Disinfecting and sterilizing everything and anything is definitely the new trend as the COVID-19 pandemic causes havoc across the world. It seems that just a month or two ago, life was easy and we could be lazy and clean whenever there was some downtime between our many responsibilities in an increasing and demanding world.
Things are very different now, and not only do we need to be current on recommendations for disinfection of households for COVID-19 from federal resources such as the CDC, but we also need to understand the products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against COVID-19.
It has been documented that most person-to-person transmission is done from respiratory droplets from close proximity around or within 6 feet. However, it has also been said that this virus can stay on different surfaces from hours to days. The kitchen is one of the busiest places in the house and needs to be a top priority for sanitation in the current climate.
Kitchen Utensils and Contagion
How a virus can spread in your kitchen
As stated above, one of the more common modes of transmission of viruses is through hand-to-hand contact and cross-contamination from different surfaces. In the kitchen, with so many people using different utensils on a daily basis, this is the main source of many new infections.
Household Cleaning Products to Use
If concerned about the current COVID-19 virus, it is best to get evidence-based data on the best solutions or cleaning products to combat further transmission. However, it has been said that coronaviruses, although difficult to kill, are not as complicated to get rid of as other noroviruses.
Most common household products do well against most viruses and bacteria. The CDC currently recommends that daily sanitization is recommended for high traffic areas and frequently handled items such as doorknobs, handles, countertops, and appliances that are used daily.
Alcohol Cleaning Products
Currently, the recommended concentration for viruses and bacteria is 70% alcohol and 30% water. While some cleaning products will contain 80% alcohol and others maybe 60%, the lower concentrations are known to be in some products for the skin because of the harsh drying properties of alcohol.
It is known that 60% is usually appropriate for disinfection, but currently, little is known about the coronavirus, which is why referring to safety protocols is necessary. When using a 70:30 solution, it is good to leave the solution on the surface for 30 seconds before wiping down.
Bleach Cleaning Products
When using bleach products, it is always good to proceed with caution as it can damage surfaces. It is not necessary to use a 100% concentration and it is better to dilute to a lesser concentration such as a quarter cup to one gallon of water.
Just like alcohol, it is better to let the bleach stay on the surface for periods of up to 10 minutes. However, it is really necessary to understand whether this will cause harm to the surface being applied.
Kitchen Design and Hygiene
One cannot always keep sanitation in mind from the beginning, but it is a good idea to incorporate good hygiene when you build a custom kitchen or start remodeling a kitchen for optimal sanitization in the eating area of your home.
These viruses might be the new norm and we all need to make sure to keep hygiene our number one priority. There are many different viruses associated with a foodborne infection, which are Norovirus, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E. Hygienic design is very important to make cleanliness and sanitation a goal from the beginning in order to prevent illness.