Question on Cleaning Food Prep Areas

[Bucktown]

What does everyone use to clean their countertops with if they are preparing foods directly on the countertop? I don't want to use a general kitchen cleaner or anything like that because I don't want the chemical residue to come off in my foods.

Can I use that Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Daily sanitizer spray? Anyone have another method?

Thanks!

[KiKi'sMommy]

Vinegar and water solution in a spray bottle.

Or just straight vinegar in a spray bottle.

[Bucktown]

KiKi'sMommy~ Thanks! That is what I had been doing but was wondering what others do.

[Hello Kitty]

I use just soap and hot water.

Clorox spray is just super diluted bleach water, like you would use to disinfect per health standards in an industrial food prep setting. You can make your own in a bottle - look up the ratio, but it's something like 1 or 2 tablespoons bleach to 1 gallon of water.

[jennylou]

I use soap and water as well. If it's greasy, I might use some Fantastic spray, and then I follow that up with the soap and water - I don't like to just leave the spray residue sitting there as I'm afraid it might get into foods and I'll taste it. ;)

[yby1]

lemon juice followed by water.

[Bucktown]

Thank you everyone! Your info is very helpful.

For those using soap & water are you using paper towels or sponges?

I think I'm getting obsessed over this issue right now because I've been making cakes with rolled fondant (rolling the fondant on the countertop) and giving them to people/sending them to work with DH and I don't want someone to come back to me and tell me they got food poisoning or something! That would be horrible.

[jennylou]

I use dish cloths - that way I can throw them in the wash. I don't use sponges as much, but I will use them and throw them in the wash too - but they skeeve me out a bit, so I prefer dish cloths (any rag will do). ;)

[Hello Kitty]

That's a good point, Bucktown - I used to make bread on my counter, and it always made me feel a little 'ehhhh' about the cleanliness. I would generally use a clean cloth or sponge (when I had a dishwasher to put them in) with soap & water to clean, and then rinse it well in hot water and give it a final swipe.

I wasn't terribly concerned about germs and bacteria (especially b/c the product is baked) but I was nervous about cat hair getting in there somehow. :o