Pubs Etc Can They Polish/wipe Up Their Drinking Glasses?

[dunnitall]

I have tried looking on google but can't find anything so am probably not looking in the right place. I wonder if anyone can tell me please, is there any sort of 'ruling' (EU for e.g.) where it says pubs, clubs and restaurants are not allowed to polish glasses after they've been washed up?

A 'gentle' argument with someone in the family maintains they are not allowed to use glass clothes/tea towels to polish glasses for customers to use. I am often faced with dirty, marked and water stained glasses when dining out which I complain about but then the family member chips in and tells me 'they aren't allowed to wipe them up'. Does anyone have knowledge on this please, many thanks for your help and comments?

[rockyracoon]

I seriously can't remember the last time I saw barstaff wiping glasses with a cloth, the dishwasher (if properly maintained) should be adequate for cleaning them, without leaving watermarks. The thought of a dirty, damp teatowel drying off my glass before I drink from it is not appealing.

[dunnitall]

Rocky I can agree with that however, having someone else's lipstick on a glass that's put on your table is a little off putting too and yes it's happened to me and I've bitterly complained about it. I would prefer they polished glasses with serviettes or paper towels and not cloth towels, but family person still maintains they aren't allowed...hmmph!

[Maydup]

Cloths are allowed providing its a proper glass polishing cloth and a newly cleaned one is used for each batch of glasses. Once its wet and no use it goes in the laundry basket and is not used for anything else.

[EDDIE51]

Yes, you are not allowed to dry,wipe or polish glasses or plates/cups with a cloth. It would spread any germs on the cloth to all the items.
The washing process should leave the items clean and free of marks so that they self dry clean and clear. If glasss are marked it means the washing process is not working correctly, very often this is because the water softener is not being maintained correctly. The washing process must reach 66 deg C as well to be sure bacteria are killed.

[Nibble]

Not like this then??

http://www.grimmy.com/images/MGG_Archive/MGG_2012/MGG-2012-11-16.gif

[EDDIE51]

Maidup, the cloth would be 'wet' as soon as it had been used for the 1st glass.
You would need to use a fresh cloth for each glass.
I work in resturaunts as a 'Kitchen porter' (washer up) you are NOT allowed to use a cloth to dry anything, glasses or cooking utentils, they have to be allowed to dry without being touched.

[dunnitall]

I think what I actually mean is....when the glasses are dry as in washed up and left or heated dry...then they should be polished, not wiped up wet. Sorry if I misled you. It's actually the polishing that I want done by glass cloth or paper, but to eradicate the water marks and make the glasses shine.

[woofgang]

I think that cloths are allowed. In general, H and S law is concerned with outcomes rather than methods. So it may state eg that crockery glasses and cutlery must be visibly clean and show no bacterial growth when swabbed but not lay down how this must be achieved and a similar requirement for cloths, sinks machines and so on.
I also think that washers can't be mandatory either. Serving stuff like slates, boards, iron sizzler platters and so on aren't dishwasher safe and the high end restaurants will use things like crystal glasses and gold rimmed plates which are also not dishwasher safe.

[237SJ]

I wonder when they will bring in that law for hotel room servicers who wipe down the bathroom and then use the same cloth to dry the glasses that they have washed in the sink?

[Nibble]

When working as a silver service waiter, we'd usually remove any remaining "water marks" by holding the offending glass over a hot, steaming bowl of water, then using a dry paper towel to wipe each glass individually. Very wasteful for the environment IMO.

[Maydup]

I too was refering to a polishing cloth rather than a drying up cloth. Held over a steaming bowl, the cloth will last longer before its wet.

[EDDIE51]

Glass washers are mandatory woofgang, it is actually a breach of health and safety regulations to hand wash glasses. You can hand wash pots, pans and other cooking equipment but drinking vessels , cutlery and plates etc must go through a dish washer and reach a temp of 60 deg C and then be allowed to drain and dry with out being touched .

[Prudie]

If you get a glass with lipstick on I wouldn't have thought it had gone through a dishwasher at all - at least not a working one with the correct detergent.

[Prudie]

Good for you, that's pretty yucky

[Maydup]

I disagree Eddie. They clearly follow good practise where you work as KP, but it is not mandatory to have a glass washer. Double sinks and thorough handwashing is acceptable.

Handwashing is a good idea for removing lipstick and very best practise sees both hand and machine washing followed by polishing once dry.

Small bars and cafes however, can wash inthe old fashioned way providing the result is clean bacteria free drinking.

[ummmm]

Eddie....when did that become law. I worked for a catering firm and often had to wash and dry by hand.

[Maydup]

Pleased you named and shamed dunnitall, a big company like that should do better.

[woofgang]

EDDIE I am going to do my usual thing when people talk to me about breaches of Health and Safety and ask for the link to where that is written?
I worked in the NHS and much of my work was around mobility and moving and handling of disabled people and My late husband was in the oil industry so I have got great respect for Health and Safety legislation and the ramifications thereof. Often, however what is declared as "gospel" isn't. It may well be best practice, it may be the way you do it where you work, but neither of those things mean that its the law.

[Sycamore3House]

I used to work for the chain that own beefeater restaurants and going back at least 14 years ago we had a spongey cleaning devices that we would dip glasses into to remove lipstick then put them through the glass wash. If the glass wash was maintained properly nothing further needed to be done. Polishing glasses is very old hat & no longer done.