Cleaning removes food, grease, and other physical gunk from the surface of your sink. Sanitizing is all about killing off any lingering bacteria and thus protecting your household from foodborne illnesses. If, say, you used tongs to flip raw chicken and then tossed the utensil into the sink, congratulations: You now have a chicken sink (or at least, you should treat it as such).
You should always do a separate sanitizing step after cleaning, even if the cleanser you used also has sanitizing properties. Any gunk in the way makes the sanitizer less effective, so the bare surface needs a proper chance to be sanitized.
Also note that many cleaners don’t sanitize (including the Clorox Free & Clear Multi-Surface Spray Cleaner we recommend). Look for the word “sanitizer” or “sanitizing” on the packaging, or something like the phrase “kills 99.9% of bacteria.” If you can’t find such labeling, sometimes the back of the bottle has a note specifying whether a product can be used as a sanitizer.
When in doubt, go for bleach. The USDA recommends sanitizing with a solution of 1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water to kill foodborne pathogens. Keep in mind, though, that this solution sanitizes, but it doesn’t disinfect, which means it’ll kill bacteria but not viruses. If someone in your household is sick and you’d like to eliminate viruses as well, the CDC recommends upping the concentration of bleach to 5 tablespoons per gallon of water.
You can also take the easier route and use a commercial spray containing bleach that both sanitizes and disinfects (we recommend Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach). Whatever you choose, spray your sanitizer all over the sink, including the faucet and handles.
To kill most bacteria, you need to let the solution sit for a while before rinsing it off. If you opt for the bleach solution, let it sit for five to 10 minutes, or whatever your bleach bottle’s label recommends. Then rinse it with water or wipe it with a wet rag or paper towel. The USDA says to make sure the surface or sink is dry before using it again.
If you’re using a spray cleaner, follow the instructions on the label. Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach needs to sit on the surface for 30 seconds to be effective, but others may need longer.
