Creating a clean and safe kitchen is an important step to a healthy home. A clean house will help reduce your family’s risk of exposure to many indoor pollutants such as bacteria, and allergens, like dust mites. A clean house is also less inviting to mice, rats, and other pests.
Bacteria or germs are everywhere – including your kitchen, where food is stored, prepared, and eaten. Bacteria may cause illnesses that can be on your food, kitchen utensils, counters, appliances, floors, pets, and especially your hands. It is important to take the necessary steps to clean before, during, and after preparing and eating your food to keep you and your family safe from food poisoning. Cleaning includes both surfaces and your hands.
Hand washing is the best defense to reduce bacteria/ germs.
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CLEAN: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often
Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, countertops, and food. Hand washing is the best defense to reduce bacteria/ germs. Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds is recommended before and after handling food and after using the bathroom or changing diapers. Also, wash your hands after playing with pets.
Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food.
Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels, wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten.
Rub firm-skinned fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.
Keep books, backpacks, or shopping bags and pets off the kitchen table or counters where food is prepared or served.
Recipe for a Healthy Home
| All-purpose Cleaner I for Surfaces 4-tablespoon baking soda 1-quart warm water | Dissolve baking soda in warm water. Apply with sponge. Rinse with clear water |
| All-purpose Cleaner II for surfaces 1-tablespoon ammonia 1-tablespoon liquid detergent 1-pint (2 cups) water | Mix ingredients and put in spray bottle. Spray on area to be cleaned. Wipe. Rinse with clear water. |
| All -purpose Cleanser for Stain | Apply baking soda to damp cloth or sponge. Scrub soil or stain. Rinse with clear water. |
| Chrome and Stainless-Steel Cleaner | Dip soft cloth in undiluted white vinegar. Wipe surface. |
| Oven Cleaner I | Soak a cloth or sponge with ammonia. * Lay over soiled areas. Let soak for 30 minutes or overnight, depending on the amount of soil. Wipe with cloth dampened with clean water. Rinse cloth and repeat wiping until all soil is removed. If soil remains, sprinkle baking soda on the soil and rub with very fine steel wool or a steel wool pad. Wipe off soil and rinse with clean water. Dry with clean cloth. |
| Oven Cleaner II | While oven is still warm, sprinkle water on the soiled area, then sprinkle with salt. When oven cools down, scrape away the soil and wash the area with clean water. Dry with clean cloth. |
| *Ammonia and chlorine bleach are toxic ingredients. Do not mix chlorine bleach with vinegar, toilet bowl cleaners, or ammonia. Handle all household chemicals with care and store safely. | |
References:
- Information for the ‘Clean, Safe, Healthy Kitchen and Home’ factsheets were adopted from:‘A Clean, Safe, Healthy Home’ curriculum developed by Clemson University Faculty and Staff, 1994.
- Additional information was adopted from:https://www.fightbac.org
- South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control, office of External Affair
Originally published 03/21
If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988.
Author(s)
Marlyne Walker, Extension Ag. Curriculum Coordinator, Clemson University
This information is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsem*nt of brand names or registered trademarks by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is implied, nor is any discrimination intended by the exclusion of products or manufacturers not named. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed.
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As an expert in home hygiene and safety, it's clear that creating a clean and safe kitchen is paramount to a healthy home. I've thoroughly examined the content provided in the HGIC 3613 factsheet published on March 15, 2021, and I can offer a comprehensive overview of the concepts discussed.
The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining a clean kitchen environment to reduce the risk of exposure to indoor pollutants such as bacteria and allergens, including dust mites. The concept of a clean house acting as a deterrent to pests like mice and rats is highlighted, underlining the broader health implications of maintaining a sanitary living space.
The focus on bacteria and germs, omnipresent in kitchens where food is handled, underscores the need for proactive cleaning measures. The factsheet advocates for a holistic approach to cleaning, covering surfaces, hands, utensils, and other potential points of contamination.
The central theme of handwashing emerges as a crucial defense against the spread of bacteria and germs. The recommendation of washing hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, using the bathroom, or interacting with pets is reinforced. This aligns with established health guidelines for preventing foodborne illnesses.
The article provides practical tips for cleaning various kitchen items, including cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops. The suggestion to use paper towels for cleaning surfaces, with an alternative option of washing cloth towels frequently in hot water, emphasizes the importance of maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen.
Furthermore, the inclusion of a "Recipe for a Healthy Home" featuring different all-purpose cleaners demonstrates a commitment to environmentally friendly and safe cleaning practices. The emphasis on using these cleansers safely, particularly cautioning against mixing toxic ingredients like ammonia and chlorine bleach, showcases an understanding of potential health risks associated with cleaning agents.
The article concludes with references acknowledging the sources of information, including the 'A Clean, Safe, Healthy Home' curriculum developed by Clemson University Faculty and Staff in 1994. Additional information is attributed to sources like fightbac.org and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control, office of External Affairs.
In summary, the HGIC 3613 factsheet provides a well-rounded guide to creating a clean, safe, and healthy kitchen and home, drawing on established principles of hygiene, safe cleaning practices, and reputable sources of information.
