Common soap only help wash the germs off your skin. Anti-bacterial soaps kill bacteria, thought they aren't effective against all fungi and viruses, which can also make you sick. Ultimately, the type of soap you use means little without the physcal action of scrubbing germ away with a strong and thorough technique.For the best wash, scrub your palms, between your fingers, across the top and under your fingernails for about 15 seconds' and don't forget to dry your hands when you're done.Between 50 percent and 80 percent of all food-bone illnesses are contracted in the home. Crosscontamination and the mishandling of food lead to food-borne illnesses. There are more than 250 known food-borne diseases, including botulism, salmonella, shigella, listeria, campylobacter and hepatesis A.
The dirtiest item in anybody's home is the kitchen sponge:
The dirtiest room is the kitchen, the dirtiest spot is the sink and the worst culprits ate the sponge or dish towel. Bacteria colonies with a total population exceeding 50 million can live on a single dirty sponge. And that what you use to wipe down counter tops, fork and drinking glasses. The best bet is to soak the spong for about a minute in a solution of bleach and water (approximately 1 ounce of bleach to a quart of water will do) after each use. Another option is to boil the sponge for three minutes. Nuking a sponge is not as effective, since microwaves have dead spots and dishwashers won't necessarily reach 155 degree F.or 83 degree C., the temperature needed to kill germs. Scrub your wood or plastic cutting boards clean with soap and water after each use, then disinfect with the bleach solution. Problems arise when a board gets a deep knife cut, where bacteria can grow. The advantage of wood boards is that they can be sanded down. Some plastic or composite boards are made with anti-bacterial materials.
That's a dead animal in your fridge:
Bacteria thrives on carcasses, so you better keep yours cold. The recommended temperature is no higher than 10 degree C. for refrigerators and -12 degree C. for freezers. The cold slows down the growth of many types of bacteria on meat and other food. Cook your food through. (The only meat that OK to eat rare is a piece of steak, burning both sides will kill whatever lives on surface, and bacteria usually doesn't permeate the muscle.)
Vegetarians do not get a pass:
You can eat raw vegetables, of course, but scrub whatever you prepare. These are foods that grow in or on the ground, where pathogens live and pesticides settle.
