How often do you have to clean and sanitize unrefrigerated food-contact surfaces?

Author: Prof. Ralph Harris DDS  |  Last update: Tuesday, July 29, 2025

All food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized after they are used; before food handlers start working with a different type of food; any time food handlers are interrupted during a task and the items being used may have been contaminated; and after four hours if items are in constant use.

How often should you clean and sanitize a food contact surface?

Food-contact surfaces and equipment used for potentially hazardous foods should be cleaned as needed throughout the day but must be cleaned no less than every 4 hours to prevent the growth of microorganisms on those surfaces.

How often should you be cleaned and sanitized if a food contact surface is in constant use?

If items are in constant use, clean and sanitize every four hours.

How often should food contact surfaces such as cutting boards be washed rinsed and sanitized?

As a rule of thumb, it's a good idea to clean and sanitize your cutting board after every use, even if you only used it for fresh produce. In addition, you should always clean and sanitize your cutting board after using it for a raw animal product, like meat.

When must the cleaning and sanitizing of food contact surfaces needs to happen?

Always clean food contact surfaces when contamination may have occurred and between switching tasks-”Clean as you go”. Always wash, rinse, and sanitize utensils before each use. It is a common misconception that all food bacteria are destroyed simply by adding heat.

Properly Cleaning & Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces

What are the three times food contact surfaces must be sanitized?

When to clean and sanitize food contact surfaces
  • After usage.
  • Before foodhandlers start working with a different type of food.
  • Any time food handlers are interrupted during a task and the items being used may have been contaminated.
  • After four hours if items are in constant use.

When would an employee be required to clean and sanitize a food contact surface?

All food-contact surfaces need to be cleaned and sanitized at these times: After they're used. Before working with a different type of food. After handling different raw TCS (time/temperature controlled for safety) fruits and vegetables.

When must food contact surfaces be cleaned and sanitized in Quizlet?

Food contact surfaces must be cleaned ad sanitized after every use. You should also clean ad sanitize each time you begin working with a different type of food or when a task is interrupted. If items are in constant use, they must be cleaned and sanitized every four hours.

How often should I clean my cutting board in ServSafe?

At four-hour intervals, if the items are in constant use Everything in your operation must be clean; however, any surface that comes in contact with food, such as a cutting board, utensil, or knife, must be cleaned and sanitized.

What is the proper procedure for cleaning and sanitizing food contact services?

The Seven-Step Approach to Cleaning and Sanitizing
  1. Remove Debris. Using a lint-free cloth or wipe, physically remove soil deposits off of food contact surfaces. ...
  2. Rinse All Residues. ...
  3. Apply Detergent and a Good Scrubbing. ...
  4. Give a Thorough Rinse. ...
  5. Take a Closer Look. ...
  6. Sanitize or Disinfect. ...
  7. Dry.

When must all food contact surfaces be cleaned and sanitized every hour?

Food-contact surfaces used prepare potentially hazardous foods as needed throughout the day to need to be cleaned and sanitized no less than every four hours. If they are not properly cleaned, food that comes into contact with these surfaces could become contaminated.

How often should I clean and disinfect items people touch frequently?

You should always follow the manufacturer's guidance on using these, to ensure they work properly and you keep yourself and others safe. Periodic cleaning should be planned for high touch surfaces. Ideally, all high touch surfaces should be wiped down twice a day.

Is it necessary to clean non food contact surfaces every 6 hours?

You must clean food-contact surfaces used to handle PHF items every four hours. You should never go more than 24 hours between cleanings. It's important to ensure surfaces are safe and easy-to-clean. It's necessary to clean non-food-contact surfaces every six hours.

What are the 4 times that food contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized?

Final answer: Food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized before and after handling different types of food, after four hours of continuous use, and after preparing potentially hazardous foods.

How often do you need to sanitize?

By killing germs on a surface after cleaning, disinfecting can further lower the risk of spreading germs that can cause illness. For everyday cleaning, you probably do not need to sanitize or disinfect unless someone in your home is sick or someone sick has recently visited.

When must all food contact surfaces be washed rinsed and Sanitised?

Sanitisers will not work if the surface is not clean. You must clean first. For cleaning dishes, utensils, pots and pans by hand: pre-clean by scraping and rinsing, wash in hot water and detergent, rinse, sanitise, then air dry if possible.

When must food surfaces be cleaned and sanitized in ServSafe?

All food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized after they are used; before food handlers start working with a different type of food; any time food handlers are interrupted during a task and the items being used may have been contaminated; and after four hours if items are in constant use.

How often should a cutting board be cleaned and sanitized?

To keep all cutting boards clean, the Hotline recommends washing them with hot, soapy water after each use; then rinse with clear water and air dry or pat dry with clean paper towels. Nonporous acrylic, plastic, or glass boards and solid wood boards can be washed in a dishwasher (laminated boards may crack and split).

Which of the following items must be cleaned and sanitized every 4 hours?

Explanation: According to food safety guidelines, slicers, grills and char-broilers must be cleaned and sanitized at least every 4 hours with continuous use.

How often should food contact surfaces be cleaned?

Most of these surfaces should be cleaned at least daily, though spills should be cleaned immediately. Some may require cleaning after every shift, and others such as light fixtures may need less frequent cleaning. Food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized after every use.

What is the correct sequence in cleaning and sanitizing a food contact surface?

Scrape and remove food bits from the equipment surface • Wash the equipment surfaces • Rinse the equipment surface with clean water • Sanitize the equipment surfaces.

When cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces, a food handler should use a test kit to ServSafe.?

To ensure that the sanitizing solution for a food-preparation surface will work properly, a food handler should: Use a test kit to check its concentration. Rinse it from the surface and then apply it a second time. Test the surface to confirm that no more microorganisms are present.

What is the CDC guidelines for disinfecting clinical contact surfaces?

If not barrier-protected, these surfaces should be disinfected between patients with an intermediate-disinfectant (i.e., EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with tuberculocidal claim) or low-level disinfectant (i.e., EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with an HBV and HIV label claim).

How often should you clean dishwashers with ServSafe?

Keep them clean, checking daily for foreign objects or mineral buildup. Check temperature, pressure, and chemical levels, and fill tanks with clean water. Always scrape and pre-rinse items, if needed, before loading, and use correct dish racks. Never overload them.

How often should equipment such as slicers be cleaned and sanitized?

Based on the recommendation of the FDA Food Code on how often how should a meat slicer be cleaned, meat slicers in addition to contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized every 4 hours when constantly in use.

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