The Proper Way to Sanitize a Table that has been used for Preparing Food

Keeping the kitchen clean and sanitized is like the most basic requirement not just to avoid pests like cockroaches or mice but also to maintain our health and not let bacteria grow on our food or our food prep table.

Tables that are used to prepare food are always different in one way or the other. Majorly, they are different by the material they’re made of and that changes the ideal way to sanitize or even clean your table as different stuff reacts to different materials in different ways and we got to watch out for that.

For Sanitizing any table that has been used for preparing food, you have to clean the table first. Remove the debris or the crumbs or food particles from the table first with a microfiber cloth or a paper towel or wipe.

Now, to start with the sanitizing:

1. To Sanitize Stone and Ceramic Tile Food Prep Tables

1. For such tables, you can also use the cloth or the tissue dipped in hot water along with a few drops of detergent, preferably dish-washing liquid.
2. You can use Chlorine Bleach or Vinegar and water solution for cleaning the tiled surface. However, bleach and Vinegar can’t be used for stone surface as they might etch the table. Only use sanitizing wipes or disinfecting sprays which say that they can be used on ceramic stones.
3. Keep the surface wet for around 5-10 minutes and then let it air dry and rinse with water and your table is disinfected!

2. To Sanitize Metal and Plastic Laminated Food Prep Tables

1. Thoroughly clean the surface by mixing detergent and hot water and clean the surface using the solution with a cloth. Finish the cleaning process by wiping down the surface with cloth or tissues dipped in fresh water.
2. You can use commercially available disinfectant wipes or sprays or even hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the surface. You can also use chlorine bleach and water on laminate plastic or stainless steel, not metals.
3. Let the table air dry. However, rinse the table if you are not going to use food grade disinfectants.

3. To Sanitize Wooden Food Prep Tables

For a Sealed Wood Food Prep table:

After cleaning the table, use a disinfectant wipe, spray, or a dilute solution of chlorine bleach and water and wipe down the surface. Leave the surface wet for around 10 minutes. Let the surface Air Dry.

Rinse the table, if you plan on using it right after the sanitization.

For an Unsealed Wood Prep Table:

Clean the surface with a cloth dipped in solution of wood soap and warm water after cleaning out the debris. After that, dip the cloth in clean water and wipe down the wood to remove any soapy film left on the wooden surface.

Let the surface dry and then spray it with 3% Hydrogen Peroxide or White Vinegar and you’ll be done.