Concept · under Cleaning and sanitizing
Cleaning or sanitizing? Both, and always in that order
Cleaning removes food, grease and dirt from a surface. Sanitizing comes after and cuts the germs on that clean surface to a safe level, which the FDA Food Code 2022 defines as a 99.999% reduction. Every surface food touches gets both, and cleaning always goes first.
- ExamPFH
- Questions here8
- UpdatedOct 14, 2026
On this page 6 sections
Two jobs, two kinds of product
Different jobs, different tools. Cleaning is detergent, water and elbow grease. Sanitizing is hot water or a chemical at a set strength, given a set contact time. Spray sanitizer on a board with dried egg on it and you've sanitized the egg.
The same two jobs run the three-compartment sink and the wiping-cloth bucket; that routine is on cleaning and sanitizing.
Clean, sanitize, disinfect
| Point | Cleaning | Sanitizing | Disinfecting |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Takes off the soil you can see | Cuts germs on a clean surface by 99.999% | Kills the germs named on its label |
| Where it's used | Every surface in the kitchen | Food-contact surfaces, after cleaning | Non-food surfaces, such as restrooms and clean-up after someone is sick |
| With what | Detergent and water | Hot water, or a sanitizer used per its EPA-registered label | A disinfectant used per its label |
| Then | Rinse | Air-dry, no towel | Follow the label |
Wiping down a prep table between jobs
Clear it
Scraps and crumbs into the trash, not into the wash water.
Wash
Detergent solution and a cloth or brush, until there's no film or grease left.
Rinse
Clean water lifts the detergent, which would otherwise weaken some sanitizers.
Sanitize
Sanitizer at label strength, checked with a strip, left on for the label's contact time. The numbers are on sanitizer concentration.
Air-dry
Let it drip. A dry towel puts back what the sanitizer took off, so the code rules out cloth drying (4-901.11).
Clean or sanitize? Try these
What each step does, which surfaces get it, and how often.
Each question is a chit, an order ticket. Answer it and it flips to show why every option is right or wrong.
No. 01
What is the correct order of steps for cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 01
- A
Clean, rinse, sanitize, air dry Correct: Cleaning removes soil, rinsing removes soap that would weaken the sanitizer, sanitizing kills what's left, and air drying avoids recontaminating with a towel.
- B
Sanitize, clean, rinse, dry Sanitizer can't work on a dirty surface, so it never comes first.
- C
Rinse, sanitize, clean, dry Sanitizing before cleaning wastes the sanitizer on soil that is still there.
- D
Clean, sanitize, rinse, dry Skipping the rinse leaves soap that weakens the sanitizer, and rinsing afterward washes it off.
- A
No. 02
What is the main difference between cleaning and sanitizing?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 02
- A
Cleaning is optional while sanitizing is required Neither step is optional for food-contact surfaces; cleaning has to come first or sanitizing fails.
- B
Cleaning is for equipment while sanitizing is for hands Both steps apply to food-contact surfaces and equipment; for hands, the answer is handwashing.
- C
Cleaning uses hot water while sanitizing uses cold water Water temperature isn't the difference; sanitizing with hot water alone actually needs at least 171°F.
- D
Cleaning removes visible dirt while sanitizing reduces microorganisms Correct: Cleaning removes the food and dirt you can see, and sanitizing then reduces germs on the clean surface to safe levels.
- A
No. 03
Which surfaces require both cleaning and sanitizing?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 03
- A
Ceiling tiles only Ceilings are kept clean, but they don't touch food and don't need sanitizing.
- B
Food contact surfaces Correct: Anything food touches, such as boards, knives, prep tables, and slicers, is cleaned and then sanitized.
- C
Walls and backsplashes only Walls and backsplashes need cleaning, but they are not food-contact surfaces.
- D
Floors under prep tables only Floors are cleaned regularly, but sanitizing them isn't required because food never goes on them.
