How to Keep Bacteria Out of Your Kitchen

Considering that cooking can be messy the kitchen should be cleaned often to keep it free of grease, sanitary for cooking, and fresh. Keeping your kitchen clean is just as important for health reasons as it is for housekeeping reasons.

In the last few years there has been bacteria, which can cause various diseases that has been found in meat and poultry. A couple of the more serious diseases are salmonella and E. coli.

Here are some steps that you can take in order to cut down on the bacteria that is present in your kitchen.

* Make sure you wash your hands with soap. This is especially the case after you use the bathroom, play with your pets, or changing the diaper on your child. You should also make sure you thoroughly wash your hands with soap after you handle raw meat, seafood, and poultry.

* Thoroughly wash, not just rinse, cutting boards, dishware, utensils, and the kitchen counters before you prepare any food.

* Your dishrags, dishtowels, and sponges can be filled with bacteria. The more you put off washing them the more bacteria they will have. You should wash them at least once a week to keep them bacteria free. You can clean your sponges and leave them on a rack on your counter to dry. Never leave the sponge wet when you are done with it, as you should wring it free of water.

* When you are shopping you should make sure to separate the raw meat, poultry, and seafood from each other at the grocery store. When you get home keep them separated at home when you refrigerate them as well. This will make it less likely that the bacteria will spread between these types of foods.

* Make sure you never place food that is cooked on a platter or dish that has not been washed. Also be sure to wash off the dish or platter if you had other types of raw meat, poultry, or seafood on it.

* When you are done with a meal you should refrigerate perishables, food that was prepared, and various leftovers within two hours of when you ate the meal. This will make it less likely that the warm air will cause bacteria to form in the food and it will also keep your food much fresher.

* When you take food out of the freezer to defrost it run under cold water. Never just leave the food out on the counter. If it is very frozen you can leave it in the sink but run some cold water over it.

* On any counter that you put food directly on after you clean it with any type of cleaning product wipe it down with a rag that is damp with water.

Author: Jason Green