Cleaning, Storage and Waste Disposal
Cleaning vs disinfection
Cleaning removes grease and dirt; disinfection reduces microorganisms to a safe level. You must clean before you disinfect, because dirt stops disinfectants working. The six-stage method: remove loose debris, pre-clean, main clean, rinse, disinfect, final rinse and dry. Two-stage cleaning (cleaner then sanitiser) is standard in catering. Traps: using the wrong dilution, mixing chemicals, or storing chemicals in drinks bottles.
Cleaning schedules and colour coding
A cleaning schedule records what, how often, who and with what. Colour-coded equipment reduces cross-contamination - commonly red for raw meat, blue for raw fish, yellow for cooked meat, green for salad/vegetables, brown for vegetables, white for dairy. Do not over-claim exact colours if unsure; the principle is separation of raw from ready-to-eat.
Storage
Keep dry stores cool, dry and ventilated, off the floor, with stock rotation (FIFO - first in, first out). Refrigerators should run at 1–4°C (legal maximum 8°C) and freezers at -18°C or colder. Store raw food below cooked and ready-to-eat food; keep raw meat covered on the bottom shelf. Date-mark high-risk foods.
Waste
Waste bins must be lidded, lined, foot-operated and emptied regularly; external bins kept away from food areas; waste never stored next to food. Waste oil and packaging go to licensed carriers.
Rule of thumb: if a surface has been used for raw meat, clean then disinfect before any ready-to-eat food touches it.