Clean first and sanitise only clean surfaces
Remove solids, pre-rinse, wash with detergent, rinse again, sanitise, air-dry, and protect equipment before the next batch.
Remove milk before it dries
Scrape curd from moulds, vat walls, and draining mats as soon as production ends. Then drain whey from taps and hose ends.
Pre-rinse with cool or lukewarm potable water. Very hot water can set milk proteins onto stainless steel.
Cleaning removes soil. Sanitising reduces microorganisms on a surface that is already visibly clean.
Dried milk takes far longer to remove.
Wash fat, protein and milkstone apart
Use a food-safe detergent at the label dose and temperature. Choose alkaline products for fat and protein.
Use acid cleaners only for mineral scale or milkstone. Milkstone is the hard, chalky film left by milk minerals.
Brush seams, mould holes, handles, thermometer clips, taps, and hoses with dedicated food-area brushes. Then rinse until no foam or slippery feel remains.
The most common mistake is rushing the rinse. Detergent left on equipment can weaken the next sanitiser.
Use detergent to remove what you can see and feel. Use sanitiser only after that stage. If a surface smells sour, feels greasy, or has a chalky film, wash it again before sanitising.
Prepare sanitiser exactly as the label and Safety Data Sheet state. Keep the surface wet for the full stated contact time.
Use compatible test strips when they are available. Record the product name, dilution, strip result, start time, and operator.
A sanitiser cannot work on a dry surface. This step often takes between 1 and 10 minutes, depending on the product.
Cleaning, sanitising, and sterilising are different processes. Cleaning removes milk soil, fat, protein, and mineral deposits.
Sanitising then reduces microorganisms on cleaned food-contact surfaces. Follow the product label and local rules.
Sterilisation destroys all viable microorganisms, including spores. Routine cheese-making equipment does not normally need sterilisation.
Some laboratory tools, cultures, and specialist processes may need sterilisation. It never replaces thorough washing.
In daily cheese making, remove residue, wash, rinse, and verify sanitising. These are the controls that protect cheese quality and keeping time.
⚠️ Do not guess the dilution or contact time. A stronger mix can damage equipment and leave chemical residue.
Choose a sanitiser that suits your material
Choose authorised food-contact products. Check material compatibility, label dilution, and rinse instructions before preparing any solution.
Check stainless steel, plastic, silicone, rubber, and glass separately. A product safe for one material may damage another.
| Sanitiser | Typical working range | Contact time | Rinse? | Material concern | Main risk |
|---|
| Chlorine bleach | Follow label, often ppm-based | Usually minutes, label-led | Often required | Can corrode steel and rubber | Chlorine gas if mixed |
| Peracetic acid | Follow label, often ppm-based | Usually 1 to 10 minutes | Only if label says so | Check seals and soft plastics | Irritant vapour |
| Iodophor | Follow label, often ppm-based | Usually 1 to 2 minutes | Label decides | May stain some plastics | Incorrect dilution |
| Quaternary ammonium | Follow label | Usually minutes | Often required for food contact | Check food-contact label | Residue on food surfaces |
| 70% alcohol | Ready-to-use only | Keep wet as labelled | Usually no | Can affect some plastics | Flammable, poor through soil |
| Steam | No chemical dilution | Surface must reach heat | No | Can warp plastics and seals | Burns and incomplete reach |
Use chlorine only on compatible equipment and at the labelled dose. Too much chlorine can pit steel, weaken gaskets, and leave odours.
Poor rinsing can also leave unwanted residue. Never mix bleach with acid cleaner, descaler, vinegar, or ammonia.
These mixtures can form toxic gases. Keep each chemical in its own marked container.
Use peracetic acid in wet systems
Peracetic acid can suit food-processing lines and wet systems. It still needs the correct concentration, temperature, and contact time after thorough cleaning.
Ventilate the work area. Wear the protective equipment stated on the Safety Data Sheet.
Do not lean over mixing containers. Vapour can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat.
A quick spray is not the correct method. The surface must stay wet for the labelled time.
⚠️ Never mix sanitising chemicals. Mixing bleach with acids can release dangerous chlorine gas.
Open hidden parts or run a proven CIP cycle
Dismantle hoses, taps, valves, seals, and fittings. Do this unless a validated Cleaning-in-Place process reaches every internal surface.
Dismantle the parts you cannot see
Open taps and valves after production when possible. Remove gaskets, brush grooves and valve bodies, then rinse and sanitise each part.
Hang hoses with both ends down. This lets water drain instead of sitting inside.
Inspect mould crevices, probes, brine outlets, and draining-table undersides. These areas often hold milk film that looks like a harmless shadow.
A common case is a clean-looking tap with sour-smelling residue behind its seal. Opening the tap solves what surface spraying misses.
Make CIP prove its own reach
A CIP cycle must send detergent and sanitiser through every branch, return line, and valve. Record flow, temperature, concentration, and time for each run.
Use inspection, concentration strips, and written records. ATP tests or environmental swabs can help investigate repeat contamination risks.
CIP only works when liquid reaches every surface. A dead-end pipe can stay dirty even when the main line looks clean.
Treat cleaning as a repeatable food-safety control, not as a final visual check.
Verify that the system drains fully after each cycle. Standing liquid in vats, valves, and hose circuits can leave residue behind and encourage microbial growth.
Review cleaning records when contamination returns. Repeated problems can indicate poor flow, worn seals, incorrect detergent use, or an uncleaned dead end.
Air-dry equipment in a clean area. Separate brushes, clean hands, and covered storage protect food-contact surfaces.
This advice does not replace an HACCP plan, regional Spanish health rules, or validated factory procedures for larger dairies. Do not choose chemical doses or mixtures outside the manufacturer's label and Safety Data Sheet.
⚠️ Do not rely on CIP if hoses, valves, or dead ends lack proven liquid flow.
Your questions answered
How do I sanitise cheese-making equipment?
Remove residue, wash with detergent, rinse, then apply a compatible food-contact sanitiser. Use its labelled concentration and full contact time.
What are the five cleaning stages in order?
The stages are residue removal, pre-rinsing, detergent washing, rinsing, and sanitising. Air-dry equipment, then store it protected.
Can I use bleach on stainless-steel cheese-making equipment?
Use bleach only if its label permits food-contact use. The equipment maker must also allow it.
Follow dilution, contact time, and rinse instructions. Chlorine can damage steel if used wrongly.
Suitability depends on its current label, local authorisation, and material compatibility. It never replaces detergent washing.
Can rubbing alcohol sanitise fermenters?
No, alcohol cannot remove milk film, yeast residue, or biofilm. Use it only where its label permits.
How often should I clean hoses and valves?
Clean hoses and valves after each production use. Inspect hidden cavities often and dismantle parts according to their design and risk.
How can I check that sanitation worked?
Inspect equipment under strong light and verify dilution with compatible strips. Keep records for each cleaning run.
ATP tests or swabs can support investigations. They are useful when contamination keeps returning.
Make the next batch start on a clean surface
Start each batch with clean, dry equipment where appropriate. Keep it covered and away from dust.
Keep food-area brushes separate from floor tools. Replace cracked hoses and damaged seals.
Maintain a short SSOP. List equipment, products, dilution checks, contact times, rinse needs, and the responsible person.
A clean surface helps cheese keep its intended flavour. It also reduces unwanted smells and batch-to-batch contamination.
⚠️ Do not store wet equipment inside closed tubs. Trapped moisture can cause odours and microbial growth.
