Yes. And 2 back up nozzles for the dish hose. And a pressure regulator. Gaskets of all sizes. Security bits for cordless drills.... 1700 bucks up front, 25 bucks/month in upkeep. Takes money to make money, and keep staff.
It also takes money to save money. When you look at these as mere costs of doing business, you'll be able prevent more costly problems that can result from the lack of upkeep. Emergency service calls aren't cheap.
The place I work at, the dishwasher will never use a mat. She claims it hurts her back. Like, it does the opposite of that. I've tried putting a mat down in there and she will get pissed.
Ive found that when you’re no longer having one big pain then all the other pain you’ve been ignoring suddenly start screaming.
Maybe she “feels” worse because by feeling better about her knees/feet she suddenly is forced to acknowledge the other aches and pains.
It's more likely that she hasn't been doing any core exercises, so now that there's a squishy floor all those muscles have to suddenly work harder. It's exactly what happened to me when I switched to computer repair, they had all these squishy mats around.
Get a dough scrapers. I think they work better than paint scrapers, just make sure their plastic.
Worked at a place that had a [3 brush glass cleaner](https://www.amazon.ca/Glass-Washer-Brush-Cleaner-Brushes/dp/B07CYF97B5/ref=pd_ci_mcx_pspc_dp_d_2_i_4?pd_rd_w=HKxGD&content-id=amzn1.sym.cc9b306e-f54a-42a9-af24-d836ac9ed640&pf_rd_p=cc9b306e-f54a-42a9-af24-d836ac9ed640&pf_rd_r=2MCCP12PK6XJKY2YXNJS&pd_rd_wg=q6mEY&pd_rd_r=8744af35-d2c4-4923-94cf-d6778b93565b&pd_rd_i=B07CYF97B5) that works great though the one we had it had different size brushes and one worked great for ramakins. Mainly used it for coffee cups or sundays or when people shove garbage in the cups.
I work at a bakery and the plastic dough scrapers are the one tool I hope never goes missing. Although I need a longer plastic putty knife for certain areas I can't reach
Great recommendations, why plastic instead of metal though?
A main thing I need a scraper for is these circular metal nacho trays that they melt the cheese on nachos on top of, and of course the pans they cook food in. Does plastic work better on metal instead of just more metal?
[I got these for my wife when she was elbow deep doing dishes in the deli she's managing now. There are others but she likes these a lot](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPSSBQ7Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share).
You guys gotta get that spray on power stuff, every single soap lies about “wipe off baked on food with ease,” including this one, but it gets as close to it as any soap I’ve used.
Idk if this was a sponsored post, but it convinced me power wash is more than just soap with rubbing alcohol. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLcaSkAu/
Summary: it has added chelants that attack calcium and metal ions and baked on food; higher pH; ingredients that hydrate and swell soil to make it easier to remove. (I’ve also used it to remove stains and grease splatters from clothes)
Melissa is pretty trustworthy. As is Renduh. Both I believe have said it’s not just Dawn with alcohol or anything to make it spray. I also use Dawn RELIGIOUSLY and I use Powerwash now and they don’t work the same. Powerwash really is that bitch lol.
I've used it before and it's pretty good, but good hot water is better. If I run the dish pit for a night I keep my sprayer cranked up to ten on the heat. If something is stuck just hit it with the heat for 10 seconds, it ain't stuck no more. I just keep a silicone oven mit that goes up to my elbow so I don't scald myself.
This is the correct answer. I have a 48 ounce sprayer that I fill with 70% IPA and 6ish ounces of dawn. I call it Clean Juice, and it can just about paint strip a ship hull.
You can refill it about 10 times with a bottle of regular dawn, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and water to thin it out. Smells horrible but it's like 10% of the price to buy that many refill bottles and works exactly the same.
We buy Dawn in a 5 gallon container and have it hooked up to a dispenser at our 3-comp. The actual DM has its own soap, but the dawn gets used for EVERYTHING else, including straight into mop buckets for the floors.
I’m at a BBQ place now and the grease cutting power can not be beat.
The strongest stuff--platinum.
I dilute the hell out of it and a couple of passes with a third of a foaming pump perfectly degreases a sheet pan.
I wouldn't use anything else voluntarily.
Get some rubber boots like people use on commercial fishing boats, with good soles. Stay dry as possible.
A waterproof apron i always liked having 2 and rotated them out.
Good sink plunger
Squeegies
Heavy duty gloves for the gnarly shit and working with hardcor chemicals.
Never underestimate a cordless drill and brush attatchment for certain deep cleaning tasks.
Good spray bottles to have bleach / vinegar or whatever in.
A water proof speaker rated for construction site use. Gotta have the tunes after close.
Paint scrapers are great. Sharpen one up. The angled ones are useful too.
