Would Your Kitchen Pass a Restaurant Health Inspection?

Before you even place your order at a restaurant, the ingredients of your soon-to-be dinner are waiting in the fridge or the walk-in freezer. If that refrigerated food wasn't kept between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you could be in for a rough time later on. That's why it's a good idea to invest in a refrigerator thermometer to ensure that your food stays in that safe temperature range until you're ready to cook it. Always throw your groceries in the fridge as soon as you get home, even if you're tired. Two hours is the longest time perishable food should be kept on the counter, and a one-hour window is long enough for illness-causing bacteria to breed in the summer. Consider bringing along an insulated bag to keep meats and frozen foods cold on especially long trips. And make sure your freezer is set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below to keep food at its freshest. 

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During the lunch or dinner rush, even the cleanest restaurant can become ground zero for contamination and that's no less true at home. That's because serving up just one meal often requires the use of multiple appliances, like a food processor, pasta maker, or blender. Add that to everyday kitchen tools, such as can openers and cutting boards, and it's easy to understand why your countertop hosts some of the dirtiest surfaces in your kitchen. Always remember to scrub and sanitize those small appliances after every use or you could be in for a nasty surprise down the line. 

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There's a reason restaurants are stocked with a small army of kitchen towels. Using the same towel for busing tables, cleaning up splattered food, and wiping up spilled drinks would increase the risk of cross-contamination. At home, however, you're probably guilty of doing just that: using one or two dish towels to wipe your hands, mop up spills, and clean the countertops. To stay safe, always use separate towels for wiping your hands and cleaning cooking surfaces. Soak towels in a sanitizing solution of bleach and water, and switch them out daily if you can. Another quick tip? Stick to paper towels to clean up spills. 

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The kitchen floor can be a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses. Wooden floors are particularly susceptible to contamination, which is why so many commercial kitchens are outfitted with tile floors. Unfortunately, even the grout between the tiles can harbor nasty bacteria. At home, wipe up spills right away with paper towels, and mop the floor daily. Sanitize wooden floors with a vinegar-and-water solution, and follow that up with a plain water rinse. If you have tile or vinyl floors, clean them with a solution of bleach and water, or ammonia and water, but never mix bleach and ammonia, which produces toxic fumes. 

Related: 7 Unusual Tricks for Your Cleanest Floors Ever

Raw fruits and vegetables are good for you… unless they're crawling with contaminants. The top layer of fresh produce can harbor disease-causing bacteria and chemicals, so when you slice through the skin of fruits or vegetables—whether purchased at the grocery store or nestled on your plate at your favorite brunch spot—you may be transferring bacteria into your food. Surprisingly, some of the dirtiest items in the store are citrus fruits, including lemons, limes, and oranges, but as all produce is handled by multiple people, it should be washed before eating. Use a solution of vinegar and water and a small scrub brush to make sure your food is really clean. 

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