Do all restaurants use bleach to clean the plates and utensils?

Anonymous
What is used?
Anonymous
Soap and really hot water will do it. No bleach needed. Relax.
Anonymous
whaaa? I worked in several restaurars n never used bleach on dishes.
Anonymous
Oh hell, sometimes the bar just dunks them in soapy water and pulls them back out. Ever gotten a glass with someone's old lipstick?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Soap and really hot water will do it. No bleach needed. Relax.


Why say "relax?" Nothing about her post indicated that she's wound up.
Anonymous
We use sanitizer, which often doesn't even include bleach. Some bars I know still do soap, rinse, bleach but that is not the norm. Also to the poster talking about lipstick on the glass, that means it was likely handwashed and didn't get twisted past the brush. Sanitizer or bleach has nothing to do with it.
Anonymous

This is a fairly dangerous and uninformed post. The fact is Bleach is not required, but a sanitizer or sanitizing method is. Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) is one form of sanitizer. Quatenary ammonia is another. All restaurants ARE REQUIRED by Health code to Sanitize foodservice utensils by chemical methods (the two mentioned...or a third is iodine), OR by heat. But bars typically do not have a high temperature glass washer, and most do use chlorine based sanitizers. So glassware typically gets a "bleach" treatment. (if you have seen the 3 compartment method at work, the sanitizer is typically Steramine (quat ammonia from above...titrated between 200-400 ppm) This is completely safe when the machines are calibrated and the chemical is titrated effectively. 50-100 ppm is effective for bleach...

As for the suggestion to use only soapy water...this is potentially dangerous, and there is a very clear requirement for "washing" in a foodservice establishment. It requires five steps...only one of which is soapy water.

1. Prewash (scrapping of solids, rinsing residue...ect)
2. Wash (soapy water)
3. Rinse (rinse detergents from utensils)
4. Sanitize (chemically or by heating rinse water to above 180 degrees to kill pathogens)
5. Air Dry (drying with a towel can potentially add pathogens back)

So to answer the question...no, not all restaurants use bleach, but all MUST by law sanitize in an apporved method.
Anonymous
Hahahahahahaha noooooooo
Anonymous
Wow, 11:29 is really on it. Good post, you.

I just came to say yes, we use a commercial sanitizer (it's required by law), and no, it's not chlorine bleach. In fact, I'm not sure we have any bleach at all on the premises.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
This is a fairly dangerous and uninformed post. The fact is Bleach is not required, but a sanitizer or sanitizing method is. Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) is one form of sanitizer. Quatenary ammonia is another. All restaurants ARE REQUIRED by Health code to Sanitize foodservice utensils by chemical methods (the two mentioned...or a third is iodine), OR by heat. But bars typically do not have a high temperature glass washer, and most do use chlorine based sanitizers. So glassware typically gets a "bleach" treatment. (if you have seen the 3 compartment method at work, the sanitizer is typically Steramine (quat ammonia from above...titrated between 200-400 ppm) This is completely safe when the machines are calibrated and the chemical is titrated effectively. 50-100 ppm is effective for bleach...

As for the suggestion to use only soapy water...this is potentially dangerous, and there is a very clear requirement for "washing" in a foodservice establishment. It requires five steps...only one of which is soapy water.

1. Prewash (scrapping of solids, rinsing residue...ect)
2. Wash (soapy water)
3. Rinse (rinse detergents from utensils)
4. Sanitize (chemically or by heating rinse water to above 180 degrees to kill pathogens)
5. Air Dry (drying with a towel can potentially add pathogens back)

So to answer the question...no, not all restaurants use bleach, but all MUST by law sanitize in an apporved method.


Yes, I worked for 20 years in a soup kitchen (1990-2010) and a version of this procedure was posted on the wall above the sinks. We used the 3 sink method of washing plus air-drying. In the 1990's and early 2000's we had a few surprise inspections, but I haven't heard of one there for the last 5-6 years.
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