Sanitizing
Clean up spills with hot, soapy water as you go with a sanitary sponge.
To clean, wash pots and pans with hot, soapy water. To sterilize, either wash with water above 180º F (82º C) or soak in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of water). Replace any sponges used to clean up dishes and utensils that have touched raw chicken.
Real Tip: Many dishwashers have a high-temperature or heavy setting that will sterilize your dishes. Just make sure there are no plastic dishes or containers in the dishwasher when you use this setting.
Washing your hands
Yes, we all know how to wash our hands. Sanitizing our hands is a different story. Follow these steps to ensure your hands are ready to handle other food after dealing with raw chicken:
- Get the water as hot as you can stand.
- Lather up! Rub soap on every part of your hand and wrist.
- Rub hands for at least 20 seconds
- Rinse well under running water.
- Dry off with a disposable paper towel.
Real Tip: 20 seconds is about as long as the Alphabet song.