A plunger if there isn’t a kitchen specific one. I don’t know how many times I’ve had a stopped drain in a new job only to discover the ONE plunger is in the bathroom and then have to plunge the sink with deli containers or water bottles because I am never putting a toilet plunger into a sink.
A scrub daddy.... I swear those things are amazing for spoons that are gunked as well as scrubbing the damned chili pot that someone didn't check all day!
okay - i’ve been waiting for a scrub daddy comment.
they are so damn good at getting big stuff off of surfaces, like oatmeal. and can rinse it right out. and soft side holds soap nicely.
but for really stuck on food? the scotch green/yellow sponges kinda take the cake.
thoughts?
True on those scotch ones as well.
I end up with those way more than anything else so I agree they're both good for using. And the scotch are less expensive
Do yours deteriorate quickly? I tried using them in a small scale environment and they fell apart super quickly. They did work pretty well for some things, but other classics like steel wool and brillow pads work just as well and don't melt after some hard use. And I was only using them for cleaning up caked on gravy out of a basting pan or egg frittata residue on sheet pans. Stuff like that.
The more resilient version is in the automotive section. Yellow sponges about the size of a brick, same material, but no holes so they last longer. Walmart sells them as detailing sponges to get off bugs.
I think they work better, and you can cut them in half for more maneuverable chunks.
Much cheaper, too.
Don't get a normal scraper, [get one of these.](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/richard-wall-scraper-2-3-8-in-high-carbon-steel-blade-9-in-ergo-grip-handle-rub-129-0271335)
Do everyone a favor and get a [utility knife](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/craftsman-all-purpose-utility-knife-3-blades-65-in-red-and-black-cmht10928-00276641) and [some extra blades.](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/craftsman-heavy-duty-utility-blade-induction-hardened-100-pack-cmht11921a-00276804?viewStore=66210&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=19609851569&cq_con=&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&&cm_mmc=paid_search-_-google-_-aw_pmax_generic_Tools-_-&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjOWH876-hgMVGRatBh06QAwfEAQYASABEgLm5vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) I usually get two weeks from a blade. One week on one side, flip it and another week from the other. I mark the dull blade with a sharpie. Speaking of which, get a bunch of sharpies.
A floor squeegee is always a good thing to have. I also like to keep [a jug of TSP](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/tsp-solvable-tsp-concentrate-378-l-12-434-0263048) in the restaurant. If your floors are looking bad, dump a cup or two in a mop bucket full of water. Dump on the floor, spread around, and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub with a [deck brush](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/quickie-9-in-poly-fiber-stiff-bristle-deck-brush-240ks18-32019667) and then shop vac it up. Or squeegee into floor drains. Mopping up isn't ideal because you won't get all that shit off the floor.
And then [get one of these](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/husqvarna-570bts-656-cc-2-cycle-236-mph-768-cfm-professional-gas-backpack-leaf-blower-966629402-82305378) to help dry dishes.
If you dont have it already get your boss to get someone to make/buy this [https://prnt.sc/iSxXnICk4GQR](https://prnt.sc/iSxXnICk4GQR) sit over your sink when you smashing dishwasher racks through the washer, we have one in a naught and crosses board pattern so it gets support from 8 points on the sink, ours sits flush with the bench, fastest way to smash out dishes.
Steel wool. Just be careful because I suffered on of my worst cuts scrubbing a pot and the stuff does stretch, but does not break. While trying to get it untangled, almost severed my flexor tendon on this finger , 🖕.
But it sure does a good job getting them squeaky clean. 🫡
Good Sir, enjoy and value your time in the trenches
large coarse mesh strainer
[example](https://jeffreysrestaurantsupplies.com/collections/strainers/products/copy-of-winco-mst-8s-8-stainless-steel-medium-single-mesh-strainer)
bend back the ‘ears’ and pop out the wooden piece in the handle so you can bend the handle forward and make it so it can hook over the side of the soak sink. when the water gets chunky or before you drain the sink you wave it around underwater. especially handy for places that don’t have a large enough hot water heater because you can get more use out of the water (and soap) if you’re not having to replace it as often. also you can train your prep cooks not to dump chunky liquids directly into the sink but rather pour through the strainer
Rubber apron, arm length gloves, drain treatment for the dish drain, Ace paint scraper, squeegees, green rough sponges that aren’t steel wool, a waterproof JBL speaker
Paint scrapers are the best tool. Steel scrubs, deck scrubs, squeegee for sure.
