Manual of Naval Preventive Medicine
Chapter 1: Food Service Sanitation
VIII: Structural Requirements and Sanitary Controls

1-60. Housekeeping.

Department of the Navy
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

1. The entire food service facility and all areas of the property used in connection with operation of the establishment must be kept neat, clean, and free of litter, refuse, and garbage.

2. Rooms, areas, floor and wall coverings, attached equipment and fixtures must be kept clean.

3. Cleaning of facilities and fixtures must be done as often as necessary to keep them clean.

4. Cleaning, except emergency and incidental cleaning, must be done during periods when the least amount of food is exposed, such as between meal periods or after closing.

5. Cleaning Methods

a. Only dustless methods of cleaning must be used, such as wet cleaning, vacuum cleaning, mopping with treated mops, or sweeping using a broom and dust arresting compounds, except that:

b. Spills or drippage on floors occurring through the day between normal floor cleaning times may be cleaned without the use of dust-arresting compounds and, in the case of liquid spills or drippage, with the use of a small amount of absorbent sweeping compound applied immediately prior to spot cleaning.

6. Service Sinks or Curbed Cleaning Facility

a. The cleaning of mops and similar cleaning tools and materials, and the disposing of mop water and similar liquid wastes in food preparation sinks, hand washing facilities, and ware washing facilities is prohibited.

b. At least one service sink or curbed cleaning facility with a floor drain must be provided for cleaning mops or similar wet floor cleaning tools, and for the disposal of mop water and similar liquid waste.

7. Maintenance Equipment. Maintenance and cleaning tools such as brooms, mops, vacuum cleaners and similar equipment must be:

a. Stored so they do not contaminate food, equipment, utensils or linens

b. Stored in a space or area that is provided with adequate ventilation to prevent malodors and allow gear to dry;

c. Stored in an orderly manner that will facilitate cleaning of the maintenance equipment storage spaces.

8. Extra Articles and Litter. The premises must be free of articles not essential to the operation or maintenance of the establishment.

9. Unnecessary Persons. Traffic of unnecessary persons through the food preparation or utensil washing area is prohibited, except that controlled visits/tours may be authorized by the person in charge.

10. Animals. Live animals must not be permitted in food establishments, except that:

a. Edible fish or decorative fish in aquariums, shellfish or crustacea on ice or under refrigeration, or shellfish and crustacea in display tank systems are allowed

b. Working dogs accompanying security or police officers in offices and dining/sales and storage areas, sentry dogs running loose in outside fenced areas, or guide dogs accompanying blind persons in dining/sales areas are allowed.