As indicated in the name, the 3-compartment sink method requires three separate sink compartments, one for each step of the warewash procedure: wash, rinse, and sanitize.
Scrub: Use the first sink to scrub the dishes in soapy, warm water (minimum temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit required). Rinse: Use the second sink to rinse the dishes in clean, warm water (minimum temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit). Soak: Use the third sink to soak the dishes in a chemical sanitizing solution.
Air-dry the dishes. This is very important. Never towel-dry cleaned and sanitized dishes, even with a paper towel, or you might contaminate them again.
The FDA requires water temperature at minimum of 110 degrees for washing dishes in a three-compartment sink. When first filled up, with the use of a thermometer, most operations can easily meet this. But as time wears on, the temperature drops.
1. Immerse dishes for at least one minute in hot water with a temperature of 170*F or higher. 2. Immerse dishes for at least two minutes in a chemical sanitizing solution, with water temperature between 75*F-120*F.
The sink temperature refers to the cooling medium inlet temperature. For the charge air cooler or the radiator, the sink temperature is the cooling air temperature in front of the cooler or the radiator.
3-compartment sink steps and tips for safe use
Rinse: Move the dishes to the second sink and rinse them with clean, warm water to remove leftover soap or detergent. Sanitize: Move the dishes to the third sink and soak them in your chosen chemical sanitizer according to the manufacturer's direction.
After cleaning and sanitizing items in a three-compartment sink they must be wiped dry with a clean towel.
Use hot water at a temperature of at least 110oF. Mix 1½ teaspoons of bleach for every gallon of warm water. Test the solution with a Chemical Sanitizing Test Strip* before using.
Use the Double-Basin Method
The most energy-efficient hand-washing method, according to a study from the University of Michigan, is the two-basin method: One sink filled with hot water for washing, and a second with cool water for rinsing.
Fill the first sink with detergent and water at least 110˚F (43˚C) Fill the second sink with clean water. Fill the third sink with water and sanitizer to the correct concentration. Provide a clock with a second hand to let food handlers know how long items have been in the sanitizer.
Which step is NOT part of the three-sink cleaning process? Dry clean, sanitize dishes with a towel.
The major types of sanitizers are heat, radiation, and chemicals. Chemicals are more practical than heat and radiation for food production facilities.
To be considered properly sanitized, items must be soaked in water that is at least 171º F (77º C) for a minimum of 30 seconds. Where should sanitation occur when manually washing dishes in a three-compartment sink? The first sink should be used to wash items, the second to rinse them, and the third to sanitize.
Next up, to sanitize the sink, stop the drain and fill the basin with warm water. Add a small amount of bleach and let that sit for upwards of five minutes before draining the sink. Be sure to wipe down the handles and faucet with the bleach solution as well. Finally, rinse with warm water to remove the bleach.
The sanitation bucket provides a clean disinfectant to use for mopping, the clean rinsing bucket contains a rinse disinfectant solution to assist in removing dirt and residual contaminants, and the dirty rinsing bucket serves as a waste bucket to wring out either excess cleanser or wastewater in-between steps.
All food establishments that do not have automatic warewashing equipment must have a sink with at least three compartments for manually washing, rinsing and sanitizing all equipment, utensils and tableware.
Compartment size ranges from (inches) 16 x 18 to 30 x 24, with all the increments in between. The most common sizes are 16 x 18 or 16 x 20, and they usually run 12- to 14-inches high.
The 3-compartment sink must drain to a floor sink (or other equivalent receptacle) via an indirect connection with a one inch air gap space above the top rim of the floor sink.
It's generally agreed that 120 degrees Fahrenheit is the maximum safe hot water temperature that should be delivered from a fixture. Therefore hot water above 120 degrees Fahrenheit can be considered hazardous. Model codes address this in various code sections.
The ideal temperature for domestic hot water is 120 degrees Fahrenheit, or 49 degrees Celsius, to avoid the possibility of scalding. Furthermore, if the water heater is set at too high a temperature, it can result in unnecessarily more expensive energy bills from the running water emerging from shower systems and taps.
Faucets are supplied with water from two different water lines, one cold and one hot. The hot water line usually comes from a heat source called a hot water heater. The maximum temperature of the water is controlled by a setting on the hot water heater.