Cleaning, Sanitizing, & Disinfecting Your Restaurant During COVID-19
Cleaning, Sanitizing, & Disinfecting Your Restaurant During COVID-19
With the COVID-19 currently causing chaos issues worldwide, it's a very hard time for the restaurant industry. Many shops are now operating on a carryout/delivery-only model to reduce the chances of people spreading the virus.
If your restaurant is still operating, keeping it clean is more important than ever! It is vital to understand the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting to keep your employees and customers safe.
I. Cleaning
Cleaning refers specifically to the act of removing dirt, stains, oil, grease, and other macro-level contaminants in your restaurant. Cleaning fundamentally does little or nothing to stop harmful microorganisms, although some cleaning products may also target those.
Cleaning is accomplished with the standard everyday tools such as:
II. Sanitizing
Unlike cleaning, the process of sanitization is focused entirely on microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria, using chemical products. The process of sanitation is actually regulated in America by the Center for Disease Control. To be considered a sanitizing product, that chemical must be able to eliminate 99.999% of bacteria on a surface in 30 seconds or less.
Sanitizing is a must in any restaurant and should be performed multiple times per day on any surfaces or items which are frequently handled andor come into contact with food. This greatly reduces the chance of bacteria, molds, and fungi from spreading.
However, sanitization does not typically consider viruses - like COVID-19 - which are more difficult to eliminate than bacteria or fungi.
III. Disinfecting (aka sterilization)
A product or process which is able to reliably kill viruses is considered a disinfecting, or sterilizing, agent. These must be able to kill 99.999% of all infectious agents, including viruses, within a 5-10-minute span. Typically, restaurants rarely concern themselves with outright sterilization because viruses are far more difficult to kill - but these aren't typical times. It's recommended that you sterilize as many of your tools and utensils as possible, as long as the outbreak continues.
Chemicals capable of proper disinfecting include bleach, alcohol, and chlorine. Remember, these always take 5-10 minutes to work properly. A quick alcohol rinse will not sterilize your utensils or cutlery! Boiling utensils in water for at least 10 minutes will also work.
Zanduco Restaurant Equipment & Supplies
Zanduco Restaurant Equipment & Supplies carries many of the cleaning products you need to protect your customers. Click here to browse our catalog of all cleaning supplies.
