Sources & standards
The technical guidance on this page reflects these published codes and standards, which your local authority (AHJ) adopts, amends, and enforces. It is educational, not engineering or legal advice — confirm the current requirements for your jurisdiction.
- FDA Food Code (2022) — warewashing & sanitizing temperatures, holding temps, hand sinks, food-contact surfaces
A commercial kitchen cleaning checklist splits tasks by frequency: daily (food-contact surfaces, floors, sanitizer buckets), weekly (ovens, walls, drains) and monthly (hoods, coils, deep storage). Cleaning removes soil; sanitizing then reduces bacteria — chlorine at 50–100 ppm, quat at label strength (often ~200 ppm), or iodine at 12.5–25 ppm.
Cleaning vs. sanitizing: two different steps
These are not the same thing, and one does not replace the other:
- Cleaning removes visible food, grease and soil using detergent and water. FDA Food Code §4-601.11 requires food-contact surfaces to be kept clean to sight and touch.
- Sanitizing reduces the remaining bacteria to safe levels on an already-clean surface, using heat or an approved chemical sanitizer (§4-501.114).
You must clean before you sanitize — sanitizer can't work through a layer of grease. The correct sequence for food-contact surfaces is: scrape → wash → rinse → sanitize → air dry. Never towel-dry a sanitized surface, which re-contaminates it.
Chemical sanitizer concentrations (§4-501.114)
FDA Food Code §4-501.114 sets the parameters for chemical sanitizing solutions. Always follow the sanitizer's EPA-registered label, and check concentration with test strips. Typical requirements:
| Sanitizer | Concentration | Min. contact time | Conditions |
|---|
| Chlorine (bleach) | 50–100 ppm | ~7–10 seconds | Water temp and pH affect required ppm; warmer/higher-pH water needs more chlorine. |
| Quaternary ammonium (quat) | Per label (commonly ~200 ppm) | ~30 seconds | Used at the label's specified strength and water hardness. |
| Iodine | 12.5–25 ppm | ~30 seconds | Solution pH ≤ 5.0 and water temp ≥ 68°F (20°C). |
Too little sanitizer won't kill pathogens; too much can be toxic and leave residue. Test strips are the only reliable way to confirm you're in range — replace sanitizer buckets when they get dirty or drop below concentration.
Hot-water sanitizing and surface cleaning frequency
Heat is an alternative to chemicals. For manual immersion sanitizing, §4-501.112 requires hot water at 171°F (77°C) or above. For mechanical (dish machine) hot-water sanitizing, the final rinse must achieve a utensil surface temperature of 160°F (71°C).
How often food-contact surfaces need cleaning and sanitizing is set by §4-602.11. Key intervals: clean and sanitize before each use with a different type of raw food, after each task, when switching between raw and ready-to-eat foods, and — for surfaces in continuous use with TCS food at room temperature — at least every 4 hours. Equipment used with TCS food and kept refrigerated has longer allowable intervals.
Daily cleaning checklist
- Wash, rinse and sanitize all food-contact surfaces, cutting boards and prep tables (every 4 hours in continuous use).
- Change sanitizer buckets and cloths regularly; verify concentration with test strips.
- Clean and sanitize slicers, mixers and can openers after use.
- Wipe down equipment exteriors, handles and touch points.
- Empty, clean and sanitize sinks; wash and sanitize all smallwares in the dish machine or three-compartment sink.
- Sweep and mop floors; clean up spills immediately.
- Take out trash, and clean/sanitize the inside of trash cans.
- Wipe down door handles, faucet handles and handwash stations; restock soap and paper towels.
- Clean grill, griddle, flat-top and fryer surfaces; filter fryer oil.
Weekly and monthly cleaning checklists
Weekly tasks:
- Deep-clean ovens, and clean behind and under cooking-line equipment.
- Wash walls, backsplashes and splash zones.
- Clean floor drains and degrease floor mats.
- Empty, clean and sanitize walk-in and reach-in refrigerators; check door gaskets.
- Delime sinks, dish machines and faucets; descale steam equipment as needed.
- Sharpen and sanitize knives; wash reusable filters.
Monthly (and periodic) tasks:
- Clean exhaust hood filters and schedule professional hood/duct cleaning per your fire-code interval.
- Clean refrigeration condenser and evaporator coils (dust reduces efficiency and temperature control).
- Empty, clean and reorganize dry storage; check for pests and rotate stock (FIFO).
- Wash walls and ceilings, vents and light fixtures.
- Calibrate thermometers and inspect equipment for wear or damage.
- Clean ice machines and beverage dispensers per manufacturer instructions.
Adjust frequencies to your menu, volume and local health-code requirements — high-volume kitchens may need to move some weekly tasks to daily.
Frequently asked
What is the correct order for cleaning and sanitizing?
For food-contact surfaces the sequence is scrape, wash with detergent, rinse, sanitize with an approved solution or hot water, then air dry. Cleaning must come before sanitizing because sanitizer cannot penetrate food soil or grease. Never towel-dry after sanitizing, as that recontaminates the surface.
What is the correct chlorine sanitizer concentration?
FDA Food Code §4-501.114 specifies chlorine sanitizer at 50–100 ppm for food-contact surfaces, with a short contact time of roughly 7–10 seconds. The exact ppm needed depends on water temperature and pH — warmer or higher-pH water requires more chlorine. Always confirm the concentration with chlorine test strips.
How often must food-contact surfaces be cleaned and sanitized?
Under §4-602.11, clean and sanitize food-contact surfaces before switching to a different raw food, between raw and ready-to-eat foods, after any interruption, and at least every 4 hours when a surface is in continuous use with TCS food at room temperature. Refrigerated equipment has longer allowable intervals.
What's the difference between cleaning and sanitizing?
Cleaning uses detergent and water to remove visible food, grease and dirt. Sanitizing uses heat or an approved chemical to reduce the remaining bacteria on an already-clean surface to safe levels. Both are required — a surface can look clean but still carry enough bacteria to cause illness without sanitizing.
What temperature is needed for hot-water sanitizing?
For manual immersion sanitizing, FDA Food Code §4-501.112 requires water at 171°F (77°C) or above. In a mechanical high-temperature dish machine, the final rinse must raise the utensil surface temperature to at least 160°F (71°C). Heat sanitizing is an alternative to chemical sanitizers, not an addition to them.