The kitchen sink contains more germs than toilets because toilet tiles do not allow bacterial growth, but a sink with moisture and food is.
The kitchen is one of the germiest and busiest places inside a house. People spend most of their daytime in kitchens while preparing and cooking food.
Are Kitchen Sinks Dirtier Than Toilets? Kitchen sinks are dirtier than toilets because people use dirty towels repeatedly to clean its surface. In addition, the long-term use of gloves that become filthy and greasy can contaminate sinks. The presence of moisture provides an opportunity for fungus and molds to grow. The food leftovers present in the dishes allow bacteria like Salmonella and E.coli to get their nutrition from it and multiply. Infrequent cleaning of the kitchen sinks and excessive use make them susceptible to germs.
Not only the sinks, but the dirty faucets and the wiping cloths are a better ground for germs growth.
The germs can transfer to the kitchen surfaces and the sink when you wash your dirty dishes. The bacteria stay in your sink unless you clean it with a disinfectant.
Here, we will discuss the possible reasons for making your kitchen sinks dirty and contaminated.
Dirty dusting towel
Many people use a towel or a cloth for cleaning the sink from inside and the area around it.
They do not use a clean towel every time, but the same dirty is frequently used for wiping out the moisture.
You are helping germs grow in a towel by repeatedly using a dirty towel.
It is better to use a new towel every time you clean your kitchen sink or any other surface. Dump the paper towel immediately after cleaning.
Presence of moisture
A kitchen sink is always moist and contains water droplets because of its frequent use when doing work.
For example, continuous water use for washing dishes and getting water for food preparation keeps it wet.
Bacteria and molds grow in the moisture, and due to leftover food materials. Therefore, it is ideal for their multiplication as they get food and water in one place.
You can avoid mold and fungal growth by wiping out the moisture using a clean and dry paper towel.
In addition, you can use boiling water to kill the bacteria and mold from the sink surface.
Excessive use
You use your kitchen more than a toilet, so there are more chances of excessive contamination.
On the other hand, the bathroom contains lesser bacteria or germs because they are dumped by flushing.
I conducted a swab test, which involves rubbing a swab into a kitchen sink and another one from a toilet at the same time.
It is clear that there are more germs and microbial growth in the sink than in the bathroom.
Filthy kitchen sponges
The kitchen sponge provides a ground for germs to grow like dirty clothes and food leftovers.
Therefore, a lazy person who cleans a kitchen after many days is better than the one who cleans it with a dirty sponge daily.
After a swab test on the sponge, I found a higher percentage of Salmonella. In addition, an inch of sponge contains billions of bacteria.
You cannot kill bacteria in a kitchen sponge by sterilizing it in hot water. However, you can provide a quick blast of heat to the sponge in a microwave to disinfect it.
The sterilization process is suitable for its disinfection somehow, but it cannot remove all bacteria from sponges.
Increased inflow of germs
Usually, people spend more time in kitchens while preparing food three times a day.
A family spends time in the kitchen where they sit together, eat, and share their whole day’s experience.
They bring a lot of bacteria and other germs with them. Bacteria transfer to the sinks, countertops, and dishes when they touch the surfaces.
The germs can transfer from their hands when they wash their hands in sinks before eating. So, it can be the reason behind the contamination of sinks.
You wash your hands after using the toilet, but some people do not wash their hands before eating and touch the dishes. Dirty hands can add more germs to your sinks.
An increase in the flow of family members in the kitchen and eating food with dirty hands can increase the germ load in sinks.
Infrequent cleaning
People give much attention to their toilets and clean them on alternative days. In contrast, many people disinfect the kitchen sink once a month.
They think toilets are more contaminated, and they clean their bathrooms frequently.
However, some consider that equal importance should be given to the sinks, and they clean them on the same day intervals when they clean their toilets.
Therefore, you can avoid contamination of the sinks by using a disinfectant, like bleach or hot water.
First, block the draining pipe and add hot water into it. Then, open the pipe and let the water drain out after 5 to 10 minutes.
Oil and grease
When working around, oil and grease splashes fall on the sink surface or nearby area. The oily splashes or the grease around it contain many germs.
You cannot use water to clean the stains of oil and grease stains as it is not soluble in water.
Therefore, you can mix salt and vinegar and use them to scrub the walls and the surface closer to it. It removes all the stains of oil spills effectively.
Leftover food in the kitchen sink
The food left in dishes enters the sink and provides a ground that supports bacterial growth.
In addition, the food particles transfer from plates to the sink when you put your dirty dishes in it for cleaning.
In addition, the leftover particles move to the sink when you soak the dishes and rinse them with water.
The germs reach food and utensils present in the kitchen through hands when you come in contact with the sink during dishwashing.
Debris accumulation
It is better to remove the food from dishes before soaking them in sinks.
The accumulated debris acts as a reservoir of bacteria and contaminates it and the kitchen. In addition, a foul odor from the sink indicates a heavy load of germs in it.
So, clean the dishes properly before washing and put the food remains in the dustbin. It is better to clean your dustbins regularly to avoid the smell and multiplication of germs.
I surveyed whether people clean their sinks at the same interval as they clean their toilets. In this survey, 853 people were asked the same questions, and their response was astonishing.
Out of 853 people, 512 people (60%) said they clean their toilets on alternative days but disinfect their kitchen sinks after 1 to 2 weeks.
In contrast, 236 people (28%) added that they clean their toilets and sinks after 2 to 3 days.
While the remaining 105 people (12%) commented that they think kitchen sinks are clean and do not require disinfection frequently as toilets do.
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