Wash hands often Proper hand washing may eliminate nearly half of all cases of food-borne illness and significantly reduce the spread of the common cold and flu.
When you wash:
- Hands should be washed in warm, soapy water before preparing foods and after handling raw meat, poultry and seafood.
- Always wash your hands front and back up to your wrists, between fingers and under fingernails.
- Never forget to wash your hands after switching tasks, such as handling raw meat and then cutting vegetables.
- Dry hands with disposable paper towels, clean cloth towels or air dry.
- Sing two choruses of “Happy Birthday” while you lather upcleaning your hands for 20 seconds. And don’t forget surfaces ?
- Keep kitchen surfaces such as appliances, countertops, cutting boards and utensils clean with hot, soapy water.
- A smelly dishcloth, towel or sponge is a sure sign that unsafe bacterial growth is lurking nearby. Bacteria live and grow in damp conditions.
- Wash dishcloths and towels often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
- Disinfect sponges in a chlorine bleach solution.
- Replace worn sponges frequently.
Author: Helen Miranda