Is your kitchen clean and safe?

Health is one of the most precious treasures of the human being, feeling good allows us to carry out family, work, sports, cultural o or of any kind activities that promote personal and professional development. In this sense, the home is the place that should ensure safety for family members. However, this is not always the case, because sometimes the order, hygiene, and cleaning measures required for this purpose are not kept.

In the home, the intimate and family activities are carried out is, so it must meet the conditions of peace, harmony, and security that allow the full development of the human being, therefore the importance of having an environment free of risks of diseases and accidents. Therefore, much attention should be paid to places that can be sources of illness and personal injuries, such as the kitchen and bathroom.

From the above, this chapter will emphasize the cleaning and safety measures of the kitchen, as this space is one of the great sources of infection and accidents at home.

The kitchen is par excellence one of the favorite places of the whole family, there are preserved and prepared food, eat, talks, and other activities. So it is necessary to keep this area clean and tidy, so that, the risks of food contamination, food transmission infections, and domestic accidents are minimized.

Clean and disinfect the kitchen

Surfaces and countertops: Clean (remove dirt and grease) with detergents or soap and water daily, also every time the area is used to eat or spill some type of food and disinfect (Remove germs that can cause infections to people or pets) with products such as chlorine or that you have on your raise, strictly following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Ovens and cooking: Usually when using the kitchen and oven tends to drop food particles, which if not cleaned daily accumulate and break down being a source of the culture of germs that pose a health risk. On the market there are many specialized products for cleaning these appliances, however, there are many favorable experiences with the use of vinegar and baking soda to release the grime and leave shine in them.
Refrigerator: It is an indispensable device in the home, where perishable foods are preserved at low temperature, this demand permanent cleaning since many of the food we consume goes directly from the refrigerator to our mouth, this being the gateway to many pathogenic microorganisms such as fungi, viruses or bacteria, caused by the breakdown of them and the lack of hygiene. In the refrigerator, if frequent cleaning is not done, mold builds up and this does not promote the hygiene of the food that is preserved there, so it is recommended when cleaning to empty it completely, discard decomposed or expired food, wash and disinfect shelves, trays, drawers, and all surfaces, scrubbing with a sponge and brush, not forgetting all for rubbers and grooves since in these accumulate mold and dirt. This way your refrigerator is clean and disinfected. There is a product range for this specific cleaning, however, you can prepare a solution with water, white vinegar, and baking soda, scrub with a sponge and brush all for rubbers and grooves so that it is clean and disinfected. Since the gateway of fungi, bacteria, and viruses to our body is through the mouth when introducing contaminated food, it is recommended to sanitize all vegetables, fruits, and other vegetables before being stored in the refrigerator. It can be done by dipping it in a bowl with water and vinegar by rubbing it with a soft fiber brush. It is also suggested to clean the packaging with a cloth impregnated with vinegar.

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Dishes and cooking utensils: These also represent another source of entry of microorganisms if they are not hygienic properly, so it is necessary to wash them with hot water and soap in case you do not have an automatic scrubbing, in addition to keeping them dry on a closed shelf where they are not exposed to insects.

Special importance must be attached to food cutting boards, these need to be washed and disinfected in each use, also not to use it for cutting meats, vegetables, chicken, and fish. This prevents the passing of microorganisms from one food to another and the crossing of raw and cooked foods,

Kitchen cloths: They are a focus of contamination because they are constantly used for the drying of hands and utensils. To avoid contamination it is recommended to change them daily if they are widely used, also, the use of absorbent paper would minimize this risk.

Garbage bins: The view that residues of food and other products are disposed of in these containers, it is recommended to wash frequently, use plastic bags that must be discarded daily,, because the decomposition of waste promotes the proliferation of germs and insects that harm the health of family members. As it is a very widely used object, it would be very useful to use it off the pedal and thus avoid touching the lid with your hands.

Other aspects to consider in the hygiene of the kitchen are the handles of the shelves and cabinets, knobs of the doors, oven and kitchen controls, light switches, which must be disinfected frequently with anti-corrosive products that guarantee their hygiene.

Food Preparation Care

kitchen clean and safe, It should be noted that there are many infections caused by the ingestion of foods containing live pathogenic microorganisms. In the United States, the main microorganisms present diseases in contaminated foods and cause gastrointestinal diseases are: Norovirus, Salmonella, Clostridium perforin, and Campylobacter among others

·Norovirus. They can be quickly transmitted from person to person, can be a leading cause of acquired gastroenteritis where food is served if food is contaminated such as green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, and live mollusks. However, any food served raw or improperly handled after cooking can become contaminated.

·Salmonella: Its main origin is the intestinal tract of animals, mainly birds, and pigs and may end up contaminating raw meats, raw chicken, raw marine products, or eggs, among others. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever, and headache that can last 1 to 2 days or extend.

Clostridium perforin: Symptoms of this intestinal infection are: severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Normally, this disease does not look like it after 24 hours.

The highest risk is caused by cross-contamination, which occurs when cooked food comes into contact with raw or contaminated ingredients, or contaminated surfaces (such as cutting boards). Meat and its derivatives are the most involved.

·Campylobacter: It is possible to contract this disease by consuming unpasteurized milk, raw or uncooked meats or poultry, and other contaminated food as well as water.

More infection symptoms occur two to ten days after ingesting infected foods include fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea (sometimes with blood) and can last a week.

The World Health Organization lays down the following Golden Rules for hygienic food preparation.

Choosing food treated for hygienic purposes
Cooking food well
Immediately eat cooked foods
Carefully store cooked foods
Reheat cooked foods well
Avoid contact between raw and cooked foods
Washing your hands often
Keeping the kitchen surfaces scrupulously clean
Keep food out of reach of insects, rodents, and other animals.
Utilize pure water

Kitchen safety

Do not neglect the accidents that may occur in the kitchen, since in this environment because of the multiplicity of activities that are carried out there daily is exposed to many physical damages, if the necessary forecasts are not taken.

The most common accidents in the domestic kitchen are: burns, wounds, bumps, falls,

Burns These occur frequently due to splashing, oil spillage, or hot water. Also, direct contact with objects that have been exposed to high temperatures such as stoves, ovens, plates, etc.

In the kitchen you can avoid the risk of burning, placing the handles of the pots and pans inside the kitchen to avoid tripping and spilling its contents. Burns cause skin damage, which can injure the first or second layer of skin. This causes pain and redness when it is deeper blisters form.

When this happens, you should cool the affected area with cold, non-free water, remove rings, bracelets, and tight clothing. Place a bandage on the injury. Do not explode blisters. If you need to take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Apply If the burn is too deep applying the same measurements and go to your doctor.

Injuries. In the kitchen, because you are in constant contact with sharp and sharp instruments like knives you are always exposed to suffering wounds in our kitchen, for this reason, special care must be taken when handling knives, another thing that should be lent extreme attention is to keep any cutting object of our kitchen out of the reach of children or pet.
Hits and falls. In the kitchen we must pay special attention to keep our floors dry and clean, this simple practice can significantly minimize the chances of suffering from a fall in our kitchen.

If you have any questions kitchen clean and safe or simply want to give us your feedback, contact us at Elaine’s Cleaning Solutions.