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“Cleaning” purchased groceries

(97 Posts)
Feelingmyage55 Wed 18-Mar-20 19:06:33

I understand all the instructions except that I am left to wonder if there is any risk from handling groceries (or other purchases) that might/could be contaminated by a previous handler. So far I have resisted wiping items but as the situation is becoming more serious I am tempted to do this to my next shopping.

GabriellaG54 Fri 20-Mar-20 23:54:23

Madbird37
You obviously know more than the doctors who, on a recent tv programme, stated that difference (the one I mentioned upthread) between persons deemed vulnerable and high-risk.

Bijou Fri 20-Mar-20 22:55:11

My carer can get shopping. However as I said there was nothing in the nearest town fifteen miles away. Being rural, supermarkets are probably confining their deliveries to more populated areas to save time and fuel.
However I am not down just appalled at people these days can be so self centred. During my life I have lived through the Blitz, dodged machine bullets during the Battle of Britain, coped with rationing after the war ended. Was homeless with a baby because I was not on a housing as my husband and I had been in the services. I was seriously ill during the Asian flu epidemic. Etc.

Missiseff Fri 20-Mar-20 21:31:32

Washing shopping?? gringringrin

ReadyMeals Fri 20-Mar-20 19:14:57

Perhaps some people like bar staff laid off from pubs could become delivery drivers for groceries

M0nica Fri 20-Mar-20 18:05:11

I have put a large plastic box with a lid labelled 'Deliveries' outside the front door. I can then empty it bit by bit as is convenient if a delivery is big and bulky.

Bijou. Contact Age UK, they should be able to find an organisation to help you.

Alexa Fri 20-Mar-20 17:37:18

Bijou, could your carer alert you neighbour , or the local neighbourhood watch, to your need for shopping help?

Is there a church nearby that you can telephone for help?

Alexa Fri 20-Mar-20 17:33:52

Tesco have a box on the order form for any message to the driver.

I have written to the driver there are rubble sacks outside the door for him to put the groceries into and please don;t make them too heavy for me .

Astelle29 Fri 20-Mar-20 12:46:29

When a grocery delivery person comes to the house they normally bring trays into the kitchen to unpack as no items in bags anymore. I don't really want to open the door and come in contact with people. Can you leave bags outside the door and ask them to put items in bags, how are you managing this please.

Bijou Fri 20-Mar-20 12:34:25

Many of you are lucky to get deliveries to clean. I am 96 and disabled and do usually keep a back up in my store cupboard but cannot get a delivery for the foreseen future. My carer yesterday went toMorrisons Tesco and Iceland and there were no potatoes, fruit or vegetables or meat. I shall have to resort to eating all the sweet biscuits, Christmas puddings etc given to me for Christmas together with some chives and parsley from the garden!

Liz46 Thu 19-Mar-20 21:26:00

What a shame Shizam - you'll have to drink it now!

NanTheWiser Thu 19-Mar-20 21:11:28

Vodka won't work, Shizam - for sanitising it needs to be over 60% proof, vodka is only about 40% (I believe).

Shizam Thu 19-Mar-20 20:58:01

I’ve bought a bottle of vodka to use as hand sanitizer. Obvs all other customers had same idea as almost all gone. I may just drink it instead...

Alexa Thu 19-Mar-20 18:12:39

Anniebach, I admire your resourcefulnes.

Anniebach Thu 19-Mar-20 17:59:23

Thank you Alexa. I will and not wash 140 in one go , I will
wash 5 days at a time

annep1 Thu 19-Mar-20 17:57:21

I'm trying to clean all shopping but its not perfect. As someone else said what aboout mail. Oh dear I'm worried again.?

rowyn Thu 19-Mar-20 17:53:16

Thanks, Jess20 Interesting re cake - I always use brown paper. Think I'm with the school of thought that too much cleanliness is detrimental to building up immunity. I certainly wouldn't trust myself with placing a newspaper in my gas oven!! And neither would anyone else who knows me!!

Alexa Thu 19-Mar-20 17:46:32

Anniebach, maybe you could wash the liquid food containers in hand-hot water just like you wash your hands in. If you rinse the liquid food containers they won't stay soapy.

Nancat Thu 19-Mar-20 17:33:54

How are you all managing to get deliveries to need sanitising? I tried to order an online grocery shop but no delivery slots in next 21 days, and can't book a slot more than 21 days ahead. Asked at local supermarket (yes, had to go myself - I needed food) and manager said try staying up and booking a slot 21 days ahead at 00:01 in the morning! As an aside, I wondered why we've not been advised to wear veterinary elizbethan collars to keep our hands away fron our faces. Just shows what the virus has done to my sanity.

CBBL Thu 19-Mar-20 16:55:38

I haven't washed vegetables unless I'm planning to eat them raw (I wash fruit before eating), as I assumed cooking would solve any "germ" problem. I always wash hands before and after preparing meals, as well as routinely hand-washing after going to the bathroom.
Perhaps I am not taking sufficient care?

Happysexagenarian Thu 19-Mar-20 16:42:33

I shop online a lot and we are now having our groceries delivered, so we sanitize everything that comes through the front door. My worry is that as more demand is put on delivery services and there are fewer people to operate them, some staff - pickers, packers or delivery drivers etc (especially those on zero hours contracts) may continue to work if they become ill, thus contaminating what they handle. So better to clean everything that comes into your home. Better safe than sorry.

Anniebach Thu 19-Mar-20 16:30:46

Kittye. Handcuffs ? ?

FlexibleFriend Thu 19-Mar-20 16:27:33

Caro57
I'm using an antiviral spray by Clinnell bought on Amazon months ago so probably no longer available, it's tasteless and has no smell and effective against pretty much everything.
As someone else said Zoflora works on 99.9% of viruses too.
I use these sprays routinely because my health is compromised and needs all the help it can get.

curvygran Thu 19-Mar-20 16:22:17

No hand gel, no disinfectant wipes available anywhere near me, we’re thinking of making our own gel following the ‘recipe’ on the WHO website . I’d be interested to hear from anyone else who’s making their own . Diluted dettol for wiping surfaces, but it’s anti bacterial not anti viral .

Pussycat2012 Thu 19-Mar-20 15:58:58

Thanks once again Gabriella54 for some calming, sensible advice. I am grateful for everyone’s suggestions but have to admit I tend to follow your advice. ??

Jess20 Thu 19-Mar-20 15:57:24

Rowyn, I tie newspaper round my christmas cahe to stop it burning, so if you're looking for a way to sterilize the outside pages of your paper, bung it in an oven - but don't forget it or set fire to anything ;)