Over the weekend, we welcomed a new addition to our family: our little fluff ball, Samantha. She did great adjusting to her new family, but a few days later, we found ourselves in the animal hospital because little Sam had a bad tummy ache.
As per our vet, she might have eaten/licked an infected surface. She hangs out in our kitchen so I realized that it’s time for some deep-cleaning. I wouldn’t want the minis to get a tummy ache too!
Cleanliness goes beyond what can be seen with the naked eye because the real culprit behind food contamination is microscopic. A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that kitchens are breeding ground to 200 types of disease-causing microorganisms which are the leading cause of diarrhea and food poisoning. Can you imagine how dirty that is?!
To avoid sickness in the family, it pays to know how you can steer clear of diseases that can be contracted because of poor sanitation. The key to combat the growth of disease-carrying microorganisms lie in proper cleaning. To help us get started, Sanicare shares with us some kitchen cleaning tips to prevent food-borne illnesses:
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The sink can be just as dirty as the toilet seat. The best advice is to always keep it dry to avoid the buildup of germs like E. coli bacteria. To clean the sink deeply, rinse it with hot water mixed with white vinegar. Another way is to scrub it using detergent or baking soda paste.
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After cleaning the sink, next is the faucet. It is a part of the kitchen that is difficult to clean as grime forms in the interstices or in spaces that are hard to reach. When cleaning, put baking soda on an old brush and scrub the faucet. The water and vinegar solution spray can also work. Use paper towels to dry it up.
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Another place where germs stay is the kitchen countertop. Bits of food and liquid spills spur the growth of bacteria. For a total wipeout, use paper towels and soak it in a bleach solution (7 parts water and 3 parts bleach). Cover the surface with soaked paper towels and leave it for 2-3 minutes. Afterwards, wipe it with dry paper towels.
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Microbes from meat and other raw food stay and thrive on chopping boards when not cleaned properly. As a result, it has more than 200 percent bacteria compared to the toilet bowl. Quick fix: soak the chopping board in a basin full of water and vinegar mixture overnight.
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Look for areas in the kitchen where mildew and molds are present. Usually, these are found in ladle and spatula. Spatula, particularly the rubber ones, is one of the unexpected places where bacteria live. These tools are used in a daily basis, and if not cleaned properly, germs like Salmonella and Norovirus will grow. To clean these items, soak it in hot water and detergent and leave it for 3 minutes. A baking soda paste used as scrub also does wonders in cleaning the dirty areas.
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One of the places in the kitchen that needs attention is the stove knob. These are always greasy due to oil that came from cooking. A paper towel that is partly soaked in water and vinegar solution will quickly remove the grease on the knobs. Before cleaning, make sure that the gas tank is off. Gently wipe the knobs. Dry it also using paper towels.
While it’s more environmentally-friendly to use rags in the kitchen, I prefer to use paper towels since rags can be host to disease-carrying microbes. I keep paper towels handy in the kitchen and dining area in case of spills (which is super normal with two preschoolers and a pup at home). I recommend Sanicare Paper and Kitchen Towels since these are designed to do the toughest cleanups even in the dirtiest places at home.
For more information about the Philippines’ leading tissue brand, visit http://www.scpa.com.ph.