Which of the following may help maintain the effectiveness of sanitizer?

Maintaining the effectiveness of sanitizer is crucial in food safety to ensure that harmful pathogens are eliminated from surfaces. One of the ways to achieve this is by filtering out food bits from surfaces before applying sanitizer. Food particles can interfere with the sanitizer's ability to make direct contact with the surface being sanitized. When food debris is present, it can harbor bacteria and obstruct the sanitizer from effectively reaching and eliminating these pathogens. By ensuring that surfaces are clean and free from food residues, the sanitizer can work more efficiently and achieve its intended level of disinfection.

In contrast, using carbonated water does not have any sanitizing properties and may actually introduce additional residues that could compromise sanitizer effectiveness. Quick rinsing with hot water may remove some contaminants but does not ensure surfaces are properly sanitized since it does not involve the appropriate use of a sanitizer. Mixing different sanitizers can lead to reactions that might diminish their effectiveness or create harmful byproducts, making it essential to use only one sanitizer at a time as per manufacturer's guidelines.