A new study suggests that kitchen towels are teeming with bacteria that can cause food poisoning and other foodborne illnesses. Researchers at the University of Mauritius grew 100 multi-purpose tea towels after a month of use, without washing them. Do you need kitchen linen to start? I have these 100% organic cotton tea towels, which have stood up to me very well. These non-organics are more affordable but are still 100% cotton.
I have been disinfecting my napkins, washcloths and towels, but I see that my cloth napkins are breaking and they don't last long. So I'll start seeing them hot and use peroxide as a disinfectant used 2 cups. Esper, who did not participate in the study, says that bacteria can be dangerous in certain situations. However, this is the type of bacteria you would expect to find in the house.
Esper recommends cleaning and disinfecting food preparation areas frequently, especially after preparing raw meat. So how often is it enough? Dr. Esper says it's a good idea to wash your tea towel at least once a week, if not more. And change them once they get dirty.
Tea towels are a necessity to maintain a sanitary space, whether it is to dry hands and dishes or to clean up spills on the countertop. However, with all the dishwashing work, household chores and major kitchen tasks that these absorbent towels provide, they also serve as an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Which means you'll find yourself washing your tea towels more often to get rid of coarse germs. The study found that all participants, regardless of the group of food safety messages prior to meal preparation, made mistakes in the kitchen that could lead to foodborne illness.
Therefore, if you have a full house, be especially proactive by regularly washing kitchen towels with hot water and detergent. To ensure that the tea towels are well cleaned, it is best to wash them at the highest temperature suggested on the fabric care label. I don't like to use bleach, but if you need a little more peace of mind that kitchen linen is clean, you can occasionally add bleach when you wash it. According to Gagliardi, for germ-infested kitchen and bathroom items such as mop heads, dishcloths and cleaning cloths, wash them as a separate load from regular laundry.
Casei served as the tracer organism that allowed Randall Phebus, K-State food microbiologist and co-author of the study, to track the levels of meat-related contamination spread throughout the kitchen while preparing these meals. Researchers set up a condominium on the K-State campus to reflect a home cooking environment and videotaped participants preparing a recipe with raw ground beef or chicken and a ready-to-eat fruit salad. A study by the American Society for Microbiology showed that half of the kitchen towels tested contained some form of bacterial growth, such as E. And don't forget to clean other parts of the kitchen, such as refrigerator door handles, microwave handles, and sink faucets, because these places are touched by many and are often touched before eating food.
I know it's sometimes a challenge to keep them apart, especially when there are other family members or guests who come to the kitchen. The kitchen towel study indicated that using towels for a variety of purposes increased your chances of developing harmful bacteria.
