Home Food Safety
Kitchen Routine

How to Clean and Sanitize Counters and Sinks

Five simple steps to a counter that's truly ready for food prep. Clean first, then sanitize.

Clean kitchen counter being wiped down with a fresh paper towel

Towel Tip

A Fresh Paper Towel for Every Step

Use disposable paper towels for steps 1–4, and grab a new one each time. That way you're never spreading germs from one step back onto your clean counter.

The 5 Steps

  1. Hands sweeping crumbs off a wood counter into a bowl with a paper towel
    1

    Remove Any Food from the Surface

    Wipe away crumbs, spills, and bits of food so you're starting with a clear counter.

    Paper Towel #1

  2. Hands washing a granite counter with a sudsy paper towel beside a paper towel roll
    2

    Wash the Surface with Soapy Water

    Give the whole counter a good wipe with warm, soapy water to lift away dirt and grease.

    Paper Towel #2

  3. Hands rinsing a wood counter with a paper towel dampened in clean water by the sink
    3

    Rinse the Surface with Clean Water

    Wipe with a paper towel dampened in clean water to clear away the soap.

    Paper Towel #3

  4. A hand spraying an unbranded clear bottle with a white spray head onto a clean kitchen counter
    4

    Sanitize the Surface

    Spray or wipe with a no-rinse food-contact sanitizer. Leave the surface wet for the contact time on the label. Don't wipe it off.

    Paper Towel #4, or a No-Rinse Sanitizer Wipe

  5. A clean empty counter with water droplets air-drying in golden evening light
    5

    Let the Surface Air-Dry

    Hands off! Let the counter air-dry so the sanitizer has its full contact time to work.

    No Towel Needed

How to Pick the Right Sanitizer

Check the label before you buy or use it.

No-rinse sanitizer label checklist: EPA registration number, food-contact surface directions, no rinse required, contact time, and products to skip

Click the infographic to open it full size.

When to Sanitize

Always clean first, then sanitize counters and sinks:

  • After prepping raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs
  • Before prepping ready-to-eat food like salads, sandwiches, and cut fruit
  • After thawing or rinsing anything in the sink
  • Any time raw meat juices drip or leak
Read the Full Clean Step

Clean, Then Sanitize. Every Time.