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Tell Dettol your food hygiene tips and tricks to be in with a chance to win a £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED

(324 Posts)
EmmaGransnet (GNHQ) Thu 15-Dec-16 10:29:34

We all know that nasty illnesses such as E.coli and Salmonella can spread around our kitchen if we don’t keep it clean and prevent cross-contamination. Dettol want to hear about how you protect yourself from these illnesses.

Here’s what Dettol have to say: “Whilst Dettol started by preventing infection and sickness in hospitals in the UK, our brand’s mission was always much bigger. In order to help keep people healthy, Dettol needed to protect families as part of their every-day lives in the home. Fuelled by our passion to do more and backed by our expertise in killing germs, Dettol products are designed to help you protect your family from harmful germs that can cause illness. Our range of Dettol Surface Cleansers kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses and can be used all over the home. Available in a range of formats such as trigger spray as well as surface or floor wipes.”

Are you a food hygiene goddess, using multiple chopping boards and organising your fridge to prevent cross-contamination? Or are you unaware of or unconcerned by the causes of cross-contamination? What methods do you use to stop the spread of germs and bacteria whilst preparing food?

Please share your understanding and methods used to prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen and you will be entered into a prize draw where one gransnetter will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list). This thread will close and the prize draw will take place on 29th December.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

GNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

annieg123 Mon 19-Dec-16 21:01:03

i always make sure my fridge is organised to prevent cross contamination, we have different chopping boards for meat and other things like veg and i am militant about hand washing when the little ones are baking or helping prepare a meal

Maturebow Mon 19-Dec-16 19:48:32

I like to know which foods have the most harmful bacteria if not handled properly e.g. Chicken.
So I can apply the right prep and cleansing to the area according to what is needed. I like to use products like dettol that I trust after and it all works out very well.
Also ensure when washing foods like Chicken watch out for splashing and always try and keep track of how you prepare different types of foods, especially meat and legumes.

maxyorke Mon 19-Dec-16 18:36:08

I use three differently coloured chopping boards for my raw meat, cooked meat and vegetables to try and minimise cross contamination.

Rowantree Mon 19-Dec-16 14:03:13

I second Flowerpower22 - door and loo handles and taps get cleaned/disinfected now and then but especially when someone in the family is suffering from norovirus or similar (as happened recently). We ensured separate hand towels till symptoms had gone for 48 hours or so too. That's in addition to the basic hand-washing after using the toilet and before eating or preparing food.

I disinfect utensils which have been in contact with raw meat and wash them separately.
Cover food left unrefrigerated; cool hot food quickly and refrigerate or freeze.

Usual stuff, really but we were relieved we didn't catch the horrible stomach bugs brought into the house on two separate occasions by sons-in-law recently!

MEGaskell Sun 18-Dec-16 22:40:31

Keep a hand sanitizer on the kitchen table and as people sit down to eat they use it and pass it round. Kids are so used to it now they don't think twice. Helps with pass NG8 condiments, bread basket, serving dishes etc.

andynangel28 Sun 18-Dec-16 21:35:16

I do like disinfect wipes, they are convenient. I find common sense prevails with things like storage of cooked, raw meats etc and using separate chopping boards and knives for different produce.

Humph Sun 18-Dec-16 21:22:12

wash your hands - all the time - and keep surfaces wiped

Dannydog1 Sun 18-Dec-16 21:11:09

I don't go overboard. Basic common sense with keeping raw meats separate in the fridge. I now use chopping boards that can go in the dishwasher. A quick spray of the worsurfaces with anti bacterial spray.

Moocow Sun 18-Dec-16 20:02:48

I plan ahead when handling raw meat so that I do not touch things like taps to wash my hands and wash inbetween preparing meat for the oven if I find I've forgotten things like herbs. I'm a stickler for wiping down switches, door handles and doors where hands tend to touch when not using the actual handles, with anti-bac wipes. Hot soapy water is lovely and cheaper but if rushing always rely on wipes. Not so keen on sprays except for really large areas as I don't feel every spot has been covered. Also prefer wipes for switches as no chance of dripping water. Ever cautious that's me. Was surprised to read about bleach etc not being used in the kitchen at older residential homes. Was very relieved when the powers that be decided that we shouldn't wash raw chicken etc. That always posed major problems for cleaning everything and areas of possible splashes for me!

ellenemery Sun 18-Dec-16 19:45:11

I never turn on the taps when I have prepared fresh meat in some way. I always ask my husband to squirt the soap on my hands and turn on the tap.

I wash all the shelves and interior of the fridge every month.

milkflake Sun 18-Dec-16 19:18:42

I have used Dettol in the kitchen since as a student Nursery nurse we used it for cleaning in the baby room.

I use the surface spray on the worktops and table in the kitchen and the wipes for the fridge shelves.
The fridge is of course correctly filled with raw meats on the lowest shelf.

Preparing raw chicken always worries me , I don't wash it , as recommended, but always spray the area with All In One cleaner around the area. I use paper towels as dish cloths harbour many germs.