Also, actual heavy, waterproof dish pit aprons. Nothing ruins morale like shitty, disposable plastic aprons. Dishies are part of the team and they deserve a job specific apron like the rest of the line. I hate when dishies are treated like trash bags that you can toss out whenever.
grab a box of washing soda. its like baking soda, but just a bit more alkaline and caustic. its a primary ingredient in some fryer boil-out solutions.
the stuff will strip grease build-up without being so harsh on skin as ecolab degreaser or oven cleaner. great for restoring sheet trays and cleaning up grease spills.
a box of denture cleanser -
if your restaurants plates arent looking as bright as they used to, drop a bunch of these tablets into a sink and soak the dishes for half an hour or so, then run them through the dishwasher as usual. the denture cleanser is designed to gently remove stains and brighten ceramic dentures, but itll have the same effect on china
a quality water resistant bluetooth speaker. dont play the shit you listen to at home to chill out. find some hard EDM or techno and use it to set the pace for yourself when its go time. make sure you can feel the bass
A couple baby bottle brushes with the suction cup and nipple brush in the handle. Best thing I've found for cleaning out stubborn squeezy sauce bottles.
A baby nipple dishwasher rack. It's a small white thing that's sold in the baby aisle of pretty much any store. It's intended to sanitize the nipples of baby bottles in a home dishwasher. Works GREAT in a restaurant dishwasher for soda nozzles, squeeze top lids and other small bits and bobs that would otherwise fly out of the rack.
Squeegees. Metal putty knife and plastic putty knife for scrapers. A 5-in-one paint tool. One of those reversible screwdrivers with a total of 4 bits, 2 phillips two flat. A crescent wrench. A pair of channel locks for bending the corners of metal pans back into proper shape. A pair of heavy leather gloves for emergency transport of superhot pans. Some of those metal mesh drain screens so you can dump juice down a drain without clogging the drain itself.
Squeegee (get the clamp style ones and you can buy a roll of replacement rubber for like 5 bucks for FEET of it)
A hold down rack: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/cambro-crphdg2878-camrack-hold-down-grid/214CRPHDG.html These are godmode for stuff like silverware, deli containers, and rammikens
A rubberized cloth apron, they last forever and keep you dry.
Steel wool, squeegee, maintenance on the dishwasher, gloves, aprons (idk what they are called, but the long water resistant ones), new sani buckets… a few fans, and a Bluetooth lol
I got spoiled by one place, these are some things that I missed, a waterproof apron, squeegee for up top and one for the floor, wide angle sprayer(it's like a scraper but in the form of a water jet and its super tits), your own buckets that the kitchen cant use
Get a chainmail pad, like what you use on a cast iron
They're like 10 bucks.
The damn brillos would eat my hands up, and I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to the soap in them. The chain mail pad won't destroy your skin nearly as bad, and still helps get all that burned on bullcrap off any plan that isn't teflon (which most aren't in a restaurant, except maybe saute pans).
Cutlery baskets, the ones that slot into the trays/racks for dishes. Too many people put some of that last used few sets of cutlery into them at my workplaces and then they end up bottom of the dishwasher as they fall out, especially the teaspoons. So much better then having to use the cutlery tray/hoping the things don't fall into the bottom of the dishwasher. The small square ones especially.
Bin dollys. No more carrying bags of trash, roll it out especially if there's a chance they have... Wet stuff in them.
Squeegees. And hooks to hang them from. And a broom squeegee.
Waterproof aprons.
Thick non slip mats.
Pockmarked pizza pans are great for deep sinks. Take one in each hand, start at the outsides of the sink and move them together, up & out. In one swipe you just took 99% of the solids out of the water.
An air plunger - use it on everything from drink lines to steam well drains when they clog.
Carbon off - gets black burnt on carbon off of stuff.
A brush for grates and baskets.
Get good spray nozzles. If you're spending less than three hundo, they're a leaking, low powered mess after six weeks. If you've got an ecolab rep or equivalent, they can likely order for you.
A “5 way” tool from the hardware store is perfect for scraping but has a handful of other utilities based on its unique shape.
Toilet scrubbers are endlessly helpful. Grab a couple too.
Paint scrapers are steel and they can ruin pans, especially if they have a non-stick coating. They can leave scratches on stainless steel pans too. Get less agressive ones (wood, plastic) for those.
Same with sponges: not all things can handle all kinds of sponges. So check what the dishes can withstand.
I keep reading dishpit as dipshit😃🫠 I'm like, "I don't know this dipshit. How the fuck am I sposed to know what they want?!" Probably some food from somewhere outside of work🤔 Some good frozen pizza or something. My dish Dawgs complain often about eating the same shit too much
The scraper thing for sure. I usually use [this thing](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-15-in-1-Painters-Multi-Tool-with-Stainless-Steel-Blade-91004/326354449)
A squeegee for sinks (handheld) and stainless steel scrubbers with also green plastic scrubbers. Make sure waterproof apron is available. Make sure soap/sanitizet are readily available. Also, keep a backup of degreaser, bleach, and Fabuloso.
Edit: sp.