- A
No. 04
What should you do if food debris is stuck on a surface before sanitizing?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 04
- A
Scrape the surface before cleaning Correct: Scraping and washing remove stuck food so the sanitizer can actually reach the surface.
- B
Skip cleaning and sanitize directly Sanitizer can't work through stuck-on food, so skipping cleaning leaves germs in place.
- C
Soak in hot water only Soaking loosens debris, but without washing and sanitizing the surface isn't safe.
- D
Apply more sanitizer More sanitizer won't get past food debris, and too much leaves chemical residue.
- A
No. 05
How does organic matter affect sanitizer effectiveness?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 05
- A
It has no effect Food soil does affect sanitizer: it uses it up and shields germs.
- B
It speeds up sanitizing Debris slows sanitizing down; it never helps.
- C
It reduces sanitizer effectiveness Correct: Food and grease use up the sanitizer and shield germs from it, which is why surfaces are cleaned before they are sanitized.
- D
It increases sanitizer strength Organic matter weakens the solution; it doesn't make it stronger.
- A
No. 06
Which of the following best describes the term 'food-contact surface'?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 06
- A
Only serving plates and bowls Plates count, but so does anything else food touches.
- B
Only cutting boards and knives Boards and knives are food-contact surfaces, but they are far from the only ones.
- C
Any surface that directly touches food Correct: A food-contact surface is any surface food normally touches or that can drip onto food, from boards and slicers to pans and the inside of an ice machine.
- D
Only kitchen countertops and tables Countertops count only where food sits on them, and many other surfaces count too.
- A
No. 07
Which of the following is NOT an approved chemical sanitizer?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 07
- A
Chlorine Chlorine is one of the main approved sanitizers, used at the concentration on the label.
- B
Quaternary ammonium Quats are a common approved sanitizer, especially for wiping-cloth buckets.
- C
Vinegar Correct: Household vinegar isn't an EPA-registered sanitizer and isn't approved for food-contact surfaces.
- D
Iodine Iodine is an approved sanitizer, though it's less common than chlorine or quats.
- A
No. 08
At what temperature should hot water be for effective sanitizing?
Pick one. The chit flips to a note on every option.
Notes on No. 08
- A
120°F (49°C) 120°F works only with low-strength chlorine; as hot water alone, it doesn't sanitize.
- B
165°F (74°C) 165°F is the poultry cooking and reheating number, not the hot-water sanitizing temperature.
- C
140°F (60°C) 140°F is a common dishwashing temperature, but too cool to sanitize by heat.
- D
171°F (77°C) Correct: For manual hot-water sanitizing, the Food Code calls for water at least 171°F, with items immersed for at least 30 seconds.
- A
Nothing matches both filters. Clear one of them.
From the dish pit
Can a sanitizer spray stand in for cleaning?
Not on a dirty surface. The Food Code's definition of sanitization starts from a surface that's already clean (1-201.10). Spray-and-wipe on a crusted board skips the step the sanitizer depends on.
Besides the 4-hour mark, when does a surface need cleaning?
Under FDA Food Code 2022, 4-602.11(A): before switching to a different raw animal food, every time you go from raw to ready-to-eat food, between raw produce and TCS food, before a thermometer is used or put away, and any time something may have contaminated it. Germ transfer between jobs is covered on cross-contamination.
Does cleaning get allergens off a surface?
Cleaning is the step that physically removes residue, allergen protein included, which is why an allergy order starts with clean tools. The rest of that topic is under contamination and allergens.
Is a disinfectant the same as a sanitizer?
They're labeled for different jobs. What goes on boards, knives and slicers is a sanitizer approved for food-contact surfaces. Disinfectants handle places like restrooms, and the clean-up after someone vomits, which the Food Code wants every establishment to have a written procedure for (2-501.11).
Sources
- FDA Food Code 2022 — 1-201.10 sanitization; 4-602.11 cleaning frequency; 4-901.11 air-drying; 4-501.114 label use; 2-501.11 clean-up procedure checked Oct 13, 2026