06F — Wiping cloth or sanitizing solution improper / no test kit
A wiping cloth left on the counter grows bacteria and smears it around; sanitizer that is too weak does not kill anything. The inspector checks where cloths are stored, tests your bucket (and asks you to test it), and confirms you have the matching test strips. It is cited at 5-7 points. Note NYC's quat standard is 200 ppm — not a 200-300 range.
What the inspector looks for
Find your wiping cloths and sanitizer bucket. Wet cloths must sit in sanitizer between uses — not on the counter. Dip a test strip: chlorine bleach should read about 50 ppm, quat about 200 ppm. No test kit on hand, a weak bucket, or cloths left out is the violation.
Points & grade impact
Cited at 5 points — 5 / 6 / 7 across condition I-III. NYC adds every cited violation’s points into one inspection score: 0–13 = A, 14–27 = B, 28+ = C.
| Condition level | Points |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | 5 |
| Level 2 | 6 |
| Level 3 | 7 |
How to fix it
Move soiled wiping cloths into a sanitizer bucket mixed to the correct concentration; obtain a test kit and verify the concentration.
How to prevent it
Keep wiping cloths in sanitizer between uses; mix sanitizer to label/required strength (e.g. ~50 ppm chlorine); test every batch with a test kit and remake as it is consumed.
- ✓Give every station a sanitizer bucket and keep all wet wiping cloths submerged in it between uses.
- ✓Mix to strength — about 50 ppm chlorine or 200 ppm quat — and re-test with a strip each time you make a fresh bucket.
- ✓Keep the matching test strips visible at the station (chlorine strips can't read quat, and vice versa); locked in the office does not count.
- ✓Change the bucket every 2-4 hours — sanitizer burns off and gets diluted as the day goes on.
Reference: Health Code §81.27(c)
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