Hello, I grew up in a house that was always cleaned by soap and water. When there was raw meat, my parents always took great care in cleaning the countertops. That was so long ago, I don't know if they even used any kind of anti-bacterial to clean the countertops after handeling raw meat.
My question is, is there a safe counter top cleanser to use after handeling raw meat? I want to use something strong enough, yet safe enough because there's always food on the counter.
If you take a few minutes to learn about what pathogens need to survive, it will greatly help put your mind at ease.
Soap and hot water are truly hard to beat, because it removes nutrients, fouls the osmotic pressure and pH balance pathogens need; not to mentions pathogens prefer 98.6 F. degrees. They deny most pathogens of things they need for survival. The hot water melts waxes and fats, exposing pathogens (and non-pathogenic microbes) to the soap/detergent; otherwise, even cold water will work.
In survival scenarios, plenty of chemicals can be used as disinfectants, but quaternary ammonium chloride disinfectants are most common in the food industry today. They have a broad killing spectrum, even at very, very low dilutions. And they are virtually non-toxic to humans--they just do not taste good. LOL!
There is an axiom that says basically, "proper hand washing is the greatest deterrent to spreading germs." That was probably being said back when all we had was hot water and soap--maybe even before we understood what pathogens are. :-)
In the US, I see folks who are overly concerned about certain aspects of cleanliness, and other people who give me chills, just from knowing the risks they take. :-) All things are best, in moderation.
Household bleach will kill bacteria. You can use 1/4 c. bleach, 1 pint warm water, and a small amount of dishwashing soap in a spray bottle. This will also remove countertop fruit stains. You can substitute rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Either spray will kill bacteria. Bacteria breed in damp sponges and kitchen towels.
Thanks for responding, I guess I overlooked the use of plain soap and water. I'm just not used to my boyfriend's careless cooking ways where there's dirty utensils laying all over the counter! lol
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