Servsafe Certification Chapter 12: Cleaning

Factors that effect the cleaning process.

Type and condition of dirt, water hardness, water temperature, surface, length.

How the type of dirt can effect the cleaning process.

Certain types of dirt require special cleaning methods, and the condition of dirt can make it harder to remove.

How water hardness can effect the cleaning process.

Cleaning is more difficult with water high in minerals, and can cause scale and lime to build up on equipment.

Hard water

Water high in minerals

How water temperature can effect the cleaning process.

The hotter the water, the better is loosens dirt and dissolves detergent.

How surface can effect the cleaning process.

Use the right cleaners for the right surfaces.

How length can effect the cleaning process.

Exposing dirt to cleaners for longer makes it easier to remove.

The four different types of cleaners.

Detergents, degreasers, delimers, abrasive cleaners.

Detergents

Cleaners with surfactants that reduce surface tension between the dirt and surface.

General purpose detergents

Cleaners that remove fresh dirt from floors, walls, ceilings, prep surfaces, and equipment/utensils.

Heavy-duty detergents

Highly alkaline cleaners that remove wax, aged or dried dirt, and baked-on grease.

Degreasers

Detergents that have grease-dissolving agents. Useful for places where grease has been burned on.

Delimers

Cleaners used on mineral deposits and dirts detergents cannot remove. Frequently used on dishwashers and steam tables.

Abrasive cleaners

Cleaners that contain scouring agents that scrub hard-to-remove dirt. Often used to remove baked-on food, but can scratch.

The difference between cleaning and sanitizing.

Cleaning removes dirt, sanitizing removes pathogens.

Sanitizing

The process of reducing pathogens on food-contact surfaces to safe levels through hot water or chemicals.

Disinfection & sterilization

Processes that completely remove pathogens from surfaces but are not often appropriate for food service.

Heat sanitizing

The process of sanitizing items by soaking them in water above 171°F for 30 seconds at a consistent temperature.

Ways to chemically sanitize equipment

By soaking, rinsing, scrubbing, and/or spraying with chemical solution.

The three most common types of sanitizer.

Chlorine, iodine, and quats.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds

Quats, a chemical sanitizer.

Agencies that regulate sanitizer types.

State and federal environmental protection agencies.

The factors that influence sanitizer effectiveness

Concentration, temperature

How concentration influences sanitizer effectiveness.

The parts per million ppm of sanitizer in a solution determines how effective it is at keeping food safe. Too much is dangerous, too little does nothing to remove pathogens.

Steps to take to ensure proper sanitizer concentration.

Measure concentration with test kits frequently.

How temperature influences sanitizer effectiveness.

The water temperature in sanitizing solutions must follow manufacturer recommendations.

Detergent-sanitizer blends

Blends of detergent and sanitizer that still require use twice to work properly.

Times food-contact surfaces need to be cleaned and sanitized

After use, before working with a different type of food, after handling different raw TCS veggies and fruits, and time an interruption may have contaminated an item, after four hours of constant use.

How to obtain accurate cleaning and sanitizing instructions for stationary equipment.

Look for instructions provided by manufacturers.

Step 1 of the general process used to clean and sanitize stationary equipment.

Unplug or turn off the equipment.

Step 2 of the general process used to clean and sanitize stationary equipment.

Take off the removable parts and wash, rinse, and sanitize them.

Step 3 of the general process used to clean and sanitize stationary equipment.

Wash equipment surfaces with an approved detergent and cleaning tool.

Step 4 of the general process used to clean and sanitize stationary equipment.

Sanitize the entire area of the equipment surface.

Step 5 of the general process used to clean and sanitize stationary equipment.

Allow all surfaces to air dry.

Clean-in-place equipment.

Equipment designed to have sanitizer pushed through it once a day or as often as specified by the manufacturer.

A way sanitizer should never be dried.

With a towel.

Factors that influence the effectiveness of a dishwasher, aside from the dishwasher

Protected storage areas for tableware and utensils, staff being properly trained.

The general water temperature requirement for a dishwasher.

180°F

The water temperature requirement for stationary-rack single-temperature dishwashers.

165°F

Principles to best operate a dishwasher

Cleanliness, prep, loading, air-drying, monitoring.

The cleaning principle of operating a dishwasher.

Clean the spray nozzles of the machine and refill tanks as needed. Check on the washer once a day.

