How do you properly clean and disinfect a kitchen or a food shop? The European Commission sums it up in five steps: remove visible dirt, clean, rinse, disinfect and rinse again, from high-risk to low-risk areas, using the products as the label says and without mixing them. Regulation 852/2004 requires everything that touches food to be cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected. This course explains it in 8 modules, with a 30-question test and a training certificate in PDF. It is not the food handler course and does not replace your employer's training.
Note: this is theory only and not a licensed course. It is not the food handler certificate or your premises' cleaning plan: your employer draws that up and must also train you on the products you use.
- StudyThe 8 modules, at your own pace.
- Take the test30 questions; you can retake it.
- Download the PDFWith your name, the date, the syllabus and a code to verify it.
The course: 8 modules
Each module has its own page: the text, a practical example, the rule it comes from and a few review questions. Your progress is saved in this browser.
- 1What the law requires: clean and, if needed, disinfectEvery food business (restaurants, bars, canteens, butcher's shops, bakeries, supermarkets) must meet the hygiene…20 min
- 2The five steps and the order of areasThe 2022 Commission Notice on good hygiene practices describes the usual steps: Remove visible dirt: food scraps…20 min
- 3The cleaning plan: what, when, how and whoEach business must work out what, when and how it cleans and disinfects, and who does it (2022 Commission Notice).20 min
- 4Surfaces, utensils and allergensFloors, walls and surfaces in contact with food must be in good condition and easy to clean and disinfect: materials…20 min
- 5Waste, pests and product storageFood waste is removed as quickly as possible from rooms where food is present.15 min
- 6Your hygiene: hands, clothing and healthAnyone working where there is food must maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and wear suitable, clean and…15 min
- 7Chemicals: bleach, ammonia and labelsCleaning products are mixtures containing substances that can irritate or burn the skin, eyes and airways.20 min
- 8Protect yourself: gloves, goggles and skinRepeated contact with detergents and water causes dermatitis on the hands and forearms (itching, cracks, redness).20 min
- ✓Final test and certificateFinal test: 30 questions
Frequently asked questions
Are the course and certificate really free?
Is this the food handler course?
Is it an officially recognised certificate?
Is it useful for working at a cleaning company?
What happens if I mix bleach and ammonia?
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Check a certificate
For employers: type the details exactly as they appear on the certificate. Your browser checks that the code matches that name, ID number and date. LaborIA stores no data, so this confirms the certificate has not been altered, not who took the test.
More free courses with a certificate
Rules and official sources
- Reglamento (CE) 852/2004, relativo a la higiene de los productos alimenticios (Regulation on the hygiene of foodstuffs, Spanish text)
- Reglamento (UE) 2021/382 (amends the annexes to Regulation 852/2004: allergens and food safety culture; Spanish text)
- Commission Notice 2022/C 355/01 on good hygiene practices and HACCP (Spanish text)
- INSST, BASEQUIM 022: Limpieza de edificios y locales (chemical agents in cleaning, in Spanish)
- Ley 31/1995, de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales (Occupational Risk Prevention Act, in Spanish)
Texts read on 23 October 2026. General information: your employer must also give you the training for your specific job.