Lesson 2: The 7 Steps of a Sanitation Program

Dry cleaning is the initial clearing the area of initial dirt and debris to allow for proper sanitation.

• Elements of a Dry Clean:
  • LOTO (lockout-tag out), secure and disassemble equipment; this is a critical step as this can cause human catastrophe if not done.
  • Remove gross soils from the equipment and floor
  • Remove production supplies from the room
  • Remove trash from the room
  • Empty drain baskets
  • Pre-sanitation tasks completed consistently (floors swept, equipment covered, materials removed, etc.)
  • Equipment disassembled to proper level to provide accessibility

Also called the first rinse.

• Remove remaining visible soils with warm water (90% to 95% as a benchmark
• Gross soils prohibit effective surface cleaning if not removed prior to detergent application
• Water for pre-rinse should be warm:
  • 120°F to 140ºF:  Hot enough to melt fat (if too hot, the water will bake the soil on the surfaces)
  • Use boosted pressure – 200 psi with 3/16 nozzle (avoid high pressure because it will create aerosols containing bacteria)

Cleaning drains is a special consideration.

• Typically done between pre-rinse and foaming (chemical cleaning)
• After cleaning drains, employees wash and change PPE before moving on to other cleaning tasks
• Drains cleaned nightly in RTE and produce facilities
• Treat drains weekly with biofilm remover

• Use designated brushes and suits (not used for food contact surfaces)
  • Should be color coded to designate they are for drain cleaning
• Clean with a designated employee at the end of his/her shift, just prior to sanitizing floor – be sure to wear proper PPE
• Clean all surfaces of the drain
• Use a chlorinated alkaline cleaner
• Sanitize with quaternary ammonium at 800 ppm, iodine at 75 ppm, or chlorine at 800 ppm
• At a minimum, clean drains weekly

These steps occur in sync.  A cleaning agent must be applied properly, let sit, then scrub.

• Apply cleaner and scour in a set order!  Order matters to prevent cross contamination:
  • Walls, then
  • Floors, then
  • Equipment
• Set contact time (i.e. 10 minutes).  DO NOT let the detergent dry as it may then form a stronger soil.
  • Contact time depends on the cleaner and soil types
• Scour to remove films, fats, and proteins.
  • This can eliminate bacterial biofilms
  • Scrub product contact surfaces daily
  • Chemicals are not a substitute for mechanical action

Post Rinse and Inspect and Re-clean

• Remove chemicals and soils via flood rinse
• Rinse in the order the detergent was applied:  walls, then the floor, and lastly, equipment
• Do not spray the floor once the post rinse of the equipment begins

Inspect

• Use a flashlight to verify cleanliness; this should occur throughout the process – use a flashlight with at least 800 lumens to be able to see
• Verify that everything is 100% free of soils, hazes, or water beads; can do this by sight or feel

• Put on clean outerwear
• Sanitize hands
• Verify all chemicals have been removed (sight, pH paper)
• Remove all standing water and overhead condensation
• Standing water prevents sanitizer contact with the surface
• Sanitize inaccessible parts prior to assembling; this is critical!
• Pre-operation, inspect parts that will not be accessible after assembling
• Assemble (follow LOTO procedures)
• Re-lubricate where needed

      Remove and Assemble

• Inspect to ensure equipment is free of chemicals, tools, and cleaning supplies before starting the equipment, and ensure that guards and safety mechanisms are in place
• Run equipment prior to inspecting
• Complete the formal pre-op spelled out in the facility’s SSOP
• Correct all deficiencies and provide feedback to the person responsible
• Pre-op the facility regularly for the other deficiencies
• Auditors often find sanitation issues under or on top of equipment (‘people don’t like to bend or stretch’)

Examples of what auditors look for: