1. Soil deposits are complex mixtures of organic and inorganic materials.
Food Soil
Soil deposits are complex mixtures of organic and inorganic materials.

2. Physical Characteristics of Soil
The type of surface to be cleaned affects the type of soil that collects and how it is removed. Soil is difficult to remove from cracks, crevices and other uneven surfaces.
It is easiest to remove soil from smooth hard nonporous surfaces.

3. Types of Soils
The table below shows the four basic food soil residues left on processing equipment.  
Depending upon the food product being manufactured and the process equipment used, varying degrees of food soil will be deposited on the equipment during production. 
These food soils will require complete removal during the cleaning process and will affect the cleaning compound used, along with the method of cleaning.

4. Deposit Solubility Removal Process Heat Effects Sugars Water Soluble Easy Caramelization makes
removal more difficult Fats Water Insoluble Alkaline Soluble Difficult Polymerization makes
removal more difficult Proteins Water Insoluble Alkaline Soluble Slightly Acid Soluble Very Difficult Denaturation makes
removal more difficult Minerals Water Soluble Acid Soluble Easy to Difficult Reaction with other
soils

5. Types of Soils³ vegetable oils Type of Soil Soil Subclass Examples
Inorganic soils Hard-water deposits Calcium and magnesium
carbonates
Metallic deposits Common rust, other oxides
Alkaline deposits Films left when an alkaline
cleaner is not rinsed off
properly
Organic soils Food deposits Food scraps and specs
Petroleum deposits Lubrication oils, grease,
and other lubricants
Nonpetroleum deposits Animal fats and
vegetable oils

6. Soil deposits are often complex mixtures of organic and inorganic materials.
It is important to know the type of soil and use the best cleaning compound or combination of compounds to remove it.
A two-step cleaning procedure (using more than one cleaning compounds) is often needed to remove a combination of inorganic and organic deposits.
Table shows the best type of cleaning compounds for each type of soil.

7. Type of Soil Cleaning Compound
Inorganic soils Acid Cleaner
Organic soil
—Nonpetroleum Alkaline Cleaner
—Petroleum Solvent Cleaner

8. Fat-based Soils
Fat usually is present as an emulsion and can generally be rinsed away with hot water above the
melting point. More difficult fat and oil residues can be removed with alkaline detergents which have good emulsifying or saponifying ingredients.

9. Protein-based Soils
In the food industry, proteins are by far the most difficult soils to remove.
In fact, casein (a major milk protein) is used for its adhesive properties in many glues and paints.
Food proteins range from more simple proteins, which are easy to remove, to more complex proteins, which are very difficult to remove.

10. Heat-denatured proteins can be extremely difficult.
Generally, a highly alkaline detergent with peptizing or dissolving properties is required to remove protein soils.
Wetting agents can also be used to increase the wettability and suspendability of proteins.
Protein films require alkaline cleaners which have hypochlorite in addition to wetting agents.

11. Carbohydrate-based Soils
Simple sugars are readily soluble in warm water and are quite easily removed.
Starch residues, individually, are also easily removed with mild detergents.
Starches associated with proteins or
fats can usually be easily removed by highly alkaline detergents.

12. Mineral Salt-based Soils
Mineral salts can be either relatively easy to remove, or be highly troublesome deposits or films.
Calcium and magnesium are involved in some of the most difficult mineral films.
Under conditions involving heat and alkaline pH, calcium and magnesium can combine with bicarbonates to form highly insoluble complexes.

13. Other difficult deposits contain iron or manganese.
Salt films can also cause corrosion of some surfaces.
Difficult salt films require an acid cleaner (especially organic acids which form complexes with these salts) for removal.
Sequestering agents such as phosphates or chelating agents are often used in detergents for salt film removal.

14. Microbiological Films
Under certain conditions, microorgranisms (bacteria, yeasts, and molds) can form invisible films (biofilms) on surfaces.
Biofilms can be difficult to remove and usually require cleaners as well as sanitizers with strong oxidizing properties.

15. Lubricating Greases and Oils
These deposits (insoluble in water, alkali, or acid) can often be melted with hot water or steam, but often leave a residue.
Surfactants can be used to emulsify the residue to make it suspendable in water
and flushable.

16. Other Insoluble Soils
Inert soils such as sand, clay, or fine metal can be removed by surfactant-based detergents.
Charred or carbonized material may require organic solvents.

17. Quantity of Soil
It is important to rinse food-contact surfaces prior to cleaning to remove most of the soluble soil.
Heavy deposits require more detergent to remove. Improper cleaning can actually contribute to build-up of soil.

18. The Surface Characteristics
The cleanability of the surface is a primary consideration in evaluating cleaning effectiveness.
Important surface characteristics are:
Surface Composition.
Surface Finish.
Surface Condition.

19. Surface Composition
Stainless steel is the preferred surface for food equipment and is specified in many industry and regulatory design and construction standards.
For example: 3-A Sanitary Standards (equipment standards used for milk and milk products applications) specify 300 series stainless steel or equivalent. Other grades of stainless steel may be appropriate for specific applications (i.e 400 series) such as handling of high fat products, meats, etc.

20. “Soft” metals & other
Other "soft" metals (aluminum, brass, copper, or mild steel), or nonmetallic surfaces (plastics, or rubber) are also used on food contact surfaces.
Surfaces of soft metals and nonmetallic materials are generally less corrosion- resistant and care should be exercised in their cleaning.
Aluminum is readily attacked by acids as well as highly alkaline cleaners which can render the surface non-cleanable.

21. Plastics are subject to stress cracking and clouding from prolonged exposure to corrosive food materials or cleaning agents.
Hard wood (maple or equivalent) or sealed wood surfaces should only be used in limited applications such as cutting boards or cutting tables provided the surface is maintained in good repair.
Avoid using porous wood surfaces.

22. Surface Finish
Equipment design and construction standards also specify finish and smoothness requirements.
3-A standards specify a finish at least as smooth as a No. 4 ground finish for most application.
With high-fat products, a less smooth surface is used to allow product release from the surface.

23. Surface Condition
Misuse or mishandling can result in pitted, cracked, corroded, or roughened surfaces.
Such surfaces are more difficult to clean or sanitize, and may no longer be cleanable.
Thus, care should be exercised in using corrosive chemicals or corrosive food products.

24. Removal of soil from a surface takes three steps.
First, soil must be separated from
the surface.
Second, the soil must be dispersed
into the cleaning solution.
Third soil must not be allowed to
reattach to the surface.

25. Soil can be separated from a surface mechanically by using high pressure water, steam, air or scrubbing.
Soil can also be separated from a surface chemically.
A chemical example would be using an alkaline cleaner with a fatty acid to form a soap.

26. The soil and surface must be thoroughly wet for a cleaning compound to help separate the soil from the surface.
The cleaning compound helps loosen the soil from the surface by reducing the strength of the bond between the surface and the soil.
Heat or mechanical action (scrubbing, shaking, high pressure spray, etc.) can help reduce the bond.
However, heat does not help loosen some protein and fat soils.

27. Once the soil has been separated from the surface it needs to be dispersed into the cleaning solution.
Therefore, enough cleaning solution must be used to dissolve all the soil. Some soils will not dissolve in the cleaning solution.

28. It is important to break up the undissolved soil into smaller particles so it can be carried away from the surface.
Mechanical action such as scrubbing, shaking or high pressure sprays help to break the soil down into smaller particles.

29. Cleaning solutions should be changed often enough to prevent dispersed soil from reattaching.
A clean surface should be rinsed or flushed to remove all dispersed soil and cleaning residues.
Using soft water helps prevent deposits formed when hard water reacts with soap in a cleaning compound.