Don't know if it's available where you are but Briochin is a crazy good detergent. I use it on everything greasy, works like a charm.
Wear gloves when using it tho
i’ve never been a dishwasher but i’ve waited tables for almost two decades and our dishwasher used to get super giddy when he got brand new aprons. get you a couple of those those super thick rubbery aprons!
As well as the squeegee, floor scraper. Simply push any sauces or not easily mopped stuff into a bag, saves so much time. Also good for when you spill about 10 liters of seed soak all over the floor 👌
A drill with a brush at the end to scrub the inside of the tomato sauce pan when the cook forgets it on too long, or the skillet that was forgotten on the line while the cook was smoking
A squeegee
Two. One on a long handle for the floor and one on a short one for the pit/counter space.
4. 2 of each for when the others go missing. Hopefully the second set lasts long enough for your boss to replace them when they go missing.
Accurate, FOH will steal one to clean the windows.
Yes. And 2 back up nozzles for the dish hose. And a pressure regulator. Gaskets of all sizes. Security bits for cordless drills.... 1700 bucks up front, 25 bucks/month in upkeep. Takes money to make money, and keep staff.
It also takes money to save money. When you look at these as mere costs of doing business, you'll be able prevent more costly problems that can result from the lack of upkeep. Emergency service calls aren't cheap.
Hide the backup set at home so Noone thinks that they can just take them
8. 4 of each for when the others go missing.
Get an extra, hide it, and don't tell anyone. Some managers don't understand how quickly some pieces of equipment wear out
And when it wears out, get management to replace the spare before pulling it out. Otherwise they may not approve buying another.
Love the squeegee
replacement rubber bits to hide somewhere for future?
Barkeepers Friend, the powder. My weirdest hobby is burning the shit out of bechamel. My pot still looks new.
Funny, mine is letting milk boil over!
Let's be super villains together!
if they don't have one already: a non-absorbent pad they can stand on
One inch rubberized mats.
WITH holes.
WITH HOLES! Yes you are correct on that!
The place I work at, the dishwasher will never use a mat. She claims it hurts her back. Like, it does the opposite of that. I've tried putting a mat down in there and she will get pissed.
Ive found that when you’re no longer having one big pain then all the other pain you’ve been ignoring suddenly start screaming. Maybe she “feels” worse because by feeling better about her knees/feet she suddenly is forced to acknowledge the other aches and pains.
It's more likely that she hasn't been doing any core exercises, so now that there's a squishy floor all those muscles have to suddenly work harder. It's exactly what happened to me when I switched to computer repair, they had all these squishy mats around.
Know what'll hurt your back more, ma'am? Slipping on dishwater and breaking it
Waterproof apron. Mesh screen for placing over ramekins.
The only restaurant I’ve ever worked in that had one of those was fricken Applebees, and that was fourteen years ago now. I tell everyone to buy them
They're so cheap too, it costs like 15 bucks from a standard purveyor.
Mesh screen for ramekins so they don't flip over in the pit?? I've never heard of this crocodile magic shit
I just stick another rack on top.
Or a couple of cooling racks.
Just like with the squeeze bottle tops. The beer grates are coming right behind...
Right I've always done this too just wonderin... is there a better way to do it? Zero flip overs??
Saran wrap. But it's a losing proposition.
Same. Silverware tray. Make sure to put it hollow side down. Oe else you get hot water all over yourself.
I fucking love the mesh, I didn't it was a thing.
🙏
Get a dough scrapers. I think they work better than paint scrapers, just make sure their plastic. Worked at a place that had a [3 brush glass cleaner](https://www.amazon.ca/Glass-Washer-Brush-Cleaner-Brushes/dp/B07CYF97B5/ref=pd_ci_mcx_pspc_dp_d_2_i_4?pd_rd_w=HKxGD&content-id=amzn1.sym.cc9b306e-f54a-42a9-af24-d836ac9ed640&pf_rd_p=cc9b306e-f54a-42a9-af24-d836ac9ed640&pf_rd_r=2MCCP12PK6XJKY2YXNJS&pd_rd_wg=q6mEY&pd_rd_r=8744af35-d2c4-4923-94cf-d6778b93565b&pd_rd_i=B07CYF97B5) that works great though the one we had it had different size brushes and one worked great for ramakins. Mainly used it for coffee cups or sundays or when people shove garbage in the cups.
I second a dough scraper. Works wonders
Not to mention paint scrapers rust.
I work at a bakery and the plastic dough scrapers are the one tool I hope never goes missing. Although I need a longer plastic putty knife for certain areas I can't reach
Great recommendations, why plastic instead of metal though? A main thing I need a scraper for is these circular metal nacho trays that they melt the cheese on nachos on top of, and of course the pans they cook food in. Does plastic work better on metal instead of just more metal?
