kills bacteria and viruses and only works on a visibly clean surface, which is why it follows cleaning. Sanitisers can do both in a two-stage approach: clean the surface first, then re-apply to the visibly clean surface and leave for the required contact time. We choose the right products for each stage and surface and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Any chemical used on food-contact surfaces must be suitable for that purpose. Disinfectants should meet BS EN 1276 or BS EN 13697, and you should follow the manufacturer’s dilution rates and contact times. Food-contact surfaces are rinsed with potable water afterwards to prevent chemical taint. We handle all chemicals under COSHH-compliant controls and select products that suit both the surface and the food safety risk.

We can accommodate both, depending on your site. Some areas need cleaning during production for reactive support and clean-as-you-go control, while full line and deep cleans usually happen during planned downtime or between shifts. We build the schedule around your production windows so hygiene work supports output rather than interrupting it.

Yes. Operatives train through our in-house Alliance Pathway programme, which covers food-safe cleaning methods, chemical handling, allergen awareness and the hygiene standards food sites expect. Our ISO 45001 certification means health and safety is managed throughout, and contract managers oversee standards on site so training translates into consistent results.

Yes. Every food contract includes a written cleaning schedule setting out what is cleaned, how, how often, and with which products, alongside method statements and risk assessments. Our ISO 9001 quality management framework keeps that documentation consistent. You can use these records directly in your own audits, HACCP reviews and customer inspections.