Germs In The Kitchen

Every day you see television commercials for the latest germ-killing products on the market. Companies are constantly reminding you of the pesky, persistent bacteria that apparently attacks your home throughout the day. It's remarkable that something so small, that you can only see with it a microscope, can be so harmful! But germs are real. However, you have to know what they are exactly to truly combat them. Here's a guide to germs and how you can keep them out of your kitchen in particular.

Bathrooms have a bad reputation for hosting threatening germs, but this reputation is not really earned. Kitchens are where the majority of germs in your house are located. And that's why it's so important not to ignore them. It's easy to forget that the invisible little buggers are lurking behind every corner, but if you do, they will certainly make your life a lot tougher.

The reason you can kill a germ, is because it is indeed a living organism! There are four kinds of germs: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Many germs may invade plants, animals and humans temporarily and with little consequence, and some germs are even good! For example, there is bacteria in out intestines that help us digest our food. Also, doctors are able to engineer medicines and vaccines with the help of bacteria.

But for the most part, if germs decide to hang their hat in your body, they will try to take over. Ever been stuck in bed with the flu? If you answered “yes,” then you were infected by a virus. Or maybe you've had an ear infection! The culprit was bacteria in that case. Germs consume your much-needed energy and nutrients and produce nasty toxins; toxins that cause those classic symptoms of sickness, like sore throat and coughing. So germs, for the most part, are not our friends.

They are everywhere though. And in places where you store food, like the kitchen, this can be a unique problem.

The best way to prevent germs from invading your body is to simply wash your hands often. Germs are typically transferred from person to person. If someone coughs on your or even just touches you, those nettlesome germs may hop from them to you.

This is why door knobs and other objects that people commonly touch are especially germ-ridden. By simply washing your hands with soap often, however, you can kill germs before they have a chance to make you sick. If you've just pet your dog or coughed, then you are more vulnerable to germs, so wash your hands. It's as plain as that.

So, in the kitchen, the same rule applies. Remember to wash your hands often and always before you prepare food. However, there's a bit more you can do than that. Here are some steps you can take to keeping your kitchen nice and clean, so that those malicious germs don't stand a chance.

Fortunately, you don't have to be a neat freak to create a healthy environment for your family. In addition to washing your hands frequently (with soap and warm water), you can use the following tips to ensure those germs die young.

Your counters and sink are a breeding ground for germs. Because your hands, food, utensils, rags, etc, will all grace the counter tops and the sink, you have to keep them clean. Don't cry over spilled milk. Just clean it up immediately!

What you use to clean the counters and sink is not as important as you might think. A sponge or rag or a one-time wipe will all work perfectly. The key is to keep them clean too! Throw that sponge or rag in the washer often. You can also soak your dishcloths in warm, soapy water when they're not being used.

The worst thing you can do is clean up your kitchen with a dirty dishcloth. This is why those throwaway disinfectants can be really advantageous! (Always use disinfectant sprays, as well, to go along with your other cleaning supplies.) Remember that warm water and soap are a germ's enemies.

Moreover, be wary of cutting boards. The nooks and crannies in your home are commonly invaded by germs, until they can find a better, living host. When you use a cutting board, you will likely make small dents into it with your knife, and these small crevices lure germs. So make sure that you scrub your cutting board hard after every single use.

Obviously you want your dishes to be spic and span. Thankfully, we have dishwashers these days that do the trick. It can never hurt to give the dishes a little rub with a clean dishcloth before putting them away in the dishwasher however.

Another surprising piece of advice is that paper towels and cups are better than the alternative. You may want to dry off your hands with that cloth towel or drink from that glass. However, sharing hand towels and drinking glasses is the first thing germs want you to do! Why not buy some cheap dispensable paper cups to keep around the kitchen and invest in paper towels? It's a really simple way to prevent those germs from traveling.

Also keep in mind that a room where food and water are common, you have to be extra careful. Damp areas can produce fungi and food that's left out too long will encourage the growth of bacteria.

So, instead of fretting about how clean your toilet bowl is or wiping that sponge over your counter top 20 times in a row, just take into consideration these tips and your kitchen will be less inviting for those ugly germs. Yes, you probably will come down with a cold every once in a while, but you certainly can be on the offense more often than not if you know where to find and kill those germs!

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Equipment Used in the Kitchen

Kitchen Equipment

Today we have all kinds of equipment and gadgets to make life easier in the kitchen. Kitchen tools are exclusive items used in the kitchen; they must be reliable and efficient.