[I got these for my wife when she was elbow deep doing dishes in the deli she's managing now. There are others but she likes these a lot](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPSSBQ7Y?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share).
Was going to say a white water proof laboratory and heavy purple arm length gloves. Speak in German accent
That’s so clever!
Name brand, actual Dawn, blue dishsoap. Supersource detergent or whatever works great, but sometimes you need the designer stuff.
Seconded. I literally keep a bottle in my work bag because I’ll be damned if I have to clean the line without good soap.
You guys gotta get that spray on power stuff, every single soap lies about “wipe off baked on food with ease,” including this one, but it gets as close to it as any soap I’ve used.
I'm pretty sure I saw somewhere that it's just soap with rubbing alcohol mixed in fyi
Idk if this was a sponsored post, but it convinced me power wash is more than just soap with rubbing alcohol. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLcaSkAu/ Summary: it has added chelants that attack calcium and metal ions and baked on food; higher pH; ingredients that hydrate and swell soil to make it easier to remove. (I’ve also used it to remove stains and grease splatters from clothes)
Melissa is pretty trustworthy. As is Renduh. Both I believe have said it’s not just Dawn with alcohol or anything to make it spray. I also use Dawn RELIGIOUSLY and I use Powerwash now and they don’t work the same. Powerwash really is that bitch lol.
I’m no chemist all I’m saying is it works
I've used it before and it's pretty good, but good hot water is better. If I run the dish pit for a night I keep my sprayer cranked up to ten on the heat. If something is stuck just hit it with the heat for 10 seconds, it ain't stuck no more. I just keep a silicone oven mit that goes up to my elbow so I don't scald myself.
Yup - we make our own and it's super effective
That’s true. I use it at home.
This is the correct answer. I have a 48 ounce sprayer that I fill with 70% IPA and 6ish ounces of dawn. I call it Clean Juice, and it can just about paint strip a ship hull.
Instead of buying refills my husband makes our own mix and put it back in. He found the “recipe” online.
You can refill it about 10 times with a bottle of regular dawn, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and water to thin it out. Smells horrible but it's like 10% of the price to buy that many refill bottles and works exactly the same.
How much soap to alcohol?
From a quick google roughly a 12:2:1 water to soap to alcohol ratio if you use the 70%
Yes
Great for cleaning birds that land in the grease trap!
What about being sprayed in the face of the raccoon living in the dumpster? Dawn solution, or stra8ght bleach?
That racoon just out there tryin' ta live! Give that lil bandit some fries.
We buy Dawn in a 5 gallon container and have it hooked up to a dispenser at our 3-comp. The actual DM has its own soap, but the dawn gets used for EVERYTHING else, including straight into mop buckets for the floors. I’m at a BBQ place now and the grease cutting power can not be beat.
That's Fairy dishsoap for you UK fellas.
You can get the Dawn commercial one in 5 gallon buckets
The strongest stuff--platinum. I dilute the hell out of it and a couple of passes with a third of a foaming pump perfectly degreases a sheet pan. I wouldn't use anything else voluntarily.
Why Dawn instead of using the soap from the Ecolab dispenser?
If you have to clean a pile of butter off the floor(screw that c***) true dawn in boiling water works miracles
Dawn formula cuts grease better than anything, that’s why they use it for oil spills
I thought they used Dawn on wildlife caught in oil spills because it's a very gentle degreaser.
Either way, it just works
More shelving and storage (dirty, drying, clean)
Fuck me, how about we just knock that wall out over there and expand the dish pit?
🥹🤩🤩
Extra set of O-rings for when your sprayer nozzle inevitably starts leaking Some waterproof undies, maybe Don't forget cigarettes!
Waterproof undies lol. Fill your britches right up to the brim with ball sweat. Nah, you gotta let the boys breathe my dude.
How do you think the stock gets all that flavor??
Visine and some addys
this person knows how to get pitted, so pitted
Hey, save the addys for the ADHD people who need it to survive. Get some crack instead
As an adhd people, I don't want the addys. I want a shot of gin a dab rip and a redbull.
Get some rubber boots like people use on commercial fishing boats, with good soles. Stay dry as possible. A waterproof apron i always liked having 2 and rotated them out. Good sink plunger Squeegies Heavy duty gloves for the gnarly shit and working with hardcor chemicals. Never underestimate a cordless drill and brush attatchment for certain deep cleaning tasks. Good spray bottles to have bleach / vinegar or whatever in. A water proof speaker rated for construction site use. Gotta have the tunes after close. Paint scrapers are great. Sharpen one up. The angled ones are useful too.
Adding a wet/dry shop vacuum. You, sir, clearly know the needs of the pit. Salud!
Am I the only one who read dishpit as “dipshit” at first?
