Around the house: healthy kitchens

(not my kitchen - but I do have yellow walls like this photo!)

I was reading a magazine the other day and it listed 10 health hazards in our kitchens.  Here they are (my comments are in italics).  How does your kitchen rate!  I failed on a few points

  • Open fridge: loses heat quickly.  Minimise opening and ensure it stays below 5 degrees (Pass - this is tricky with children around! Much easier now that they are all grown up - but sometimes DH will stand in front of the fridge door wide open at midnight or even later looking for a snack - he has a habit of waking up in the middle of the night feeling a bit peckish)
  • Dirty dishes, trays in sink: They should be washed immediately. (Pass - I have a "thing" about dirty dishes - just ask my children - I wonder how immediately "immediate" is!)
  • Washing-up brush and sponge: They should be kept dry and replaced regularly.  Replace sponge weekly. (Guilty, don't replace weekly - but do pour boiling water over them to "kill" bugs! Not sure if this makes any differences)
  • Soap:It should always be available at the sink (Pass - I have a soap pump near the sink)
  • Tea towel: Replace after each meal.  Wash and dry, preferably in daylight (Fail badly - I do not replace my tea towels after every wash - I don't own that many!!  I do dry them in the sunshine when they are dried outside)
  • Frozen meat: Always defrost in fridge (Pass - I do this, generally overnight - but I also use the microwave)
  • Cartons of eggs: Sourced from a farm, with feathers attached, they should be washed (Pass - Not an issue - buy from the supermarket, so never wash)
  • Spilt sugar on workbench: Attracts pests and should be always wiped clean immediately. (Pass I do this - but my son doesn't (fail), I know when he has made coffee as I find sugar on the bench - but no pests have ever invaded!!)
  • Bench joints: Should be sealed to avoid pests (Pass - not an issue - all very sealed - we don't get pests in our kitchen)
  • Exhaust fan: Check regularly for pests.  This is one of the first things a restaurant food inspector examines (Pass - my DH does this and cleans it for me)
Have they missed anything?
    ~oOo~

    Comments

    1. Haha! Well some of these have nothing to do with our desire to have a healthy kitchen - when it comes to rental properties, we have to take what's on offer!! I'm not very good about some of these things, but have been trying to improve. House cleaning of all kinds are not my strong point!!

      By the way, Dan stands in front of the open fridge door multiple times a day (even when he's not home all day) - I'm not sure what he thinks will have changed in the hour or so since he last stood there... I keep reminding him he's costing us money every time he does it!!!! ;)

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    2. oops I think I've just failed this test:)

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    3. I think I mostly pass, though I'm terrible with the tea towels and don't get new sponges weekly. I'm glad they didn't discuss the rest of the house - I need to get cracking on that today!

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    4. Hi Jo- I pretty much do things the same way you do. But- still- my kitchen can look like a real mess sometimes. Doubt if I could ever truly pass an inspection!!
      Vicki

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