What is the correct order of steps for cleaning and sanitizing in a three-compartment sink?
a.Rinse in clean water, wash in detergent, sanitize, drain, then towel dry
b.Wash in detergent, sanitize, rinse the sanitizer off in clean water, then stack items wet
c.Sanitize first, then wash in detergent, rinse in clean water, and air dry on a rack
d.Scrape/pre-clean, wash in detergent, rinse in clean water, sanitize, then air dry
Explanation
The proper sequence is to scrape or pre-rinse the item, wash in the first compartment with detergent and water at 110°F or hotter, rinse in the second with clean water, sanitize in the third, and then air dry. Sanitizing before washing is useless because soil shields the microbes, and rinsing after the sanitizer washes the sanitizer back off. Towel drying or stacking items while wet recontaminates them, which is why air drying is the required last step.
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