Garden bar cleaning routine: after a party, weekly and by season

The morning after a good night, the bar smells like a pub car park and the fridge has a sticky shelf. A short routine stops that becoming a weekend job, keeps wasps and mice away and makes the bar feel ready whenever you open the door.

After a party

That night

Do the five-minute version before bed, even if the rest waits until morning.

• Empty glasses and bottles, and rinse anything sticky.
• Put food in the house fridge or bin it.
• Wipe the counter so spills do not dry.
• Close the bins, especially the recycling.
• Make sure heaters, BBQs and lights are off.

Sweet drinks and food left out attract wasps, ants and rodents. Our pests guide explains why.

The next morning

• Wash glasses properly (see below).
• Wipe the counter with a cleaner suited to the surface. See bar top materials for what each finish tolerates.
• Sweep and mop the floor; see flooring.
• Take the recycling out.
• Clean the BBQ grill while it is still easy. See BBQ and pizza oven station.

Glasses, fridges, ice and taps

Glasses

Clean glasses make drinks look and taste better.

• Wash in hot water with washing-up liquid, then rinse in clean water.
• Air-dry upside down on a rack, or polish with a clean, lint-free cloth.
• Keep glass cloths for glasses only.
• Store glasses upside down or in a closed cupboard to keep dust and insects out. See glass and storage.

If there is no sink in the bar, carry glasses back to the house in a crate. See sink and water.

Fridges

• Check the temperature with a fridge thermometer. The Food Standards Agency says fridges should be at 5°C or below.
• Wipe spills straight away.
• Clean shelves with warm soapy water every few weeks.
• Keep the vents and the back clear of dust.
• Defrost if the maker says to.

If food goes in the bar fridge, treat it like a kitchen fridge: separate raw and ready-to-eat food and follow use-by dates. See garden bar fridges.

Ice

Ice goes straight into drinks, so treat it like food. Use a scoop rather than a glass or hands, keep the scoop out of the ice between uses, and empty and wash the ice bucket after every session. Do not refreeze ice that has been sitting in a bucket of melted water all evening. If you use ice to chill bottles in a tub, keep that ice for chilling only. See ice and cooling without power.

Beer taps and lines

Draught systems need regular cleaning to keep beer tasting right and to stop yeast and bacteria building up. How often, and with what, depends on the system.

• Follow the maker's instructions for line cleaner and frequency.
• Use the cleaning kit the maker recommends.
• Rinse thoroughly with clean water after the cleaner.
• Clean taps and nozzles separately.

See garden bar beer taps for how home systems work.

Weekly and seasonal jobs

Weekly

• Wipe the counter and shelves.
• Empty the bins.
• Check the fridge temperature.
• Sweep the floor and the step.
• Look for signs of pests or damp.

Seasonal deep clean

• Spring: wash down the walls and windows, check the roof and gutters, clean the furniture.
• Summer: keep on top of wasps, stick to the maker's line-cleaning schedule, which matters more when the taps get heavy use.
• Autumn: clear leaves from gutters, clean and store cushions, check the base.
• Winter: empty and dry the fridge if it is switched off and prop its door ajar so mould cannot grow, store glasses safely.

Our maintenance calendar covers treating timber and roof checks.

Make it easy

• Keep a small caddy of cleaning kit in the bar.
• Stick a short checklist inside a cupboard door.
• Share the jobs. Whoever hosts does the five-minute tidy.
• Use cleaners suited to each surface. Strong products can strip oil or varnish from a timber bar top and mark some stone.
• Store cleaning products in a closed cupboard, away from drinks and out of reach of children, and never decant them into old drinks bottles.

Put a fridge thermometer in the bar fridge today and a cleaning caddy under the counter. That is half the routine done.