There are microbes everywhere in our homes and most are OK or even good for us… but some organisms can make us sick. Where are we most likely to find the dangerous ones?
Bathroom
Yes, we all know there are disgusting germs in our toilets, and most of us clean and sanitize these regularly. But did you know that water (and bacteria!) are aerosolized when you flush and, according to microbiologist, Charles Gerba (aka Dr. Germ) at University of Arizona, they can easily spread 6 feet from the toilet each time you push that flush handle? Of course, if it’s your own bacteria, it won’t harm you (disgusting as it sounds). But you may be sharing your bathroom (and bacteria) with your visitors and family… Also, damp towels are a great place for all that bacteria to grow, waiting to be deposited on your clean hands and face when you dry them off. Here are some things you can do to reduce your exposure to fecal bacteria:
Always put the lid down before you flush.
Store your toothbrush in a cupboard or drawer or more than 6 feet from the flush.
Change towels regularly, at least twice a week.
Consider a liquid soap dispenser that can be cleaned, instead of bar soap that provides a nice bacteria growth medium.
Kitchen
Despite what was discussed above, the kitchen usually has even more dangerous bacteria than the bathroom. We prepare raw foods there and they often carry bad bacteria like salmonella and E. Coli that are killed in the cooking process, making the food safe to eat. But if you handle raw meat then touch other surfaces (like the fridge door handle or sink taps) without washing your hands first, you are depositing these potentially dangerous bacteria around your kitchen. And simply running water to clean the sink after rinsing raw meat doesn’t effectively remove bacteria. Here are some recommendations:
Use a kitchen cleaner with bleach to clean the kitchen sink, counters and cutting boards that have been in contact with raw meat or their juices. Dr. Germ suggests 1 tablespoonful of bleach in a gallon of water (or about 1 tsp in 1 liter) will work as well. Or a solution of 1 part vinegar plus 3 parts water has been recommended to sterilize home medical equipment (like aerosol face masks), so should work for kitchen sanitizing as well.
Wash your hands well immediately after handling raw meat.
Use a separate cutting board for raw meat and foods that will be eaten raw (like salad ingredients)
Clean fridge handles often (e.g. every time you clean your counters) and don’t forget to clean fridge storage drawers too, especially when you notice leakage of raw meat juices.
When cleaning, spray surfaces thoroughly and let sit for a few minutes before wiping to let the spray do its work. Dr. Gerba also suggests sanitizing wipes, as they leave a germ-killing residue behind to slowly dry.
Get rid of kitchen sponges or replace at least weekly, as wet sponges provide an excellent place for all kinds of bacteria to grow.
Don’t forget to change kitchen hand towels often too.
Can openers, pizza cutters and blender blade assemblies can also trap food particles and bacteria. Be sure to thoroughly clean and sanitize these as well.
Your best bet in the kitchen, is to change dish cloths and hand towels daily. I keep a bucket of dilute bleach and water solution in the laundry room sink and toss kitchen wash cloths in there to soak until laundry day.
Here’s a recipe for a sanitizing kitchen spray you may find useful:
1 ¼ c water
¼ c white vinegar
¼ c vodka or rubbing alcohol
15 drops each of peppermint and lemon essential oils (for scent)
Ideally, spray and let sit for 10 minutes to disinfect surface before wiping. Do not use on marble or granite surfaces, as it may etch the surface.
References:
The germiest place in your home and the best way to combat those microbes - CNN
