5 simple but essential tips to maintain kitchen hygiene

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when someone asks, ‘Which is the dirtiest place in your house?’ Now, most of us won’t even pause for a second and simply blurt out - ‘bathroom’. Well, the research findings are shocking. Contrary to the popular belief, the kitchen is the most contaminated place as it provides an ideal environment for both breeding and spreading of the germs and bacteria.

As a child everyone got scolded by their mom for not washing their hands and entering into the kitchen, isn’t it? Even today, most of us would not shy away from sneaking into the kitchen when no one is round.

Kitchen hygiene should not be taken for granted. Some simple minute changes in our daily habits can help achieve it.

1.    Wash your hands properly

Hands are potential carrier of germs. Hence, germs can easily transfer from our dirty hands to the food. So, cultivate a habit of washing your hands every time you visit the toilet or use the trash bin or handle raw meat before you indulge in cooking. A wide range of hand sanitizers are available in the market and getting one for your kitchen can cost only a few bucks.

2.    Wash your fruits, vegetables and raw meat

A thorough washing of the fruits, vegetables and raw meat is a must before cooking or consuming. The soil and water in which fruit and vegetables grow carry harmful bacteria and parasites. Washing with water helps remove germs and bacteria from the surface.

                   

3.    Cook your food well

Half-cooked food is unhealthy, especially the meat. Consuming the same can be dangerous to your health. And if the meat is contaminated with bacteria, it can make you fall sick. Cook your food well, adhering to the recommended temperatures as it makes the food easy to digest.

Use separate chopping boards for meat and vegetables.

4.     Store your food properly

Always keep the food in their proper designated storage areas as organizing makes the cleaning task easier and helps in maintaining kitchen hygiene. Make sure you store food in the fridge at lower temperatures as it stops bacterial growth (5°C is the optimum temperature). Care should be taken to not overstock the fridge to regulate cold air circulation. Keep meat and other food separately. Consume your packaged food items before ‘use by’ date mentioned on the packaging and discard spoiled foods that may transfer bacteria to other food. Don’t leave cooked food unattended outside for long as bacteria multiply very quickly at room temperature.

5.    Clean your kitchen every day
      Cleaning the kitchen everyday post cooking can be tedious but it drastically minimizes the risk of health hazards. Dish sponges or cloth rags, sink, faucet handles, kitchen counters, fridge interiors, stove knobs, cutting boards are a haven for bacteria.

Make sure you wash your kitchen cloth rags regularly. Kitchen surfaces and tools used for cooking should be cleaned with disinfectant every few days. Replace over-used chopping boards and dish sponges.

     Kitchen hygiene is not rocket science and simply following these simple rules can help keep you and your loved ones safe.

      Speak to one of Ultrafresh’s expert kitchen designers at 1800 226 900 and let’s help begin the process of your kitchen’s transformation.