The Food Safety Difference Between Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Kitchen – Tasting Chart

Demaerre/Getty Images

The kitchen is one of the busiest areas of the home. That's why regular cleaning and disinfection is such an important measure to help people stay healthy and reduce the risk of becoming infected with viruses or bacteria. Although they may seem fundamentally the same, there are distinct differences between cleaning and disinfecting - think of disinfecting as an additional step after cleaning.

Advertising

Cleaning occurs by removing dirt, grease and soot, while disinfection occurs by neutralizing germs and bacteria. In other words, spraying bleach on the countertop after cutting open an eye is a different approach than cleaning the hood above the oven with a year's worth of oil. These are preventative tasks that are performed with different goals, but there is some useful overlap when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting. Fortunately, physical cleaning alone can remove most harmful germs and bacteria from various kitchen surfaces. Scrubbing with soap and detergents can be enough to keep foodies safe on a daily basis.

Regular cleaning of kitchen surfaces, when necessary or when they are visibly dirty, is part of routine home maintenance. However, more thorough disinfection may be necessary if someone in your home has recovered from a contagious illness, if a product in your refrigerator has been recalled, or if your kitchen counter or board carver has come into contact with raw meat.

Advertising

Cleaning is about dirt and grime, disinfection is about germs and bacteria.

RomanR/Shutterstock

Every time you use hot soapy water, a mild detergent, a vacuum cleaner, a duster, a degreaser, or a window cleaner, that is a cleaning. Cleaning must always be carried out before disinfection. Disinfection is carried out exclusively with a special product to kill germs and microorganisms. According to EPA regulations, a product must be able to kill 99.9% of germs to be called a disinfectant. Disinfectant solutions are available in stores and are printed with specific instructions for safe and effective use; These instructions must be followed carefully.

Advertising

Deep cleaning requires various products such as diluted bleach sprays and disinfectants to effectively reduce germs living on the surface to a safe level. In public spaces such as restaurants, offices and school cafeterias, surfaces are usually disinfected several times a day. In the home kitchen, any surfaces or objects that come into direct and frequent contact with your mouth, hands, or food should be disinfected regularly (as rigorously or flexibly as you prefer). This means countertops, cabinet knobs, appliances, and utensils on the counter, oven, and sink can all benefit from a quick spray. You can even disinfect your kitchen sponge (and you probably should). Once your space is clean enough, feel free to explore some of Ina Garten's best tips for kitchen organization or even try your hand at "refrigerator styling" ( if you're into that genre ).

Advertising

Adblock test (Why?)