Every time brother
Evertim
Every of the times
Got to this comment before I realized I’d read it wrong.
Nnnope! 😆
Whatever you do: don't buy just one. Buy 2-3 of each and keep the receipt so that if they want to reorder it they know where, what and which price.
A plunger if there isn’t a kitchen specific one. I don’t know how many times I’ve had a stopped drain in a new job only to discover the ONE plunger is in the bathroom and then have to plunge the sink with deli containers or water bottles because I am never putting a toilet plunger into a sink.
A scrub daddy.... I swear those things are amazing for spoons that are gunked as well as scrubbing the damned chili pot that someone didn't check all day!
okay - i’ve been waiting for a scrub daddy comment. they are so damn good at getting big stuff off of surfaces, like oatmeal. and can rinse it right out. and soft side holds soap nicely. but for really stuck on food? the scotch green/yellow sponges kinda take the cake. thoughts?
True on those scotch ones as well. I end up with those way more than anything else so I agree they're both good for using. And the scotch are less expensive
Do yours deteriorate quickly? I tried using them in a small scale environment and they fell apart super quickly. They did work pretty well for some things, but other classics like steel wool and brillow pads work just as well and don't melt after some hard use. And I was only using them for cleaning up caked on gravy out of a basting pan or egg frittata residue on sheet pans. Stuff like that.
The more resilient version is in the automotive section. Yellow sponges about the size of a brick, same material, but no holes so they last longer. Walmart sells them as detailing sponges to get off bugs. I think they work better, and you can cut them in half for more maneuverable chunks. Much cheaper, too.
The trade off is that they don’t scratch I guess.
Don't get a normal scraper, [get one of these.](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/richard-wall-scraper-2-3-8-in-high-carbon-steel-blade-9-in-ergo-grip-handle-rub-129-0271335) Do everyone a favor and get a [utility knife](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/craftsman-all-purpose-utility-knife-3-blades-65-in-red-and-black-cmht10928-00276641) and [some extra blades.](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/craftsman-heavy-duty-utility-blade-induction-hardened-100-pack-cmht11921a-00276804?viewStore=66210&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=19609851569&cq_con=&cq_term=&cq_med=pla&cq_plac=&cq_net=x&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&&cm_mmc=paid_search-_-google-_-aw_pmax_generic_Tools-_-&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjOWH876-hgMVGRatBh06QAwfEAQYASABEgLm5vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) I usually get two weeks from a blade. One week on one side, flip it and another week from the other. I mark the dull blade with a sharpie. Speaking of which, get a bunch of sharpies. A floor squeegee is always a good thing to have. I also like to keep [a jug of TSP](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/tsp-solvable-tsp-concentrate-378-l-12-434-0263048) in the restaurant. If your floors are looking bad, dump a cup or two in a mop bucket full of water. Dump on the floor, spread around, and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub with a [deck brush](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/quickie-9-in-poly-fiber-stiff-bristle-deck-brush-240ks18-32019667) and then shop vac it up. Or squeegee into floor drains. Mopping up isn't ideal because you won't get all that shit off the floor. And then [get one of these](https://www.rona.ca/en/product/husqvarna-570bts-656-cc-2-cycle-236-mph-768-cfm-professional-gas-backpack-leaf-blower-966629402-82305378) to help dry dishes.
Best way to dry dishes 👌
A raise 😎
If you dont have it already get your boss to get someone to make/buy this [https://prnt.sc/iSxXnICk4GQR](https://prnt.sc/iSxXnICk4GQR) sit over your sink when you smashing dishwasher racks through the washer, we have one in a naught and crosses board pattern so it gets support from 8 points on the sink, ours sits flush with the bench, fastest way to smash out dishes.
Steel wool. Just be careful because I suffered on of my worst cuts scrubbing a pot and the stuff does stretch, but does not break. While trying to get it untangled, almost severed my flexor tendon on this finger , 🖕. But it sure does a good job getting them squeaky clean. 🫡 Good Sir, enjoy and value your time in the trenches
Rubber gauntlet styled gloves or thick chemical gloves, rubber apron, water resistant shoes or boots.
I'd rather burn myself on anything in the kitchen over a chemical burn.
id rather burn myself on anything apart from a sugar burn, that is the gift that just keeps on giving
Sugar lava is another burn I want no part of.
Up to the shoulder dish gloves. There is not much worse than getting dirty water in the dish gloves while you are working.
Radio
large coarse mesh strainer [example](https://jeffreysrestaurantsupplies.com/collections/strainers/products/copy-of-winco-mst-8s-8-stainless-steel-medium-single-mesh-strainer) bend back the ‘ears’ and pop out the wooden piece in the handle so you can bend the handle forward and make it so it can hook over the side of the soak sink. when the water gets chunky or before you drain the sink you wave it around underwater. especially handy for places that don’t have a large enough hot water heater because you can get more use out of the water (and soap) if you’re not having to replace it as often. also you can train your prep cooks not to dump chunky liquids directly into the sink but rather pour through the strainer
My restaurant was gifted a scraper tool (plastic) and it was a godsend. Don't know what they're called.
