Mild bleach solution good for sanitizing

By Carol Chandler
Contributing Writer
Union County Post

I want to start using a diluted bleach spray to sanitize my kitchen counters, but I’m not sure how strong it should be. What’s the recommendation?
You’ll find varying advice from various sources – anywhere from one tablespoon in each gallon of water to three-quarters of a cup per gallon of water.
In most cases, the milder solution will do just fine in sanitizing kitchen surfaces, and that’s what you’ll hear from food safety experts with the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The stronger solution is often recommended by companies who sell bleach; it’s useful when cleaning floors, diaper pails and similar jobs.
Specific situations sometimes call for different dilutions. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one cup of bleach to five gallons of water when cleaning areas that have been flooded. The CDC recommends an even stronger solution – one cup bleach to one cup water – when cleaning mold left after a flood.
But for normal use, the more diluted formula works fine, and is less likely to discolor your countertop. (You might want to test your spray on an unobtrusive area for a few days before using it on the entire surface, just in case.) Other sanitizing advice, from various government and Cooperative Extension Service Web sites, includes:
Let the bleach solution stay on the surface for a few minutes and allow it to work before wiping it off.
Use paper towels rather than a damp dishcloth or sponge, which can harbor bacteria. Wash dishcloths at least once a week in hot water. To sanitize sponges, soak in a stronger bleach solution for five minutes and air dry.
Make a new sanitizing solution every week. Once it‚s mixed with water, the bleach can dissipate and your solution will lose its effectiveness. To make a smaller amount, use a teaspoon of bleach in a quart of water.
Clean the kitchen sink drain and disposal periodically with the mild solution. Just pour it down the drain and let it sit for a few minutes.
Avoid scented bleach for sanitization purposes. It‚s usually not as strong as regular bleach, making it less effective for sanitizing.
For more information on cleaning, sanitizing and keeping food safe, see the “Don’t Compromise – Clean and Sanitize” Web site at http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/september.html.