Now that we know how to keep our dishes and sponges clean and sanitary, the next step is drying our dishes. Is there a method of drying that will keep the sanitized dishes sanitary.
The aftermath of the dishwashing process may leave our newly cleaned dishes as dangerously contaminated as before they where washed.
According to msnbc a home's dishtowels are considered one of the top ten germ hot spot.
" A recent study of hundreds of homes across the United States found that about 7 percent of kitchen towels were contaminated with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), the difficult-to-treat staph bacteria that can cause life-threatening skin infections. Dish towels also rated tops for dangerous strains of E. coli and other bacteria."
Well we know that we can find harmful bacteria everywhere, but what sets this bacteria amount aside?
according to the uk sun "It would need only 20 bacteria to get serious symptoms started and we found more than 30million on some dishcloths."
How do dish towels become so contaminated in the first place?
The answer lies in cross contamination.
In my research I came across a food science course lecture from a course here at penn state. The lecture outlined a student lab in which cross contamination was tested in a "kitchen setting"
To minimize cross contamination A University of Arizona study suggest you separate the use of your kitchen towels, for dishes and food. According to consumer research.com "Charles Gerba, PhD, professor of biology at the University of Arizona. His advice: Save these rags for drying wet dishes and sop up spills with paper towels instead."
"In order to prevent cross contamination disposable towels such as paper towels should be used or dishtowels should be used exclusively for dish drying or food preparation, but not both and should be regularly bleached. "
Other options to cloth toweling drying include paper towel drying or skipping the hand dr method and opting for air drying.
1.According to consumer research.com "Charles Gerba, PhD, professor of biology at the University of Arizona. His advice: Save these rags for drying wet dishes and sop up spills with paper towels instead."
2.According to the Mackay Regional council "Allowing dishes to air dry rather than using a tea towel that could be contaminated."
In order to clean your already dirty towels Essortment.com suggests "the best way to keep dish towels sanitary enough to use around food, is a regular bleaching routine"Disinfect kitchen sponges, dishcloths, and hand towels.bleach dishcloths and kitchen towels with the laundry. Use paper towels to help wipe off germ-infested surfaces. Follow up with a disinfectant detergent or cleaner."
The solution- use the dishwasher...and if you cant frequently sanitize your sponges and don't cross contaminate your dish towels with kitchen preparation germs!
Would
you find that this data is convincing enough to change your dishwashing routine?
Or is this eliminate a of risk not dangerous enough to change your daily habits
across America.
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