A tool that should never be missing in the kitchen are rags. This versatile piece of fabric saves us more than one situation a day when we’re in the kitchen, but we need to be careful about how we handle it and where we store it. That’s why today we’re going to tell you the dangerous reason why you should never put kitchen towels on the oven door.
According to the Global Hygiene Council, 9 out of 10 tea towels used worldwide contain the worst levels of bacteria. E.coli is found in a third of all tea towels and can contain up to six times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
In addition, according to the U.S. Public Safety and Health Organization, the kitchen sink can be up to 100,000 times more contaminated than the sink due to frequent contact with food. That’s because it’s one of the wettest areas and usually harbors food scraps. All of this together creates the basis for the rapid development of microorganisms.”
Tea towels, never put them on the oven door – that’s a mistake we all make in the kitchen!
It is necessary to have rags on hand in the kitchen, but it may not be a good idea to put them on the oven door, on the refrigerator door, and even on the handle of some kitchen cabinets. Once attached to the oven door, they actually contaminate these surfaces and increase the risk of food poisoning if we open the oven with the handle and then touch the food directly with our hands. This risk is especially present with raw foods, i.e. those that we eat fresh without cooking them.
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So where is the best place to store tea towels? The answer is simple: just hang it on a hook attached to the kitchen wall, away from appliances.
Do not put tea towels in the washing machine, this will eliminate up to 99% of bacteria!
It is also very important to know how to wash and disinfect these rags full of dangerous bacteria well. To get rid of up to 99% of the bacteria that grow and grow on tea towels, it’s best to sterilize them in the microwave, according to a study. Here we explain how to use this device to disinfect wipes and heat food scraps.
- Moisten the rags with soap and water and wring them out to remove excess water. If you notice that there are still stains, apply a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar with a little more soap.
- Place the rags in a microwave-safe plastic bag without sealing them (this is very important).
- Let the device run at full power for 60 to 90 seconds. The high temperature leads to the death of bacteria.
- Finally, take the bag out of the microwave with oven mitts or tongs and let it cool.
- Place the rags in a bucket of cold water to remove soap residue. If you still notice blemishes, repeat the whole process again.
- Now all you have to do is drain them and hang them in the sun to dry.
