The kitchen sink...a No. 1 hotspot for germs
14 July 2011
Poor use of cleaning products together with general neglect of hygiene standards, leads to our kitchen sinks becoming a favourite habitat to hundreds of thousands of bacteria.....and we are talking per square inch!!
The majority of food derived illnesses are contracted from the home, upto 80%. Unlike hotels, restaurants and other food related establishments, our homes are not bound by food hygiene laws.
We don't have to complete a cleaning schedule each day to confirm that our floors have been mopped with a particular cleaning product or that we have cleaned our fridge with our tested bactericidal cleaning supplies as we would expect a cafe to do if they were preparing our lunch.
Most of us eat and prepare the majority of our meals at home in our own kitchens but do we know that we are doing this in the filthiest room of our house.
It's not our bathrooms that are the germiest of all but our kitchens, the kitchen sink being the germiest area of the kitchen and the dreaded sink sponge being absolutely ridden with harmfull bacteria which we then use to "wipe our surfaces clean....."
These sponges which we are happily cleaning our work surfaces, tabletops, cutlery, crockery, kids bits and pieces with can hold over 50 million bacteria which general kitchen detergent is leaving to thrive.
So lets look at the kitchen sink....its the hub of our kitchen and a lot goes on here we....
- Put dirty dishes here
- Throw waste in here
- Throw rotting/curdling food here
- Throw bits of raw meats and vegetables here
Basically kitchen sinks are a fantastic eaterie for all those bacteria needing a place to hang out and graze.
Our lives are busier than ever, with long hours at work, socialising and looking after our kids when we get in. A recent report indicated that most of us aren't settling down to relax for the evening until around nine o'clock. We arrive home, prepare and eat our evening meals, sort kids baths, homework, bedtime etc. And after all this the last thing on our minds is cleaning and sanitising our kitchens - even though this is so important to our family's health.
Maintaining a clean and hygienic kitchen need not be that time consuming, by working to a few simple and easy cleaning guidelines and by establishing a decent range of cleaning supplies your kitchen can soon be ship shape.
- Clean the kitchen sink with a good bactericidal cleaner - we like Frothy Bactericidal Cleaner, ensure to maintain this each day and leave it clean and food free before bedtime...it doesnt hurt to spritz with a little of your antibac cleaner overnight.
- Never leave food debris in the sinks for bacteria to feast on.
- Dont forget the taps as they are a very germy hand contact area and germ transfer point for the kitchen. Remember to spray your cleaner around the back too.
- Never prepare food in the sink.
- Clean out your fridge and ensure food is safely covered up and stored correctly. Any leftover meat is essentially a rotting carcass which will be attracting bacteria.
- Clean and sanitise with a bactericidal cleaning product after handling raw meats and vegetables and soak your sponge/cleaning cloth in a solution of bleach or sanitiser.
- Replace your sponege/cleaning cloths regularly.
- Soak sponges/cloths/brushes daily in bleach or a good cleaner/sanitiser.
- Use a bactericidal cleaner to wipe down your surfaces/cupboards/handles - Be sure to use a clean sponge - you dont want to contaminate the whole kitchen!!!
- Use disposable paper rolls instead or tea towels to reduce cross contamination.
- Purchase bactericidal washing up liquid...the more germs you are tackling the better. Keep it by the sink and use it to wash around the sink regularly, this will help with the drains too.
- Remove clutter and maintain clear working surfaces and clear/clean window ledges.
A general awareness of food hygiene will go a long way to raising your standards of cleanliness. For more information take a look at our article "Cleaning the kitchen" for a handy step be step approach to the cleaning of your kitchen.
For further information on our cleaning supplies or if you require any advice then please do contact us we are always happy to help.
