Keep your kitchen germ free
A clean looking kitchen may be sheltering harmful bacteria and germs in reality. While you may be very careful about choosing a restaurant to eat out; it remains a fact that your kitchen may very well be home to germs. Only removing grease and oil do not guarantee a germ free kitchen at your home.
A recent survey done in Chennai shows that about 95% of the residents feel that a kitchen free of grease and oil is a clean kitchen. Only 1% of the respondents said that they clean their kitchens weekly and 14% said that they clean it on a monthly basis. This draws our attention to the fact that a lot of people are unaware of how to keep their kitchen sanitised and germ free and thus avoid the perils of diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, etc.
Kitchen: Possible haven for bacterias
Kitchen can bring you more harm than your bathroom. It can shelter harmful substances like salmonella which can cause many gastro-intestinal infections. Usually meat and poultry products are the most common carriers of bacteria as they are often contaminated in the packaging stage. Apart from raw meat, vegetable like spinach, pepper and avocados can also contain harmful elements like E. coli and salmonella.
While cleaning a kitchen, you should keep in mind that kitchen slabs, towels and chopping boards are the possible sources of infections. Kitchen surfaces are prone to growth of bacteria and the bacteria can be transferred very easily form one surface to another through unclean hands and dishtowels.
Common sources of kitchen germ
Poultry products
Undercooked/raw meat
Raw food (fruits, vegetable, eggs, fish)
Dairy products (unpasteurized)
Damaged canned foods
Why do you need to disinfect your kitchen?
To make sure that bacteria do not find a way into your kitchen, it is necessary to disinfect the kitchen as well as the supplies properly. A seemingly clean looking kitchen may pave way for food-borne pathogens.
Only the use of detergent powders, bars, liquids and plain water to clean sinks, towels, slabs, etc do not ensure that your kitchen is free from germs. Proper disinfections guarantee protection from bacteria and germs. Even a small amount of bacteria transformed from the food can cause illness to us.
How to sanitize kitchen?
You do not need to buy expensive anti-infectants to ensure cleanliness of your kitchen. Little bit of caution and can help sanitize your kitchen without involving any toxic elements.
Towels and table cloths are the most easy preys to bacteria and infections. Antibacterial microfiber cloths can be an answer to the possible infections caused by bacteria.
Keep your sink clean and dry. A wet and dirty sink invites loads of bacteria. Also, replace your sponge regularly. Otherwise, it becomes a hotbed for germs to grow.
Vinegar can disinfect your kitchen to an extent much more than you think is possible. White vinegar in distilled form can ensure that germs do not grow in corners and surfaces of your kitchen. You can use undiluted vinegar to wash counter tops, greasy ovens, dishwashers, utensils which will evict any germs residing there. To have a good scent after cleaning up with vinegar, you can add organic oil or peppermint extracts to it.
You can wipe your kitchen surfaces with Hydrogen Peroxide, which is an able disinfectant. Also, it adds a shine to the reflective surfaces.
Tee Tree oil, Neem oil and Orange oil can be used to wipe the kitchen surfaces. They are non toxic and natural disinfectants to make sure no bacteria remains.
Replace your plastic cutting board with a wooden one. The reason being bacteria dies off easily on wooden boards, but multiplies on the plastic ones. If possible, have a separate cutting board for meat.
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