When should you disinfect work surfaces?

Author: Mr. Harmon Fisher  |  Last update: Saturday, October 25, 2025

It is important to keep all your work surfaces clean, especially during a pandemic or emerging disease event. Work surfaces that should be cleaned and disinfected regularly include telephones, computer equipment, and other frequently touched surfaces.

When should you sanitize a surface?

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 should you disinfect your work area in the laboratory?

Disinfection needs to happen after any spill as well as after every work shift. The CDC recommends the use of a ten percent bleach solution as the standard for disinfection, but other products might be preferred for your lab.

When must you clean and sanitize a work surface in a kitchen?

All surfaces that come into contact with food must be cleaned and sanitized after every use — and this is especially true if you're switching from working with raw and ready-to-eat foods.

When must contaminated work surfaces be cleaned?

All equipment and environmental and work surfaces shall be cleaned and decontaminated after contact with blood or OPIM no later than at the end of the shift.

How to Disinfect Surfaces Properly... 🧼 🦠

When should work surfaces be decontaminated?

It is important to keep all your work surfaces clean, especially during a pandemic or emerging disease event. Work surfaces that should be cleaned and disinfected regularly include telephones, computer equipment, and other frequently touched surfaces.

When should counters and work surfaces in the clean room be cleaned and disinfected ______________?

Counters, floors and easily cleaned work surfaces outside of the Class 5 PEC (Class 7 and 8 areas) must be cleaned and disinfected daily. Walls, ceilings and storage shelving must be cleaned and disinfected monthly.

What are the 4 times that the work surface has to be cleaned and sanitized?

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.

What places need to be sanitized?

Sanitizing Surfaces: Sanitizing high-touch areas such as door handles, light switches, and toys to reduce the spread of germs and infections. Cleaning of Bathrooms: Cleaning of restrooms, including sinks, toilets, showers, and floors, to ensure they are clean and hygienic.

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.

When should work surfaces in the laboratory be decontaminated with an appropriate disinfectant?

Contaminated work surfaces shall be decontaminated with an appropriate disinfectant after completion of procedures; immediately or as soon as feasible when surfaces are overtly contaminated or after any spill of blood or other potentially infectious materials; and at the end of the work shift if the surface may have ...

How do you disinfect a working area?

Cleaning with commercial cleaners that contain soap or detergent decreases the number of germs on surfaces and reduces risk of infection from surfaces in your facility. Cleaning alone removes most types of harmful germs (like viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi) from surfaces.

When should staff clean and disinfect your thermometer?

"Thermometers can potentially harbor bacteria and transmit infection," Tracey Stoll, RN, manager of infection prevention at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., told Health. "By cleaning the thermometer every time, both before and after use, you are reducing the risk of infection."

Which of the following surfaces can be cleaned without sanitizing before use?

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.

Which of the following work services should be disinfected daily?

Explanation: All of the surfaces you mentioned - tables, styling stations, doorknobs and handles, and shampoo sinks - should ideally be disinfected daily. This is recommended because these surfaces are regularly touched by different people, and they can become a potential source for the transmission of diseases.

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).

What area should be routinely sanitized and disinfected daily?

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 is the difference between disinfect and sanitize?

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.

When should you clean or sanitize a surface?

Cleaning should be performed regularly and always comes before sanitizing or disinfecting objects and surfaces. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on objects and surfaces to levels considered safe. Use weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Objects or surfaces should be cleaned frst before sanitizing.

What are 3 surfaces that need to be cleaned and sanitized?

How to clean and sanitize: All surfaces must be cleaned and rinsed. This includes walls, storage shelves, and garbage containers. However, any surface that touches food, such as knives, stockpots, cutting boards, or prep tables, must be cleaned and sanitized.

Which surfaces must be cleaned and rinsed but not to be 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.

When should items be cleaned and sanitized?

Food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized after every use. In certain circumstances, however, they may require cleaning and sanitizing more often, such as: Before working with a different type of food—prepping raw chicken and cutting produce, for example.

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.

When and generally how are contaminated work surfaces cleaned?

Perform scheduled cleaning on items or surfaces that are not at risk for soiling under normal circumstances, using neutral detergent and water. But if they are visibly soiled with blood or body fluids, clean and disinfect these items as soon as possible.

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