Don't Just Clean Your Work Surfaces, Sanitize Them

Especially after working with eggs or meats, work surfaces should be cleaned and then sanitized.  A surface may look clean and yet have enough bacteria to transform that clean-looking surface into a thriving colony.  Sanitize your work surfaces to keep that from happening.  We use two methods for doing so.

For one-step cleaning, we use a cleaner with chlorine bleach. The soap in the cleaner helps cut grease and grime.  The chlorine bleach kills germs.  The brand name that we use is Clorox Clean-Up but there are other brands on the market.  For the chlorine to work, the surface needs to be wet for at least thirty seconds before wiping it clean.  (Be careful not to let your sleeves come in contact with the cleaner; the cleaner will bleach colored fabrics.)  The cleaner may leave a residue on counters.  Wipe that residue off with hot water and a cloth.

You can also sanitize counters with a mixture of cold water and chlorine bleach.  Mix 3/4 cup bleach with a gallon of water.  Spray the mixture on your counters and let it stand for at least 30 seconds.  Utensils, cutting boards, and dish cloths can also be sanitized in the solution.

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