A clean business is a precondition for safe food. “Cleaning and disinfection” is a subject of Annex 1 to the LMHV. Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 also requires premises, equipment and fittings to be clean and in good condition.
Cleaning is not disinfecting
- Cleaning removes visible dirt, grease and food residue.
- Disinfecting reduces the number of germs that are still there after cleaning.
- A dirty surface cannot be disinfected. You clean first, then disinfect.
- Not everything has to be disinfected. Your business's cleaning and disinfection plan says where.
The steps
- Pre-clean roughly: remove food residue.
- Clean: with cleaning product and water, with a brush or sponge if needed.
- Rinse with clean water.
- Disinfect (if provided for): apply the product in the right amount and wait for the contact time.
- Rinse again if the manufacturer requires it, especially on surfaces that touch food.
- Let it dry or dry it with a clean disposable cloth.
Important rules
- Follow the manufacturer's dosage and contact time. Too much product is dangerous and does no more good, too little does not work.
- Never mix cleaning products and disinfectants. Toxic gases can form.
- Use only products suitable for food areas. Read the safety instructions (Betriebsanweisung). Wear gloves and safety glasses if needed.
- Never decant products into food or drink containers, and store them apart from food.
- Clean surfaces that touch food after every use and after every switch between raw and ready-to-eat products. These include boards, knives, slicers and work surfaces.
- Slicers, mincers and ice-cream machines are taken apart for cleaning.
- Floors, walls, drains, cold rooms and extractor hoods have fixed cleaning intervals.
- Cloths and sponges carry germs. Use disposable cloths or change them often and wash them hot. Keep cloths for surfaces, floors and dishes separate.
- Dishes: wash them in the dishwasher with hot water or in the sink following your business's rules. Let them dry in the air.
- Use drinking water for cleaning and rinsing.
- Document cleaning that has been done if the business requires it.
The cleaning plan
A cleaning plan answers five questions: What is cleaned? With what? How? When or how often? Who is responsible? It is displayed where everyone can see it. If you do not understand it, ask.
Pests
Pests include rats, mice, cockroaches, flies and stored-product pests such as moths and beetles. They carry germs and contaminate food.
Signs: droppings, gnaw marks, nests, gnawed packaging, dead animals, unusual smells, beetles or moths in dry storage.
Prevention:
- Keep doors and windows closed, use fly screens.
- Store food in sealed containers.
- Do not leave food residue lying around, dispose of waste promptly.
- Check deliveries and packaging for pests.
- Seal gaps, cracks and crevices.
- No plants and no cardboard waste in the storage area.
If you see something: Report it to management straight away. Do not try to put down poison yourself. Specialists take care of pest control. Businesses carry out monitoring with traps and checks and document it.
Waste
- Collect waste in closed containers that are easy to clean.
- Take waste out of the kitchen and storage area regularly, not only at the end of the day.
- Wash your hands after handling waste.
- Clean the waste containers and their standing area regularly.
- Inedible by-products and food waste must not stand next to food.
Key points
- Clean first, then disinfect. Follow the dosage and contact time.
- Never mix cleaning products and disinfectants, and never fill them into food containers.
- Report pests immediately. Only specialists control them.
- Collect waste in closed containers and remove it regularly.