Kitchen cabinet pulls, appliance handles, and control panels should be cleaned after food preparation or daily, using a disinfectant wipe or spray-on disinfectant cleaner and clean cloth or paper towel. According to the National Sanitation Foundation International (NSF), 45% of all home sinks tested had E. coli or some type of coliform bacteria. The kitchen sink should be disinfected after every meal preparation, washing dishes or at least once per day, and don’t forget the handles and faucet and the counter areas near the sink. They catch all of the splatters when you rinse off contaminated foods. Use a sink cleaner that contains a disinfecting agent and a clean towel or disposable disinfectant wipes. If you use these products, they should be washed in hot water after each meal preparation or cleaning session. Sink and vegetable scrubbing brushes can be placed in the dishwasher for thorough cleaning after each use. Most fruit and vegetables will stay fresh longer if they are not washed before storing. So, into the vegetable drawer they go, still covered with bacteria and pesticides. Of course, you wash them before preparing and serving them to your family, but the bacteria and germs are left behind in the crisper drawer. The same thing happens with raw meat that is stored in the refrigerator. Packaging leaks and fluids accumulate in the drawers and along the edges of shelves. Even packaged products like milk or tubs of butter have been handled and stored numerous times before they enter your refrigerator. To get rid of the coliform bacteria, as well as yeast and mold that can be grown there, remove refrigerator drawers or shelves—if possible—monthly and wash the surfaces with a mild detergent and hot or warm water. Dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Between thorough cleanings, wipe away any spills and give the interior surfaces a quick wipe with a disinfecting wipe. And when you’re doing the monthly cleaning inside the fridge, take a few minutes to dust the top of the appliance and vacuum behind and underneath as well. Remove the vent cover to vacuum the coils. Dust on coils makes the refrigerator work harder to stay cool, using more energy, and food particles hiding underneath are insect magnets. Wash each board after every use with hot, soapy water and rinse well with hot water. Then dry completely with a paper towel or clean dish towel. Do not leave the boards to drip dry because bacteria love a warm, moist environment. You can also choose cutting boards that can be placed in a dishwasher for a thorough cleaning. The same cleaning routine should be applied to utensils like can openers and measuring spoons and cups. The containers should be completely dissembled and placed in the dishwasher or washed in hot, soapy water, rinsed in hot water and dried completely. Most lunch boxes and reusable shopping bags can be tossed in the clothes washer for a thorough cleaning. An additional tip for the shopping bags is to keep them segregated—designate one or more for cleaning supplies, one for raw fruits and vegetables, one for raw meat and one for packaged goods. Grab a disinfectant wipe or clean cloth and disinfectant spray, and clean before preparing food or at least once per day. Skip the sponge or used dishcloth because they may be harboring bacteria and germs. At least weekly, take time to get into corners, under small appliances and along the edges between the stove or refrigerator and countertop. You don’t want to imagine what is hidden in those moist, dark spaces. Give them a careful wipe down with a disinfecting wipe after every meal preparation and a thorough cleaning every week.
