Most people still don’t know what changes they should be making to keep their homes and kitchens safe and clean.
But don’t worry. You can make your kitchen safer without having to clean or bleach everything every day.
In this guide you’ll learn:
- Basic Kitchen Cleaning Habits for the Pandemic
- How to Safely Get Groceries
- The Pros and Cons of Ordering Groceries Online
- And Much More!
Check out the full length guide here for more details!
What’s in this Guide?
- Mistake # 1: You’re Still Leaving Your Cell Phone on the Kitchen Counter
- Mistake # 2: You Aren’t Cleaning Out Your Refrigerator Often Enough
- Mistake # 3: You Haven’t Changed Your Grocery Story Routine
- Mistake # 4: You Aren’t Killing the Virus on Your Dishes
- Mistake # 5: You’re Not Worried Enough About How You Catch Covid-19
- My Final Thoughts on Covid-19 Kitchen Hygiene Mistakes
Mistake # 1: You’re Leaving Your Cell Phone on the Kitchen Counter
Your cell phone can carry the virus for days
Of course, your phone isn’t the only thing that represents a Coronavirus risk.
The virus can survive up to 72 hours on smooth, non-porous surfaces like glass, metal, and plastic. That includes your cell phone, keys, tablet a lot of your other personal devices.
Once your cell phone is on the counter, so are the germs and viruses it’s carrying.
Keeping your cell phone out of the kitchen and cleaning it once a day can both help keep your kitchen safer and cleaner during COVID.
Accidents happen, so remember to also wipe down your counters before you use them.
Mistake # 2: You Aren’t Cleaning Out Your Refrigerator Often Enough
Unfortunately, the Coronavirus can survive in your refrigerator. In fact, a study on two similar viruses in 2010 showed that this kind of virus might even survive longer on cold, humid surfaces.
During the pandemic you really should clean your refrigerator more often.
There’s one place you should wipe down every day — your fridge and freezer handles.
You should also prioritize wiping out your crisper drawers with soap and water once a week.
Mistake # 3: You Haven’t Changed Your Grocery Story Routine
The pandemic means that your old grocery habits probably need to be updated. Streamline the process and choose the appropriate personal protective equipment and you’ll be much less likely to bring the virus home with your groceries.
When it comes to the grocery store, the only PPE you need is a mask. Masks help reduce the spread of respiratory droplets, the main source of the virus.
While masks are essential, gloves can cause more harm than good.
Plastic medical gloves are actually a better surface for the virus to survive on. They are non-porous and perfect for viral survival, which means the virus spreads to everything you touch after it gets on your gloves.
Mistake # 4: You Aren’t Killing the Virus on Your Dishes
If you have a dishwasher with a heat setting, turn it way up. You want your dishwasher to run at about 60 degrees Celsius, or 140 degrees Fahrenheit, to eliminate the virus.
If you handwash your dishes, you should wash them in hotter water there too. You also need to soak your dishes longer to give the soap and heat more time to destroy the virus.
Mistake # 5: You’re Not Worried Enough About How You Catch Covid-19
Most people are worried about the virus getting on their food, in their kitchens, and in their homes, but not worried about how that happens in the first place.
Wearing a mask, washing your hands and personal devices, and washing re-usable items are some of the most effective strategies to reduce your risk of catching the coronavirus.
Better yet, minimize the risk of the grocery store entirely and order your groceries online. Here are some pros and cons worth considering if you’re not sure shopping online is a good choice for you.
Pros and Cons of Ordering Groceries Online
Pros:
- Greatly reduces risk of direct person-to-person exposure
- Your groceries are exposed to fewer people
- Minimizes exposure for vulnerable populations
Cons:
- Can’t pick fruits and veggies yourself
- Can’t tell if the person shopping for you wore a mask
Final Thoughts on Covid-19 Kitchen Hygiene Mistakes
There are tons of kitchen hygiene mistakes you can make during the pandemic, and I can’t list them all. Instead I’ve focused on the most important and most common mistakes, and the easiest solutions.
If this list felt overwhelming, pick one or two things you think you can do and start there. Just take a few small steps and you’ll be helping this pandemic end.
Hang in there, and remember, you can do this.
