Walk into any kitchen and you will see a bottle of sanitiser somewhere near the pass. It gets sprayed on worktops, boards and handles many times a day, and most of the time it is used with good intentions. The problem is that a spray on a surface that is still greasy or crumbed does very little. People who book a food premises sanitisation service are often surprised to hear that the sanitiser is the smaller part of the job. The larger part is cleaning, and the order in which things are done decides whether the result is a safe surface or just a wet one that looks clean.
This guide explains the two-stage method behind food premises sanitisation, why the first stage matters so much, how products are chosen and recorded and what an inspector is likely to expect to see. It does not make claims about how well any product kills any organism, because that depends on the product, the label and the conditions of use.
Two stages, not one
Good practice in food businesses separates cleaning from disinfection. They are different jobs with different tools.
- Cleaning removes dirt, grease, food residue and visible soil, using detergent, water and effort.
- Disinfection or sanitising reduces the number of germs on a surface that is already clean, using a chemical that must be applied correctly.
Many kitchens use a combined product that does both in one step, often called a sanitiser cleaner or a cleaner disinfectant. These can work well when the label allows it and the surface is only lightly soiled, but the label still sets out how the product must be used, and for heavily soiled surfaces a separate clean first is the safer route.
The basic sequence for a hard surface is as follows.
1. Remove loose food debris and scrape or sweep it into a bin. 2. Wash the surface with hot water and detergent, using a clean cloth or a suitable cleaning tool. 3. Rinse with clean water to remove the detergent, because some detergents can interfere with disinfectants. 4. Apply the disinfectant or sanitiser as the label directs. 5. Leave it on for the contact time shown on the label. 6. Rinse with clean water if the label says so, particularly on food contact surfaces. 7. Allow the surface to air dry, or use a clean disposable cloth if the label allows.
Skipping stage one is the commonest fault. A disinfectant that meets grease and food residue is partly used up by them, and it cannot reach the surface underneath. Spraying sanitiser over a dirty board and wiping it away leaves a board that looks tidier, not one that is clean.
Contact time and why it is not optional
Every product label states how long it must stay wet on a surface to do its job. This is the contact time. It might be a short interval or several minutes, and the label is the only reliable guide. A spray that is wiped away in seconds has not been given the time the manufacturer says it needs.
Contact time causes more disagreement in kitchens than anything else, because it slows the job down. A cook who has just finished prep wants the board back. The answer is to plan for it. Use a surface that can be left to stand, apply the product, then leave it to work while another task is done. Train the team on the number on the label, and write it on the container or a nearby sheet so that nobody has to guess.
Other label points matter too.
- The dilution. Too weak and the product may not work. Too strong and it can leave residues, damage surfaces or be a hazard to staff.
- The temperature of the water, where the label specifies it.
- Whether the product is suitable for food contact surfaces and whether it needs rinsing afterwards.
- How long a diluted solution stays usable, because many lose strength once mixed.
- Any warnings about mixing with other products. Mixing cleaning chemicals can release hazardous fumes, and bleach should never be combined with other cleaners.
Choosing products
A food business should be able to say why it uses each product. A sensible choice takes account of several things.
The surface
Stainless steel, plastic boards, tiles, sealed wood and painted walls react differently to chemicals. A product that suits steel can pit aluminium or damage a rubber seal. Check what each surface is made of, and read the label for compatibility.
The soil
Grease needs an alkaline degreaser. Scale needs a descaler. Protein residue and starch need agitation and detergent. A sanitiser alone is not designed to do any of these jobs.
The standard on the label
Products used on food contact surfaces generally carry information about the standards they have been tested to. Ask your supplier what the product is intended for, and keep the technical data and the safety data sheet on file. A product bought from a general shop may not be suitable for commercial food use, even if it looks similar.
The people using it
Staff need to be trained, and the product must suit their ability to use it correctly. A simple system with a small number of well-labelled products usually works better than a cupboard of different bottles. Colour coding of cloths, mops and buckets helps to avoid cross-contamination between raw food areas, ready-to-eat areas and toilets.
Recording what is done
Records turn good habits into evidence. A business that sanitises well but cannot show it is in a weaker position than one that has a simple log. The records that are useful include the following.
- A cleaning schedule that names each area or item, the frequency, the method and the product.
- A daily or weekly sign-off sheet, completed by the person who did the task.
- A list of products in use with safety data sheets and, for chemicals used on food contact surfaces, the supplier’s technical information.
- Training records for staff who handle chemicals.
- Notes on any deep cleans, including the date, what was done and who carried it out.
- A note of problems found and how they were put right.
Keep these where they can be shown quickly. A food business is expected to have its own food safety management procedures, and cleaning is part of them. Your local authority food officers can explain what they expect, and guidance from the Food Standards Agency is available for different business types.
What an inspector tends to look for
An environmental health officer or food hygiene inspector is looking at the whole picture. Cleaning evidence forms part of it. In practice, they tend to look at the following.
- Whether the premises, equipment and surfaces look clean, in corners and under equipment as well as at eye level.
- Whether food contact surfaces are in good condition and can be cleaned.
- Whether there is a documented cleaning schedule, and whether staff know it.
- Whether cleaning chemicals are stored away from food, labelled and used according to instructions.
- Whether there is a clear separation between cleaning and sanitising, and whether the staff can describe contact time.
- Whether the right equipment is available, such as hand wash basins with soap and towels.
You do not need a perfect folder. You do need to show that cleaning is planned, carried out and checked.
Where a professional service fits
A professional food premises sanitisation visit is usually a deep clean followed by a disinfection stage. The cleaners work through the premises, degrease and descale where needed, clean equipment and surfaces in the right order and then apply a disinfectant with the correct contact time. A good provider will give you a written record afterwards, including the products used.
Exclusive Pro Cleaning’s restaurant cleaning page describes kitchen cleaning for restaurants, and the deep cleaning page explains the more thorough work that sits behind it. Some businesses also ask about fogging or misting disinfectant through a room. It is a different method, and the fogging and disinfection page explains how it works. Fogging does not replace the cleaning stage, and it works on surfaces that are already clean, not on a greasy one.
The role of public health bodies
General information on hygiene and public health comes from several places. The Royal Society for Public Health describes itself as an independent charity working to build a healthier future, and it is one of the organisations that publish guidance and training on public health topics. A business can use sources like these to support staff training, though the day-to-day rules for your kitchen should come from your food safety procedures and your local authority.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Spraying sanitiser onto a dirty surface and wiping straight away.
- Using one cloth for everything, so that germs are spread from one area to another.
- Mixing products, or topping up a bottle of one with another.
- Using a product that is not suitable for food contact surfaces without rinsing.
- Diluting by eye instead of measuring.
- Forgetting handles, switches, taps and door plates, which are touched constantly.
- Leaving sanitiser solutions in a bucket for days.
- Writing nothing down, then having nothing to show.
Questions about sanitising food premises
Is sanitiser enough on its own?
Not on a dirty surface. Clean first with detergent and water, then apply sanitiser for the time stated on the label.
What is contact time?
The length of time a product must stay wet on a surface to work as described on the label. It varies by product.
Do I need to rinse after sanitising?
Only if the label says so. Many products for food contact surfaces do require a rinse.
Can a cleaner guarantee my kitchen will pass an inspection?
No. A cleaner can clean and disinfect thoroughly and give you a record, but an inspection looks at the whole business, including its procedures and food handling.