Passover Preparations: Getting Rid of Chametz

Cleaning the House

The home and place of business are thoroughly cleaned in an effort to get rid of chametz, which one is forbidden to possess.

It is important to thoroughly clean the kitchen and dining room areas, where food is generally eaten. Be sure to brush or vacuum out crumbs from drawers and cabinets.

In living rooms and other rooms where food, especially snacks, is eaten, be sure to vacuum carpets and couches.

"Turning the House Over" - Perhaps you have heard this phrase uttered by a friend, or you remember your grandmother using such language. "Turning the House Over" means changing the kitchen from Chametz to Pesachdik (ready for Passover) and vice-versa after the holiday.

* During Passover, one may not use dishes, silverware or pots and pans that are regularly used with chametz foods. It is customary to have separate sets of dishes, cutlery and cookingware for Passover.
* For those who are just beginning to observe the Passover laws or who are on a strict budget, paper, plasticware and aluminum are easy and affordable.
* The non-Passover dishes, cutlery and cookware should be stored away so that they will not mistakenly be used. One may either box them and put them in another room, or tape the cabinet closed.
* Appliances used for chametz should be removed from the counters and not used during Passover.
* Because counters and table tops often come in direct contact with chametz during the year, one should cover them. A tablecloth is sufficient for the table and foil, plastic sheeting or contact paper (being cautious that it is removable without damage) to cover counters.

The Removal of Chametz

Any item which contains wheat, wheat, oat, barley, spelt or rye should be consumed before Passover, given away, thrown out or sold (see below).

Any item that does not contain chametz, but is not specifically labeled Kosher for Passover, should be stored in a cabinet and the cabinet should be taped closed.

During the holiday, one should only eat food specifically marked Kosher for Passover. While a product may not appear to contain chametz, according to Jewish law it may still be chametz since the US FDA does not require any ingredient under 2% to be listed on the label. There are also some production techniques that use chametz based oils in packaging or canning products, which would not be listed on the labels.

Selling the leftover Chametz

In cases of significant monetary loss, it is customary to sell certain types of chametz to a non-Jew, for instance unopened economy size boxes of cereal or bottles of scotch.*

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