It’s important to know the difference between cleaning and sanitizing. They aren’t the same thing. Both are important to help prevent the spread of harmful germs according to the Partnership for Food Safety Education.
Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. Cleaning works by using soap (or detergent) and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects. This process works by disinfecting surfaces or objects using a diluted liquid chlorine bleach solution.
When You Should Clean
• To remove dried food and spills from countertops
• To remove food from a stove top
• Wipe down interior refrigerator surfaces with hot water and soap
When You Should Sanitize
• Someone sneezed all over your countertop
• Someone sick touched your refrigerator door handle or faucet
• Raw meat juice spilled on countertop, stove, sink, floor or in refrigerator
• Raw meat touched a countertop, stove top, sink, utensil or cutting board or shelf in your refrigerator
Clean FIRST: Cleaning is an important first step to make sure you are removing bacteria that can cause foodborne illness from your kitchen. To clean your surfaces and your kitchen sink, use warm, soapy water to wash these areas. Wipe them clean with single-use or paper towels. If you use kitchen towels for cleaning, they should be washed frequently in the hot cycle of your washing machine. And don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and running water to keep them clean too.
What does cleaning do? Cleaning is the first step to get rid of bacteria from these surfaces. Foodborne-illness causing bacteria can remain on surfaces for a very long time. Cleaning with warm, soapy water can physically remove dirt, grim and some bacteria from a surface, but it does NOT kill bacteria.
THEN Sanitize: Sanitizing is the second, but equally important step to removing bacteria from your kitchen. This step will kill any remaining bacteria. Many different sanitizers can be used: an easy homemade version is to make a solution of 1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water, or you can use a commercial sanitizer or sanitizing wipe. Pour or spray your sanitizing solution on surfaces and wipe them clean with a paper towel. Be sure they are completely dry before using those surfaces or your sink again. If using commercial sanitizers, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the label. Some commercial sanitizers require food surfaces to be rinsed after using the sanitizer.
What does sanitizing do? Including a sanitizing step in your cleaning routine actually reduces the number of foodborne illness-causing pathogens that survive in your kitchen – sanitizing kills bacteria. However, sanitizing is most effective AFTER you have cleaned those surfaces. So, don’t skip the clean step!
Coronavirus is a respiratory virus and is not considered to be a foodborne illness by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But similar actions to prevent foodborne illness can be taken to mitigate coronavirus. See https://www.fightbac.org/coronavirus-resource-page/
Article released March 27, 2020