Domestic kitchens carry many of the same gadgets that professional kitchens do but on a smaller scale. You will find most small gadgets at home, like the mixers and blenders, electric can opener, and electric carving knives, measuring cups, and pizza cutters more or less everything with the exception of walk-in freezers and walk-in chillers. There should be a display cabinet so that you can display the freshness of the foods.

The health inspector inspects the temperature controls (maintain hot foods hot and cold foods cold). The vehicle transporting food has to be cleaned on a daily basis.

Broilers, cheese cutters, griddle hotplates, ovens, cooking roasters, and microwaves are all equipment used in the kitchen... No restaurant can function without them. All these articles come in different sizes and capabilities. Stocking a kitchen with vast gadgets and utensils can really be a headache.

There are few ways to begin collecting the equipment, utensils and appliances you need. One way is to write a list and start checking them off as you purchase. A second method is trial and error method. As you begin cooking you will realize what your kitchen is missing. you may also go to a store that sell such items and asked for advice.

You can buy the equipment from a garage sale, however, new is better. Shop for quality over quantity. Make sure you read and ask questions before you buy. A commercial kitchen business relies on practical products. Space saving, energy efficiency and convenience are some of the factors when deciding on the products to choose for your kitchen.

Petroleum gas, large steam kettles, fridges with stainless steel doors and stainless steel tables, braising pans, deep fat fryers and a machine that slices cheese are used in professional kitchen.

Cutting boards come in plastic and different colours so make sure your staffs knows what colour goes with raw or cooked food.

These are some of the utensils used in the kitchen.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_O_Ellis

Ideas For Blenders to Add to Your Kitchen

The variety of blenders available surprises many first-time buyers who may have thought that a blender is a blender! The truth is that there really is fairly little variation in blenders, and that most of what you read is pure marketing. The best approach is to buy a blender from a quality manufacturer like Oster or Bosch and be done with it. Blenders from a good maker should have the power for tough jobs like crushing ice, and should be built well to last you many years.

Don't be fooled by blenders with 10 to 15 buttons and settings: a blender with settings for Off, Low and High Power is probably just as good and has fewer parts which may break over time.

If you're also interested in making juices from fruit and vegetables, there's a new type of product emerging which combines the best parts of a blender and a juicer into once device. Instead of buying and storing both devices, you buy a single combination device and save some room on your countertop or in your cabinets. The downside is that the device may not be as good at blending or juicing as a standalone device, but this may be okay for you based on the space and cost savings.

A high quality blender has the potential to last you for years and years. I personally use an Osterizer which was made in the 1960s and it's still working great. It's probably more powerful and reliable than many blenders made new today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_H_Stevens

Replace Your Kitchen Doors on a Budget

We're all aware of the economical crisis right now, aren't we? And it's affecting all of us. We're all trying to tighten our budgets a bit. But if you're in need of a few kitchen improvements, replacing your cabinet doors is not only an affordable option when it comes to kitchen remodeling, it's also a great way to save money, especially when you compare the cost of replacing the full cabinets. Kitchen doors are always going to show signs of wear and tear over time, just because of their location and their heavy use every single day and the daily grind. Even the most expensive doors can wear out quickly in a busy household. In the end, your cabinet doors are going to wind up in the unmerciful hands of grease, heat, spills, and even stains from the food you and your family prepare in the kitchen, which will probably make your kitchen look cheaper and dirty.

Unfortunately cabinet doors are one part of the kitchen that often gets overlooked, which is not good considering how much they get used! As you read above, they'll be exposed over time to heat in your kitchen, dirt or food on you and your family's hands, and if you have pets, they'll suffer even more abuse! If you spend a bit of time shopping around, you'll find that it's not too difficult to locate replacement doors that might even be able to handle the abuse better than your current doors. A good choice now-a-days is laminate doors. Laminate doors are easy to clean and can withstand a good deal of heat, although you may not want to grill a steak right in front of them. If you look around a bit, you should be able to find a cabinetmaker who can make custom doors for your cabinets and it shouldn't even cost you too much.

Whether you're shopping for new doors or renovating your current ones, you'll also want to get some great handles or knobs to complete the look and style of your kitchen. They are usually a pretty inexpensive but effective way of adding visual appeal to any kitchen, and there are numerous imitation and replica handles of extremely luxury designs - so get looking!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rory_Wallwork