Which action must occur before sanitizing a surface?

• A. Dry the surface.
• B. Clean the surface.
• C. Disinfect the surface.
• D. Polish the surface.

Answer: (B)

Effectiveness of sanitizing depends on having a clean surface. Cleaning removes dirt, grease, and organic matter that can shield germs and prevent sanitizer from contacting them effectively. If you sanitize a dirty surface, the sanitizer may not reach all microbes, and its ability to lower the microbial load is reduced. So the essential step before sanitizing is to clean the surface to remove visible soil and residues. Drying the surface isn’t a prerequisite for sanitizing, and polishing isn’t part of the sanitation process. Disinfection is a related step that usually follows cleaning (and often sanitizing) depending on the procedure, but it isn’t the action that must occur before sanitizing.