Things You’ll Need

  •  Two-sided sink
  •  Mild dish washing soap
  •  Bleach
  • Drying rack
  • Sponges and cleaning brushes

Cleaning a kitchen filled with dirty cooking and baking equipment can seem like a daunting task. However, cleaning these items is fairly simple, if time-consuming. Whether you cook professionally or just for your family, it is important to clean and sanitize all kitchen equipment after use in order to eliminate food-borne pathogens, mold and other health risks. There are two basic steps to this process: First, the equipment must be cleaned. Then, it must be sanitized.

Step 1

Sanitize your drying rack and allow it to air-dry. To sanitize, prepare a mixture of 1 gallon of warm water and 1 tbsp. of bleach in one side of the sink. Apply the solution to the drying rack and allow it to dry completely before using it.

Step 2

Use the same solution to sanitize your sponges and brushes. Allow them to air-dry.

Step 3

Fill the other side of the sink with hot, soapy water.

Step 4

Using sponges and brushes, clean any residual oils, food particles and grime from your kitchen equipment. Break down each piece of equipment into the smallest pieces possible to ensure an all-over clean (e.g., removing blades, handles, etc.)

Step 5

Rinse the equipment in clean running water.

Step 6

Transfer the clean equipment to the sink compartment filled with the water/bleach solution. Allow the items to soak for 30 to 60 seconds.

Step 7

Remove the items from the sanitizing solution, place them on the drying rack and allow them to air-dry.

Step 8

Alternatively, submerge the items in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to sanitize them.

Tip

To ensure that your equipment is kept clean after sanitizing, clean the storage areas for your equipment on a regular basis. A simple way to clean horizontal storage space is to use a product such as Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.

Written by Tucker Cummings, ccto ehow.com