I also use the All In One cleaner on fridge and cupboard door handles.

Soap and water cleans to a certain extent but unless the water is boiling it won't kill all the germs.

I use a glass chopping board, plastic and wood get cutting ridges in them which is a great place for germs to hide.

I have the Dettol soap dispenser too and taps that can be turned by my arm (like the surgeons do) smile

Cool any foods to be kept quickly and get them in the fridge, never reheat rice.

Hygiene in the kitchen is paramount , the bathrooms get the Dettol treatment too smile

Don't know what I would do without Dettol.

MB1001 Sun 18-Dec-16 18:34:21

Don't wash raw poultry. Use separate utensils and cutting boards for raw and cooked. Wash hands constantly. Use anti bacterial spray.

nannienet Sun 18-Dec-16 17:27:33

I use different chopping boards for fruit/veg or raw meat. I clean my work tops each morning with Detol spray and kitchen paper. My cupboard doors and handles,fridge door handles and kitchen bin and microwave get Detol spray every other day. Most importantly washing hands frequently,once in and before handling food and it goes without saying after using the bathroom!! Teaching our Grandchildren these habits are so important too.

Ikea1234 Sun 18-Dec-16 17:05:07

I am really fastidious about my fridge - cleaning it, storing food properly and separately (raw meat at bottom so it doesn't drip, cooked at top, useairtight containers, don't store things too long etc etc etc) It always amazes me how dirty fridges get from the bottom of milk bottles for example.

ktmd Sun 18-Dec-16 16:14:39

We just use good common sense. Use hot soapy water when washing dishes and hands. Make sure food is wrapped in the fridge, keep raw and cooked food on separate shelves. I also tend to use kitchen cleaner on my surfaces before and after cooking.

beckyinman Sun 18-Dec-16 16:10:51

We have different coloured chopping boards for meat etc but just just anti-bacterial wipes. I'm not overly concerned about them being too germ protected as I want them to build up an immunity

JanT8 Sun 18-Dec-16 15:48:10

I buy disposable gloves and use them every time I prepare chicken or meat (I just can't bear the feel of these!). And yes I also wipe surfaces down with Dettox spray, also the inside of the fridge together with the handles. I feel happier knowing that I'm zapping as many bugs as I can!
Chopping boards go straight into the dishwasher apart from 'chicken ones' which are rinsed under cold water to dislodge any tiny bits of chicken, then they go in.
Dishcloths, which I know harbour a lot of germs, are regularly soaked in bleach water.

happysouls Sun 18-Dec-16 15:06:40

We always keep our kitchen really clean and wipe down surfaces with anti-bacterial spray. Food preparation is done carefully and food is stored well. Any meat/fish is prepared separately and stored separately, in fact we have plastic storage tubs specifically for those things!

ayjay Sun 18-Dec-16 14:41:11

I like to use microfibre cloths for cleaning - one use and launder

GeminiJen Sun 18-Dec-16 13:31:24

A plaudit for Dettol! I'm at my daughter's for Christmas, looking after my grandsons during the school hols until her Christmas break from work. 5 days ago, her fridge freezer died tchsad. Since then, we've been storing stuff in the (unheated) garage and been glad that the weather is so cold! After a bit of pleading with the store, a new one was delivered this morning. As he left, the delivery man said, 'Be sure to give it a good wash and disinfect it well before you use it. They're made in a warm country and full of bugs...' tchconfused Thankfully, my daughter's a Dettol fan...so I've given it a good clean while she heads to the shops. Thank you, Dettol flowers

tigger Sun 18-Dec-16 12:52:24

My sister is just recovering from sepsis which she didn't know she had until she went into hospital for an unrelated condition. I use white vinegar and a steamer around the house especially the kitchen and bathroom.

Grannyjacq1 Sun 18-Dec-16 12:37:29

We have 4 toddlers/babies under the age of 2 in the house this Christmas, as well as 2 guest dogs, so feel that I need to be extra careful about keeping the floor really clean as the little ones put everything in their mouth at the moment.
As for preventing cross-contamination, a well-organised fridge (raw meat at the bottom, being careful with left-overs etc) is crucial. I have a special chopping board for raw meat and make sure that it is washed in VERY hot water and soap. The Dettol surface cleaner is great for kitchen surfaces etc.

sc00ter Sun 18-Dec-16 12:29:51

1.I clean my surfaces with an eco spray.
2.I also love white distilled vinegar - its great it disinfects and is as cheap as chips.
3. generally put everything away when used.
4. have a hand wash at the ready - again I have an eco one on my window ledge in case of sneezes etc.

Charleygirl Sun 18-Dec-16 11:20:10

I pop the shelves in my 2 fridges in the dishwasher regularly and then I know that they are sparkling clean.

mumofmadboys Sun 18-Dec-16 11:05:40

Clean out fridge regularly. Keep surfaces clean with anti bacterial spray. Use different chopping boards for raw meat and fish.