Hygiene in the Kitchen
Hygiene in the Kitchen
So we're all a little worried about hygiene at the moment with Covid-19 around so here is some advice on keeping on top of your kitchen hygiene.
Hygienic Worktops
The great news is that lots of worktops are naturally antibacterial! Silestone, a brand of quartz worktops actually mixes in an antimicrobial compound into the binding materials to make it even more hygienic.
Also on the market are seamless acrylic worktops including brands like Corian. With coved (curved) upstands and no joints, even forming sinks with the same material, there is nowhere for bugs to hide making this one of the best worktops for hygiene. It is used throughout the NHS for these properties but is not budget friendly.
The great news for country kitchen lovers, wood is also naturally antibacterial which is why they are popular and have been used in kitchens for hundreds of years.
Hygienic Metals
Stainless steel is the most common metal to be used in hygienic settings. This is because it is a chemically stable material that remains neutral in a wide temperature range, is non porous so cannot harbour bacteria and can be cleaned thoroughly.
Copper (and brass which is made of copper and zinc) has been used for hundreds of years to prevent illness because it actually reacts with microbes, destroying their structures and rendering them useless. It only takes 2 hours for 99.9% of E.coli microbes sitting on copper to be killed hence this is why Victorian kitchens are full of copper bowls, brass was so popular and it is used in plumbing.
Cleaning your Kitchen
This is all great information if you're putting in a new kitchen but what about today!
The good news is that soap and hot water will be the best way to keep your kitchen hygienic. Remember to change your cloths regularly because bacteria love warm, wet and dark environments.
Wipe down your worktops daily and when you do rinse down your doors and handles, a damp cloth is fine to protect the finishes to your doors, particularly painted finishes. Remember to pop your cloths and dish towels in a hot wash regularly, preferably with something like Dettol, to keep those clean because you'll just be rubbing germs all over your kitchen otherwise! Let things dry quickly and in the light before storing them away otherwise they can get germy pretty quickly.
Dishwashers are brilliant places to clean chopping boards and scrubbing brushes. They can also be used to sterilize bottles for jam or babies if you take them out with a clean cloth as soon as the wash is finished. If your chopping board doesn't fit in the dishwasher, pour a kettle of boiling water on it with lots of soap and give it a good scrub for at least 20 seconds to keep it squeaky clean.
The best way to keep your kitchen hygienic though is through good cooking practice. Don't wash meat under the tap as it splashes the germs around, cooking will kill anything off so this is an unnecessary thing to do. When you have touched meat, wash your hands immediately and keep knives and chopping boards meat specific (at least until they have been thoroughly washed). Vegetables don't cause as much cross contamination but give the kitchen a clean down after cooking and don’t leave any standing water on your worktops from splashing.
In the fridge, keep food sealed and make sure everything is always in date as germs can float around. Learn the difference between "best before" and "use by" and give your fridge a deep clean a few times a year.
But most importantly, Keep Calm and Carry On.