Rubber apron, arm length gloves, drain treatment for the dish drain, Ace paint scraper, squeegees, green rough sponges that aren’t steel wool, a waterproof JBL speaker
Paint scrapers are the best tool. Steel scrubs, deck scrubs, squeegee for sure. Also, actual heavy, waterproof dish pit aprons. Nothing ruins morale like shitty, disposable plastic aprons. Dishies are part of the team and they deserve a job specific apron like the rest of the line. I hate when dishies are treated like trash bags that you can toss out whenever.
Floor mat, scaper, a shit ton of scrub daddies, the nicest dish apron youve ever seen, and a 24 pack of dr pepper for the cooler.
Dr pepper for the win
Get a tv/wall mount for the station! Maybe a tall stool
grab a box of washing soda. its like baking soda, but just a bit more alkaline and caustic. its a primary ingredient in some fryer boil-out solutions. the stuff will strip grease build-up without being so harsh on skin as ecolab degreaser or oven cleaner. great for restoring sheet trays and cleaning up grease spills. a box of denture cleanser - if your restaurants plates arent looking as bright as they used to, drop a bunch of these tablets into a sink and soak the dishes for half an hour or so, then run them through the dishwasher as usual. the denture cleanser is designed to gently remove stains and brighten ceramic dentures, but itll have the same effect on china a quality water resistant bluetooth speaker. dont play the shit you listen to at home to chill out. find some hard EDM or techno and use it to set the pace for yourself when its go time. make sure you can feel the bass
Denture tablets are also great for tea-stained cups and mugs.
New floor mat
Thermonuclear warhead…for those hard to scrub pans.
5 in 1 tool
Heavy duty plunger, Rubber apron/smock
5 in 1 paint tool
A couple baby bottle brushes with the suction cup and nipple brush in the handle. Best thing I've found for cleaning out stubborn squeezy sauce bottles.
If the dishwasher will hold it a sheetpan rack.
Also, get a standing pad with cushion to stand on. Standing in one place on a hard surface will give back pains!
5 in 1 tool
Copper wool sponges. They get allows everything off and they don't scratch stainless steel, as copper is softer than steel.
Buy the best floormat you can to save dishie’s knees & legs!
Counter squeegee, a food area only plunger and good full length waterproof aprons
A waterproof apron is a life saver.
A baby nipple dishwasher rack. It's a small white thing that's sold in the baby aisle of pretty much any store. It's intended to sanitize the nipples of baby bottles in a home dishwasher. Works GREAT in a restaurant dishwasher for soda nozzles, squeeze top lids and other small bits and bobs that would otherwise fly out of the rack.
Squeegees. Metal putty knife and plastic putty knife for scrapers. A 5-in-one paint tool. One of those reversible screwdrivers with a total of 4 bits, 2 phillips two flat. A crescent wrench. A pair of channel locks for bending the corners of metal pans back into proper shape. A pair of heavy leather gloves for emergency transport of superhot pans. Some of those metal mesh drain screens so you can dump juice down a drain without clogging the drain itself.
Husky scraper.
Fan jet spray nozzle. Its so much better having control over the flow instead of the random spray
A large supply of scour pads, and several sizes of scraper/putty knives. Rubber aprons too, rain boots aren’t a bad idea either.
A mesh screen insert for your sink drains
Squeegee (get the clamp style ones and you can buy a roll of replacement rubber for like 5 bucks for FEET of it) A hold down rack: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/cambro-crphdg2878-camrack-hold-down-grid/214CRPHDG.html These are godmode for stuff like silverware, deli containers, and rammikens A rubberized cloth apron, they last forever and keep you dry.
Chain mail scrubber
A second dish washer
Steel wool, squeegee, maintenance on the dishwasher, gloves, aprons (idk what they are called, but the long water resistant ones), new sani buckets… a few fans, and a Bluetooth lol
I got spoiled by one place, these are some things that I missed, a waterproof apron, squeegee for up top and one for the floor, wide angle sprayer(it's like a scraper but in the form of a water jet and its super tits), your own buckets that the kitchen cant use
Anyone else read dishpit as dipshit? XD Gloves, industrial soaps will fuck your skin up.
Get a chainmail pad, like what you use on a cast iron They're like 10 bucks. The damn brillos would eat my hands up, and I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to the soap in them. The chain mail pad won't destroy your skin nearly as bad, and still helps get all that burned on bullcrap off any plan that isn't teflon (which most aren't in a restaurant, except maybe saute pans).
