Sanitizing equipment and food contact surfaces

Using a thorough sanitation routine for equipment and food contact surfaces is one way to prevent cross-contamination and cross-contact. An effective sanitation routine has five steps: dry cleaning, wet cleaning, rinsing, sanitizing and drying. Each step has an impact on the next step and should not be skipped.

Dry cleaning

Dry cleaning is the removal of debris like crumbs, dirt, dust or other potential physical hazards from a surface.

Supplies or tools you may need for dry cleaning include:

• Dry, clean cloth or paper towel.
• A rigid scraper to remove dried residue in an oven or on a stove top. Be mindful of the scraping edge, as if it starts to become worn, replace it so no material shards or pieces get into foods or ingredients. Use a scraper that is approved to use on food contact surfaces, made of a polypropylene material and has no seams so it is resistant to bacteria growth. Look for a scraper that is available in a variety of colors which helps to see any shards.

For tables or food production areas you might wipe or brush away the debris into the trash. If there is sticky or dried residue you may need to scrape off as much as you can.

Dry cleaning or removing the visible debris increases the effectiveness of wet cleaning, which is the next step of the sanitation routine. Removing the physical debris reduces the number of particles that could get trapped in the cleaning cloth and soapy water and then spread during wet cleaning.

Wet cleaning

Wet cleaning is the use of a detergent or soap, warm water solution to loosen and remove hazards from kitchen equipment and food processing surfaces.

Wet cleaning increases the effectiveness of rinsing, which is the next step of the sanitation routine. Wet cleaning loosens hazards from surfaces which makes them easier to remove during rinsing.

Supplies or tools you may need for wet cleaning include:

• Clean cloth or a thin scouring pad. These can be easily cleaned and sanitized between uses. Avoid using a sponge because debris and pathogens can easily hide in the material. 
• Pail or bucket to mix the detergent or soap with warm water. 
• Cleaning solution.

Do not store the cleaning cloth or scouring pad in the cleaning solution. A cleaning solution does not inactive or kill pathogens. Rinse and store in the sanitizer solution during use.

In combination with the active ingredients in a cleaning solution, the act or motion of scrubbing is important to loosen hazards from the surface. Thin scouring pads can be useful as they create friction when scrubbing, and are easily cleaned, sanitized and dried between uses. 

Rinsing

Rinsing is the removal of the cleaning solutions and hazards with clean water.

Rinsing increases the effectiveness of sanitizing, which is the next step of the sanitation routine. Rinsing away the cleaning solution and hazards prevents the concentration of the sanitizer from being diluted.

Supplies or tools you may need for rinsing include:

• Clean cloth. Do not use the cloth that was used for cleaning as this can spread hazards. 
• Pail or bucket for clean, warm water. Alternatively, rinse the cloth under warm running water between rinsing surfaces. 

Sanitizing

Sanitizing is the use of a sanitizer solution to inactivate or kill the number of pathogens to a safe level that minimizes the risk of contamination and foodborne illness. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that a sanitizer must achieve a 5-log reduction (inactivating 99.999% of microbes or bacteria) for food contact surfaces and a 3-log reduction (99.9% reduction) for non-food contact surfaces.

The sanitizer solution can either be sprayed onto the surface or applied using a cloth. Supplies or tools you may need for sanitizing include:

• Spray bottle.
• Pail or bucket to mix the sanitizer solution, and a clean cloth. 
• Sanitizer solution.

Chlorine-based solution

A chlorine-based (bleach) solution is an accessible and cost-effective option for at-home sanitizing use. A bleach solution can be made by mixing the proper ratio of bleach and water. For sanitizing food contact surfaces, the bleach solution concentration must be between 50 to 100 ppm. The amount of bleach used to make the solution is determined by the amount of the active ingredient, sodium hypochlorite, in the bleach.  

Step 1: Select a bleach
When selecting a bleach, choose a plain, unscented, non-gel option. Do not use chlorine that is intended for use in pools, or bleach that is solely for laundry use.

Step 2: Identify the active ingredient
Locate the active ingredient listing to find out the percentage of sodium hypochlorite in the bleach. The percentage may range from 2.75% to 8.25% or greater.

Step 3: Identify the bleach-to-water ratio
The table below provides the water-to-bleach ratio needed to make a sanitizer solution with a concentration of 50-100 ppm. These are common sodium hypochlorite strengths in bleach.