What should be cleaned and sanitized?

Author: Tatyana Hahn  |  Last update: Sunday, August 17, 2025

To prevent the spread of infection, you should regularly clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are touched often. For example, in your house, this would include countertops, doorknobs, faucet and toilet handles, light switches, remotes, and toys.

What items need to be cleaned and sanitized?

Clean high-touch surfaces throughout your home daily, especially if a household member is sick. Some areas to focus on are doorknobs, light switches, phones, tables, and countertops. To help make cleaning electronics easier, consider using a wipeable cover for items, such as phones, tablets, and keyboards.

Which of the following must be cleaned and sanitized?

Any surface that touches food, such as knives, stockpots, cutting boards, and prep tables, must be cleaned and sanitized. To clean and sanitize a surface, follow these steps. Scrape or remove food bits from the surface.

What needs to be cleaned and disinfected?

Regularly wash/wipe and disinfect all the items people touch frequently, such as work surfaces, sinks, taps, door handles, switches, can openers, cash registers, telephones and scales.

Which surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized?

Clean high-touch surfaces (for example, light switches, doorknobs, and countertops) regularly and after you have visitors in your home. Clean other surfaces in your home when they are visibly dirty or as needed.

HOME BREWING 101: A Guide to Cleaning and Sanitizing

What surfaces should be sanitized?

To prevent the spread of infection, you should regularly clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that are touched often. For example, in your house, this would include countertops, doorknobs, faucet and toilet handles, light switches, remotes, and toys.

Which surface can be cleaned without sanitizing?

The surfaces that can be cleaned without sanitizing before use are the cafeteria tray and the cutting board. Both of these surfaces can be effectively cleaned with soap and water to remove dirt and debris.

What is the correct order for cleaning and sanitizing?

Scrape and remove food bits from the equipment surface • Wash the equipment surfaces • Rinse the equipment surface with clean water • Sanitize the equipment surfaces. Make sure sanitizer comes into contact with each surface. Allow all surfaces to air dry before putting the unit back together.

Do I have to disinfect everything after strep?

Deep cleaning your house after a bout of illness, such as flu or strep throat, is key to killing viruses and germs and keeping your family well.

What are the 3 basic things you'll need in cleaning?

You'll need the following items: A vacuum with a hose attachment (to get into those hard-to-reach corners). A bucket with an attachment to ring your mop. Rags and/or chamois mop.

Which items must be cleaned and sanitized every 4 hours?

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.

What are the rules of cleaning and sanitizing?

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

How often should equipment be cleaned and sanitized?

Clean and sanitize items after each use and before food handlers start working with a different type of food. Also, clean and sanitize utensils and equipment after food handlers are interrupted during a task and the items may have been contaminated. If items are in constant use, clean and sanitize every four hours.

What cleaning products must have?

Essentials that every home needs include laundry detergent and a stain remover, dish soap, all-purpose cleaner and glass cleaner. If you have a dishwasher, you can add dishwasher detergent into the mix too. Once you have all of your essentials, you can begin to consider specialty cleaners.

What should be cleaned and rinsed but not sanitized?

Non-food contact surfaces like walls, ceilings, floor, and equipment exteriors don't need to be sanitized, but they do require regular cleaning to prevent dirt, dust, and grease buildup. This helps prevent pathogens as well as pests.

What are three examples of surfaces that need to be cleaned?

High touch surfaces are those that people frequently touch with their hands, which could therefore become easily contaminated with microorganisms and picked up by others on their hands. For example, door handles, light switches, and shared equipment.

How to clean bedding after being sick?

Wash your bedding and clothing.

Strip your rooms of any blankets, sheets, pillows, bedding and clothes worn while sick, and start tossing them into the washing machine. Take care to do so in a methodical way—most importantly, keeping the clean loads separate from the ones still waiting to be washed.

What's the difference between sanitize and disinfect?

Sanitizing kills bacteria on surfaces using chemicals. It is not intended to kill viruses. Yes, EPA registers products that sanitize. Disinfecting kills viruses and bacteria on surfaces using chemicals.

What comes first sanitize or disinfect?

Use weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Objects or surfaces should be cleaned frst before sanitizing. Sanitize objects and surfaces that come in contact with mouths (such as, toys, infant feeding supplies, countertops, and other surfaces that touch food). Disinfecting kills remaining germs on surfaces.

How often should a yogurt machine be cleaned?

Cleaning your frozen yogurt machines properly can help produce better tasting product and prevent any issues of harmful bacteria. Most manufacturers recommend that you clean and sanitize your machine at least once every three days, but some municipalities may require you to clean the machine every day.

What do restaurants use to sanitize tables?

What do restaurants use to sanitize tables? The general sanitizing solution used in restaurant food prep tables is diluted bleach water or chlorinated detergents. Alternative to a solution of chlorine bleach, restaurants also use quaternary ammonium salts or scalding hot water for sanitation as well.

What kills fungus on surfaces?

Vinegar (4.0%–4.2% acetic acid) and 70% ethanol were also chosen due to their common recommendation in fungal remediation and anecdotal support in disinfection of hard surfaces.

How often should I disinfect my home?

High-touch household surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected daily. Cleaning and disinfecting commonly used surfaces can help prevent the spread of illnesses.

Does hot water sanitize?

For example, the virus that causes COVID-19 is sensitive to heat and can be inactivated by exposure to 133°F for 30 minutes. Hot water alone is not sufficient for sanitization or disinfection, but it can reduce the bacteria and virus counts on surfaces in preparation for the next step.

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