When you walk into your kitchen at home or a worksite kitchen, the first thing you want to do is wash your hands. This may sound like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many people have been using the computer keyboard, cell phone, TV remote or other items known to be covered with bacteria and then start touching food in the kitchen. This is a very easy way to cross contaminate or spread germs from one item to something else…in this case, the keyboard to the cutting board or counter or microwave…whatever you are using. So wash well, count to 20...you know…1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, etc.

Then, if you use a sponge in your kitchen, wet it and toss it in the microwave for two minutes on high every day or run it through the dishwasher daily. If you use it to wipe up raw meat juices, wash it out and nuke it again. If you use a dish cloth, get out a fresh one each day and wash the dirty ones in hot water. You know what I’m talking about…..that dish cloth that stands on its own and stinks.