Understanding Kitchen Sanitizers: What to Use and Where
ot all sanitizers in your kitchen are created equal, and they’re certainly not interchangeable. Whether you're running a busy restaurant or a small café, knowing where and how to use the right sanitizer can mean the difference between a compliant kitchen and a costly health code violation.
At Chemmark of East Texas, we specialize in helping restaurants across Houston and surrounding areas stay safe, clean, and compliant. As the region’s trusted dish machine partner since 1987, we provide low-temp dish machines, the proper sanitizers, and a full lineup of sink and surface cleaning solutions.
Why the right sanitizer matters
Each part of your kitchen—dish machine, sink, prep tables, and floors—requires different cleaning and sanitizing solutions. Using the wrong chemical in the wrong place can:
❌ Fail to meet health department standards
❌ Damage equipment or void warranties
❌ Leave bacteria and food soils behind
With Chemmark, you'll always have the right product in the right place.
For low-temp dish machines: chlorine only
If you’re using a low-temp dish machine, there’s only one sanitizer that’s approved and effective: chlorine (sodium hypochlorite).
Kills bacteria quickly
Complies with health code requirements
Used at health-inspector-approved parts-per-million (PPM) levels verified with test strips
Provided, installed, and maintained by Chemmark on all leased machines
✅ Health code requires chlorine sanitizer for low-temp machines—no substitutions allowed.
Quick reference: what goes where
Low-temp dish machine: Chlorine-based sanitizer only
Sink washing (wash compartment): Foam Blend, Concentrated Dish Detergent, Aqua Suds, or Solid Pot & Pan
Sink presoaking (as needed): LS#1, Silver Brilliant, or Silver Solid
Sink final sanitize (rinse compartment): Q-Rinse
Food prep and dining surfaces: Q-Rinse in a properly labeled spray bottle
Floors: Bioactive Cleaner or Floor Degreaser
Glass and mirrors: Shine Brite
Ovens and grills: Oven Cleaner
For 3-compartment sinks: detergents, presoaks, and final rinse sanitizer
Sink sanitizing follows a completely different approach. Here's what to use and where:
Step 1: Wash
Foam Blend – Blue liquid pot and pan detergent for daily sink washing
Concentrated Dish Detergent – Yellow liquid detergent for 3-compartment sink dispensers
Aqua Suds or Solid Pot & Pan – Solid detergents used in solid chemical dispensers
Step 2: Soak (optional but recommended for heavy soil)
LS#1 – Blue presoak that loosens food scum
Silver Brilliant – Green liquid presoak for silverware and dishes
Silver Solid – Solid version of our effective presoak
Step 3: Sanitize
Q-Rinse – Final step sanitizer for 3-compartment sinks and food-contact surfaces (clear yellow liquid)
✅ Never use Q-Rinse or other sink products in your dish machine. These are designed only for manual washing and sanitizing.
Surface, floor, and equipment cleaning
Chemmark also provides professional-grade cleaners for every other surface in your kitchen:
Bioactive Cleaner (Enza-Clean) – No-rinse, enzyme-based floor cleaner that targets grease and odors
Lavender All-Purpose Cleaner – Mop and surface cleaner with a fresh lavender scent
Oven Cleaner – Heavy-duty degreaser for ovens and grills
Shine Brite – Glass and window cleaner
Floor Degreaser – Light-duty grease cutter for general kitchen floors
How to test sanitizer levels (fast and inspector-ready)
Dish machine (chlorine): Run a rack, dip a chlorine test strip in the final rinse, and confirm it reads within your local health code’s required PPM range. Adjust feed or call Chemmark if readings are off.
Sink sanitizer (Q-Rinse): Mix per label in the sanitize compartment or spray bottle. Use the correct test strip to verify the solution meets required PPM. Remake solution if water is dirty, soapy, or readings drift.
Pro tip: Keep dated log sheets and fresh test strips at every station. Inspectors love documentation—and it prevents accidental out-of-range readings.
Common mistakes to avoid
Using sink chemicals in the dish machine (and vice versa)
Topping off sanitizer without testing
Letting food soil or detergent carry-over dilute sanitizer in the sanitize compartment
Mixing chemicals or storing incompatible products together
Running out of product during service—set par levels and reorder before you’re low
Machine compatibility and service
Using the wrong chemical can damage internal parts, create poor results, and void warranties. When you lease from Chemmark, we:
Size and install the correct low-temp machine for your volume (popular options include CMA AH-2, EST-FL, and ADS ET-AF-3-PH)
Provide the right chlorine sanitizer and calibrate dispensers
Train your team on testing and daily best practices
Respond within 2 hours for service calls and offer same-day delivery on chemicals
Why Chemmark is the sanitizer partner of choice
Since 1987, Chemmark of East Texas has helped restaurants clean smarter, stay compliant, and protect their equipment with:
💧 Correct sanitizers for every kitchen zone
🧼 Full suite of detergents, presoaks, and surface cleaners
🛠 2-hour service response and same-day delivery
📦 Solid and liquid options for both leased and owned systems
🤝 Family-owned service built on teamwork, partnership, reliability, responsiveness, excellence, and improvement—values inspired by founder Bill Gilliland’s vision
Whether you're leasing a CMA, EST, or ADS low-temp machine from us or just need reliable cleaning supplies, we’ve got your back with expert support and proven solutions.
Let Chemmark make sanitizing simple. We'll help you clean confidently, so you can focus on what matters: running your kitchen.
📞 Call us: (281) 290-6801
📧 Email: info@chemmarketx.com