Sanitize Kitchen Surfaces

It's important to keep kitchen surfaces sanitized, especially when you're working with raw meat, in order to prevent food poisoning.

Scrub cutting boards with hot water and soap. Rinse it and dry it thoroughly. Never submerge cutting boards in a sink of water! Wood is porous and will soak up water, causing the cutting board to crack when it dries.Use vinegar to disinfect and clean your wood cutting boards or butcher block counter top. Wipe them with full-strength white vinegar after each use. The acetic acid in the vinegar is a good disinfectant, and its effective against such harmful bugs as E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. Vinegar is especially good for people with chemical allergies. Keep a spray bottle of undiluted vinegar handy for easy cleaning and sanitizing.Try hydrogen peroxide. 3% hydrogen peroxide can also be used as a bacteria-killer. To kill the germs on your cutting board, use a paper towel to wipe the board down with vinegar, then use another paper towel to wipe it with hydrogen peroxide. Sanitize both your wood and plastic cutting boards with a diluted chlorine bleach or vinegar solution consisting of one teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach in one quart of water or a one to five dilution of vinegar. Flood the surface with a sanitizing solution and allow it to stand for several minutes, then rinse and air dry or pat dry with paper towels.

If you have children, consider getting some cleaner that is safe for them to smell and touch.