The prep principle of operating a dishwasher.

Scrape items before washing and rinse/presoak as needed.

The loading principle of operating a dishwasher.

Use correct dish racks and load them so water can spray on every surface of a dish.

The air-drying principle of operating a dishwasher.

Air-dry all items.

The monitoring principle of operating a dishwasher.

Monitor surface temperatures of items being sanitized using equipment like maximum registering thermometers.

Step 1 of prepping a three-compartment sink for use.

Clean and sanitize each basin and drainboard.

Step 2 of prepping a three-compartment sink for use.

Fill the first sink with detergent and water at 110°F or manufacturer specifications.

Step 3 of prepping a three-compartment sink for use.

Fill the second sink with clean water unless items will be spray-rinsed.

Step 4 of prepping a three-compartment sink for use.

Fill the third sink with hot water and sanitizer to proper concentration.

Step 5 of prepping a three-compartment sink for use.

Provide a clock with a second hand.

Step 1 of doing dishes properly.

Scrape items before washing them.

Step 2 of doing dishes properly.

Wash items in the first sink, change solution as necessary.

Step 3 of doing dishes properly.

Rinse items in the second sink. Remove all traces of food and detergent.

Step 4 of doing dishes properly.

Sanitize items in the third sink. Change solution when concentration is diluted or it has fallen below temperature.

Step 5 of doing dishes properly.

Air dry items on a clean and sanitized surface.

Principles to store tableware in a clean way.

Storage, storage surfaces, glasses and flatware, trays and carts.

The storage principle of storing tableware.

Store tableware at least 6” off the floor.

The storage surfaces principle of storing tableware.

Clean and sanitize drawers and shelves before storing clean items.

The glasses and flatware principle of storing tableware.

Store glasses and cups upside down on clean racks, and flatware with handles up.

The trays and carts principle of storing tableware.

Clean and sanitize trays and carts used to carry clean tableware regularly.

Wet wiping cloths

Cloths stored in sanitizer solution between uses.

Dry wiping cloths

Clean cloths used to wipe up food spills.

Things that only need to be cleaned (not sanitized)

Walls, ceilings, and equipment exteriors.

Requirements surrounding diarrhea and vomit

Operations must have specific plans in place for when guests diarrhea or vomit

Ways to prevent contamination between surfaces by handling tools well

Clean tools before storing them, designate different tools for different things and color-code.

Things designated areas for cleaning tools must have

No presence of food, good lighting, hooks, utility sinks, floor drains.

The place to always hang mops

On hooks in the air

Processes buckets should undergo before being stored

Cleaning, rinsing and air drying

Guidelines for using chemicals responsibly.

Use, storage, and labels.

The use guideline for using chemicals.

Only use chemicals approved for foodservice operations. Never keep extra chemicals in an operation. Cover items that could be contaminated before using chemicals. Clean and sanitize equipment and utensils after using chemicals.

The storage guideline for using chemicals

Always store chemicals in original containers away from food, equipment, utensils, and linens.

The labels guideline for using chemicals

Always maintain clear directions for use of chemicals

Written cleaning programs

Ways for operations to not fall behind on cleaning.

Principles to develop a written cleaning program

Review, look, estimate

The review principle of developing a written cleaning program.

Review the facility to identify every surface, tool, and piece of equipment that needs cleaning.

The look principle of developing a written cleaning program.

Look at how cleaning is done and get input from staff as to why it is that way before making changes.

The estimate principle of developing a written cleaning program.

Estimate the time, skills, hands, and frequency of each cleaning task.

Things that should be included in a master cleaning schedule.

What should be cleaned, who should clean it, when it should be cleaned, how it should be cleaned.

Protective gear (foodservice)

Equipment a manager provides staff to avoid harm while using cleaning chemicals.

Ways to have good tool and cleaner practices.

Ensure you have tools and cleaners for everything in the master cleaning schedule, and replace tools as needed.

Principles of implementing a cleaning program.

Schedule, train, motivate, monitor.

The schedule principle of implementing a cleaning program.

Schedule a kickoff meeting to introduce a new cleaning program.

The motivate principle of implementing a cleaning program.

Provide plenty of awards, incentives, and encouragement to employees who measurably follow cleaning programs.

The monitoring principle of implementing a cleaning program.

Ensure the program is working by supervising teams, checking tasks are complete, and editing the master cleaning schedule.