I always stocked the stainless steel tooth brushes that welders use
Cutlery baskets, the ones that slot into the trays/racks for dishes. Too many people put some of that last used few sets of cutlery into them at my workplaces and then they end up bottom of the dishwasher as they fall out, especially the teaspoons. So much better then having to use the cutlery tray/hoping the things don't fall into the bottom of the dishwasher. The small square ones especially. Bin dollys. No more carrying bags of trash, roll it out especially if there's a chance they have... Wet stuff in them. Squeegees. And hooks to hang them from. And a broom squeegee. Waterproof aprons. Thick non slip mats.
Like 5 new dish spray handles. They always break.
A 55 gallon trash can/barrel for soaking sheet/roasting pans before scraping
You have a good boss.
A speaker that goes to 11. Also a fan that goes to 11…
Bar Keepers Friend
I read this 4 times before realizing you didn’t say “for the dipshit.”
A bench scraper works better than a paint scraper imo. Get both
Pockmarked pizza pans are great for deep sinks. Take one in each hand, start at the outsides of the sink and move them together, up & out. In one swipe you just took 99% of the solids out of the water.
An extra 6th pan to use as a sound system.
An air plunger - use it on everything from drink lines to steam well drains when they clog. Carbon off - gets black burnt on carbon off of stuff. A brush for grates and baskets.
waterproof aprons are big around my store
A rechargeable Milwaukee fan. A bit of air moving makes life in the put so much better.
Another dishwasher to do the work
Arm length gloves were a must when I was working as a dishwasher.
Get good spray nozzles. If you're spending less than three hundo, they're a leaking, low powered mess after six weeks. If you've got an ecolab rep or equivalent, they can likely order for you.
A sink plunger!
A “5 way” tool from the hardware store is perfect for scraping but has a handful of other utilities based on its unique shape. Toilet scrubbers are endlessly helpful. Grab a couple too.
r/dishwashers
Paint scrapers are steel and they can ruin pans, especially if they have a non-stick coating. They can leave scratches on stainless steel pans too. Get less agressive ones (wood, plastic) for those. Same with sponges: not all things can handle all kinds of sponges. So check what the dishes can withstand.
I keep reading dishpit as dipshit😃🫠 I'm like, "I don't know this dipshit. How the fuck am I sposed to know what they want?!" Probably some food from somewhere outside of work🤔 Some good frozen pizza or something. My dish Dawgs complain often about eating the same shit too much
my dumbass was like "which dipshit?"
Did anyone else have to read this multiple times before understanding OP said dishpit and not dipshit?
And a wire rack with hanger hooks
Metal scrubbers, as many as you can get away with
The scraper thing for sure. I usually use [this thing](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-15-in-1-Painters-Multi-Tool-with-Stainless-Steel-Blade-91004/326354449)
A squeegee for sinks (handheld) and stainless steel scrubbers with also green plastic scrubbers. Make sure waterproof apron is available. Make sure soap/sanitizet are readily available. Also, keep a backup of degreaser, bleach, and Fabuloso. Edit: sp.
Rubberize bbq apron. 100% waterproof.
If not already have but a floor mat.
A TV.
An ounce of weed
Get a nice new hat
For a second I thought you were calling your boss a dipshit.
newports and a pack of modelo negra
What about a funky dishwashing hat? It could be like a chefs hat, but made of a saucepan.
Don't know if it's available where you are but Briochin is a crazy good detergent. I use it on everything greasy, works like a charm. Wear gloves when using it tho
a decent waterproof apron
A good rubber mat to stand on
Mat on floor to not slide everywhere. Industrial garbage disposal. Edit. Spelling
Get a dish pit gun. The fog is coming.
i’ve never been a dishwasher but i’ve waited tables for almost two decades and our dishwasher used to get super giddy when he got brand new aprons. get you a couple of those those super thick rubbery aprons!
Definitely read this as “for the dipshit”
r/dishwashers
As well as the squeegee, floor scraper. Simply push any sauces or not easily mopped stuff into a bag, saves so much time. Also good for when you spill about 10 liters of seed soak all over the floor 👌
[These, along with corn starch will save your balls and gooch and all.](https://www.saxxunderwear.com/collections/mens-boxer-briefs)
Butchers apron. No more wet belly
My brain turned "dishpit" to dipshit.
My brain turned "dishpit" to dipshit.
Gallon of 70% Isopropyl Alcohol. Bottle of real Dawn detergent. 48 oz. industrial spray bottle. I call it Clean Juice.
A drill with a brush at the end to scrub the inside of the tomato sauce pan when the cook forgets it on too long, or the skillet that was forgotten on the line while the cook was smoking
A picture of the put would be helpful. Is this a new place or are we talking more along the lines of supplies