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<\/p>\nThe kitchen is the main place for food preparation. Wet produce like meat is prone to bacteria and fungi spores. If not handled with care, it is possible to contaminate your kitchen surface and food. Keeping a germ-free kitchen is important to prevent food poisoning and falling ill from being infected by other types of pathogens.<\/p>\n
Below are 10 practical ways to maintain a germ-free kitchen.<\/p>\n
This is the number one criterion before any food preparation. Your hands are constantly touching various objects and performing all types of activity that may expose them to harmful microbes.<\/p>\n
By washing your hands, you are eliminating the risk of contaminating your food, especially if you\u2019re preparing fresh vegetables and fruits for salad.<\/p>\n
If you have thrown raw food into your trash can, it will rot in no time. Not only does rotting food emit a foul stench, but it also harbours bacteria and attracts pests like ants, roaches, and rats.<\/p>\n
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Pests like rats carry diseases<\/a> that are unwelcome to any home. Skip the headache of having to manage an overnight infestation and living with a bad odour wafting throughout the house.<\/p>\n Take your trash out as daily or as soon as it reeks.<\/p>\n Have you noticed that sponges that are left to soak in water start to emit a foul smell?<\/p>\n When you use the sponge to clean, food particles get caught in between the sponge fibers. If left unchecked, bacteria will start to grow when food starts to rot, aided by moisture.<\/p>\n While removing all food particles from the sponge is impossible, but it\u2019s possible to keep the sponge dry. Give it a squeeze after every wash and let it air dry. With lesser moisture, bacteria won\u2019t multiply so fast.<\/p>\n If you want to take a step further, try soaking it in vinegar for 5 minutes and rinsing it again. Another method is to pour boiling water over your sponge to kill bacteria.<\/p>\n Your towels harbour bacteria because it is constantly damp. Whether you are wiping your hands, dishes or cleaning various surfaces, it is easy to transfer bacteria from one place to another.<\/p>\n Soak your dishcloths in warm soapy water after every use to kill germs.<\/p>\n Your cutting board is a perfect hiding spot for fungi spores, bacteria and viruses. Germs can easily seep in between cracks and cutting indentations, contaminating your food whenever you use it.<\/p>\n It is advisable to separate your cutting boards for meat. This prevents vegetables and fruits that are eaten fresh from getting contaminated by harmful bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli.<\/p>\n Wash your cutting board with soap and warm water after every use to remove any residue. When your board gets worn out with lots of knife marks and scratches, discard it immediately.<\/p>\n Vegetables and fruits should always be given a rinse before eating or cooking. There could be traces of soil, bugs or even germs from cross-contamination that could be lingering on these greens.<\/p>\n Just like cleaning your plates, your kitchen sink deserves to be cleaned too. Food, spills, debris and grime get lodged around your sink during washing and prepping.<\/p>\n It left uncheck, your sink will be a germ haven in no time. Make sure to give it a good scrub and a rinse at least once a day. Read our article to learn how to care for your stainless-steel kitchen sink<\/a>.<\/p>\n Remove all unnecessary items from your countertop. Don\u2019t let it clutter with receipts, bills, keys, and groceries. This makes cleaning your countertop easier and more effective.<\/p>\n Besides wiping up spills and decluttering, your countertop needs to be disinfected to remove germs that may have gotten on board. Imagine if someone sneezes or leaves a germy half-eaten biscuit on the surface. And later, you put a rinsed fruit on the same spot. That\u2019s how easily germs spread.<\/p>\n3. Keep Sponges Dry When Not in Use<\/h2>\n
4. Wash Your Dish Towel, Rags and Hand Towels with Warm Water<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Separate Cutting Boards for Meat and Vegetables<\/h2>\n
6. Rinse Your Fruits and Vegetables<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n7. Clean Your Kitchen Sink After Every Use<\/h2>\n
8. Declutter and Disinfect Your Kitchen Countertop<\/h2>\n
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