Teach Soap

I'm gearing up to make lotions (if the lip balms don't do me in! ), and one thing I've seen mentioned is a sanitizing procedure.

As I understand it, countertops should be cleaned, and then sprayed with a bleach/water solution, which is allowed to dry on the counter. Is there a preferred way to clean the counter prior to the bleach/water spray?

Also, I saw a reference to soaking the utensils, mixing dishes, and the like in a bleach/water solution. Would the process for that be to wash those things, then let them soak in the bleach/water for whatever period of time (10 minutes? Longer?), and then let them air dry?

Am I even close?

Anita

I usually spray my utensils, containers etc. with rubbing alcohol.

I wash utensils in very hot soapy water, rinse, let dry. Then spritz with alcohol and let dry.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I usually rinse them off after they have soaked in the bleach water and dry them with a paper towel then let air dry for awhile. I hadnt thought of spritzing with alcohol too! That would probably help them dry faster

I'm probably going to install UV lamps to ensure a sterile environment.
For me, it is all about what's in the air. Therefore a zero-recirculation minsplit for cooling.
Before making a batch I make sure I have everything on hand. Then I spray Lysol into the air (aerosol) and wait while it settles. This precipitates dust particles out of the air and cleans it pretty well.
Then I wipe down the work surfaces with dilute bleach and a touch of surfactant.
I heat the aqueous phase using a microwave oven because it sterilises perfectly.
Very important: sterilise the containers, do not let any cream spill on to the lip or - worse - the threads because it will be unprotected and will go mouldy.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

This has been a somewhat heated subject on the forum in the past,my take on it is to go by what ANNE MARIE of BRAMBLEBERRY has to say about it and that is TO STERILIZE YOUR CONTAINERS.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

That's what I do with thick-walled pots. With double-wall it can be a nuisance because the dunking can allow water to get into the space below, and it will take forever to get out again. So for those pots I usually use wipes - paper towels - soaked in 5% bleach, and use a new one about every dozen or so pots. For pump bottles I make sure to pump some bleach solution through, then pump them dry so that bleach doesn't stay in the pump mechanism. You might think my precautions are excessive. Maybe they are, but having product out there that gets fungus is my personal nightmare!

I usually use bleach, but what about putti g containers and a cup of water in the microwave? That's how I santised my pumping equipment when I was breast
feeding...

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
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According to my information a microwave oven is a very effective steriliser. Just be careful with the timing because plastic, even glass, absorbs the energy too, will get hot, and plastic will melt if you leave it too long.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!