Read our November 2014 Newsletter

The Cleaning Process
Cleaning is a process, not just a chemical. Cleaning processes tend to include not only the cleaning chemistry (or cleaning agent) but also force, temperature and time. Most cleaning activities consist of three steps: washing (sometimes also called cleaning), rinsing and drying. The wash step separates the soil from the surface to which it adheres, moves the soil away from the surface and keeps soil from redepositing on the surface. The rinse step removes residual cleaning agent and may also continue the washing action. The rinsing agent is typically water. In some but not all instances in food processing, excess water must be removed by drying. These three steps involve the use of different materials and frequently different equipment. It is important to consider all of these steps together when designing or changing a cleaning process. It is also important to consider how the methods and materials of cleaning can differ from one area to another, depending on what needs to be cleaned, and the risks of less-than-adequate cleaning.

-Ed Kanegsberg, Ph.D., and Barbara Kanegsberg

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