A cleaner removes visible dirt, grease and food residue but does not kill germs. A sanitizer reduces bacteria on a clean surface to a safe level, at least 99.9 percent, and is the product required on food-contact surfaces such as cutting boards, prep tables and slicers. A disinfectant kills 99.999 percent of listed organisms, including viruses, and is used on non-food surfaces such as washrooms, door handles and floors. The order in a commercial kitchen is always clean, rinse, then sanitize, because sanitizers do not work through grease. Chicken Pieces stocks Dustbane and Clean Quick quat sanitizers, chlorine bleach in 4 x 4 L cases, degreasers and disinfectants by the case.

Canadian provincial food codes require food-contact surfaces to be sanitized with 100 ppm chlorine, 200 ppm quaternary ammonium (quat), or 25 ppm iodine, or with water at 77 C or hotter. The product must carry a Health Canada Drug Identification Number (DIN) to be legally sold as a sanitizer, and inspectors check for test strips and a written sanitizing schedule. Concentration is measured with chlorine or quat test strips at the start of each shift and whenever the solution looks dirty, because sanitizer loses strength as it picks up food soil. Sanitizer records are typically kept for two years for inspection.

To make a 100 ppm chlorine sanitizer, add 2 mL of standard 5.25 percent household bleach to 1 L of cool water, or about half a teaspoon per litre. For a three-compartment sink holding 40 L, that is 80 mL of bleach. Use cool water, because hot water releases the chlorine as gas, and let the surface stay wet for at least 60 seconds before air drying. Bleach solution loses strength within a few hours and must be remixed each shift and tested with chlorine strips. Chicken Pieces sells commercial bleach in 4 x 4 L and 3.6 L jugs from Dustbane and Sysco Classic.

Quaternary ammonium (quat) sanitizer is mixed to 200 ppm, which for most concentrates means about 1 oz (30 mL) per 4 gallons (15 L) of water, or as printed on the label. Dustbane Quat Plus in 4 L and Clean Quick in 3.78 L are concentrates; Dustbane Quatromyicide II in 750 mL is ready to use with no mixing, and UniTab tablets dissolve one tablet per set volume of water for a fixed dose. Quat is preferred over bleach for wiping cloths and tables because it stays effective for a full shift, does not bleach uniforms, and is less corrosive on stainless steel. Contact time is 60 seconds, and quat test strips confirm the 200 ppm level.

No. Bleach must never be mixed with quat sanitizer, ammonia, vinegar or acidic descalers, because the reaction releases chlorine or chloramine gas that can cause serious lung injury in a closed kitchen. Each sink and spray bottle should hold one product only, labelled with its name and dilution, and cloths used in a bleach bucket should not be moved to a quat bucket. If a kitchen switches from bleach to quat, sinks and buckets are rinsed thoroughly first. Ready-to-use products in sealed spray bottles, such as Dustbane Quatromyicide II, reduce the risk of staff mixing chemicals by hand.

Shipping is calculated live at checkout from real carrier rates. Free shipping on orders over $199. Orders are processed in 2 to 3 business days (cut-off 10:00 AM MST, Monday to Friday) and Canadian transit takes 2 to 6 business days. We also ship to the United States, with duties and taxes shown at checkout. See the Shipping page for full details.