The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 76 million people become ill from pathogens in food each year in the United States.[1]
What causes this high occurrence of foodborne illness? Most commonly, it's caused by bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, that is present in your kitchen. In fact, the kitchen is home to more harmful bacteria and germs than the bathroom![2]
Meat and poultry products are the usual culprits of foodborne bacteria, although it is not always because they were raw or undercooked. Sometimes, they have become contaminated during processing or packaging.
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recalls meat products frequently because of dioxin, Listeria, and other agents. Meat products aren't the only bacteria-laden foods that have been recalled this year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also recalled spinach, peppers, avocados and tomatoes this year that were contaminated with E. coli and Salmonella.
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse offers a list of the bacterial types, symptoms, and sources of many foodborne illnesses as well as preventative measures.[3] Bacteria can live on cutting boards, sponges, countertops, sinks, the grooves between tiles, and many other places in your kitchen. They don't always come from contaminated, recalled foods. Bacteria grow in moist conditions in your kitchen and can be transferred from one surface to another by hands or dish towels.
It's important to keep your family healthy, but in a fast-paced and constantly changing lifestyle, it can be hard to constantly monitor what every hand in your house is getting into. That's why it is important to properly disinfect kitchen surfaces and supplies on a regular basis, in order to keep bacterial colonies from growing in unwanted places. This doesn't mean that you need to buy a lot of fancy toxic cleaning supplies or convert all of your soaps to the antibacterial variety. In fact, some studies show that using antibacterial products do not reduce the occurrence of infectious disease in households any more than using regular cleaning products does.[4]
You should stick to natural or non-toxic methods to disinfect your kitchen counters and tile floors. Harsh chemicals have many drawbacks, but natural alternatives do just as thorough of a job at cleaning and at a much lower cost, both to your bank account and the environment. Plus, they usually smell better! Be sure to wash all foods.
There are plenty of natural ways to kill germs in your kitchen and home. The following are some of the best.
The smell of the vinegar dissolves after it is dried. For a nice post-cleaning scent, add a little bit of organic peppermint extract or other essential oil extracts to your vinegar and water solution. You might find some organic clove oil adds a nice spicy scent too.
Hydrogen peroxide, the same stuff that you buy to disinfect cuts and scrapes, can also be used to disinfect your kitchen. Just fill a spray bottle and wipe down your kitchen surfaces with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (the strength you can purchase at the drugstore) to kill germs. Another bonus: peroxide adds a streak-free shine to reflective surfaces.
Tea tree oil, neem, and orange oil can all be used as safe, effective kitchen cleaners. These all-natural products will keep your kitchen clean without leaving behind a chemical residue.
Here are some quick and easy recipes to keep on hand when you're ready to make the switch to a cleaner, healthier kitchen:
Introduction In recent decades, more and more of us have realized the value of adopting…
Introduction Each and every day, your body is exposed to toxic heavy metals. These metals…
Introduction It’s no secret that your body needs calcium. After all, without enough calcium, you…
Introduction If you haven’t put the incredible health benefits of boron to work for you,…
Introduction While most of us know the benefits of taking supplements like Vitamin D3 or…
Introduction Have you heard about activated charcoal but aren’t really sure what it and how…