COVID-19, commonly known as coronavirus, is a respiratory virus. While COVID-19 is not considered
to be a foodborne illness by the Centers for Disease Control, it is contagious. Actions that you can
take to prevent foodborne illness can be taken to mitigate coronavirus.
Of the food safety steps in helping to mitigate coronavirus, cleaning is the most important; cleaning
hands and cleaning surfaces. Avoiding contact with others while sick is also important.
WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY AND THOROUGHLY WITH SOAP AND WATER.
There are 5 easy steps:
1. Wet hands with warm running water and apply soap.
2. Rub hands together to make a lather.
3. Continue rubbing hands for at least 20 seconds.
4. Rinse hands well under running water.
5. Dry hands using a paper towel or a clean cloth.
Research has shown that washing hands with soap and water is the
best defense against the flu and other contagious illnesses.
When should you wash your hands? There are many times
throughout the day, including:
• Before and after eating food or putting your hands to your
mouth or face
• Before, during and after preparing food for yourself and others
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick
• After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose
• After using the toilet or assisting others in the bathroom
• After changing diapers or helping a child with toilet or personal hygiene
• After touching garbage
• After touching an animal or animal waste
Check out this video from the CDC that gives all the basics.
What about hand sanitizer? Hand sanitizer is a good back-up if running water is not available. Your
hand sanitizer product should be at least 60% alcohol content. Apply hand sanitizer to hands, and
rub hands together for 20 seconds until hand surfaces (tops and palms) and fingers are dry.
- Extra Notes: Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs, but:
* Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
* Hand sanitizers may not be effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
Hand washing using plain soap and water, with lots of scrubbing, lifts germs and harmful bacteria off hands and washes them away (down the drain)! - Remember to stay home if you have an illness or suspect that your might!
ROUTINE CLEANING AND SANITIZING OF KITCHEN SURFACES.
Routine cleaning and sanitizing are important; use this three-step process.
1. CLEAN SURFACES like kitchen and bathroom countertops with warm water and soap to remove
germs, dirt, and food debris. Cleaning does not kill germs, but it removes them and lowers the
risk of spreading infection. Clean dishes, pots and pans, and utensils and other surfaces. A good
physical cleaning that moves dirt and debris off surfaces is best. Scrub away!
2. RINSE. Using warm water, rinse away debris and rinse off soapy water, leaving behind a surface
that is clean.
3. SANITIZE. After cleaning, sanitize surfaces as an extra precaution to kill germs that might
remain. Sanitizing after cleaning, also be referred to as ‘disinfecting’, is a best practice for
prevention of COVID-19 and helps to stop transmission of foodborne illness.
General recommendations for routine cleaning and disinfection of kitchen surfaces: at
home or in the community.
• Clean with soap and warm water.
• Rinse with clean water.
• Disinfect with an EPA-registered cleaner (follow label directions), or use a dilute bleach
solution specifically for kitchens (follow label directions for other areas like bathrooms):
o 1 teaspoon bleach per quart of water
o 1 Tablespoon bleach per gallon of water
Allow bleach solution to remain on clean surfaces for 1 minute. Then, wipe dry or (even
better) allow to air dry. The chemicals will evaporate, leaving behind a sanitized surface.
CLEANING AND DISINFECTING IN THE TIME OF ILLNESS.
There are additional procedures for cleaning and disinfecting in a home where a person has a
suspected/confirmed case of illness.
• Wear disposable gloves when cleaning and sanitizing. Gloves should be discarded after each
cleaning. If reusable gloves are used, those gloves should be dedicated for cleaning and
disinfection of surfaces for COVID-19 and not used for any other purpose. Wash hands
immediately after gloves are removed.
• Wash surfaces with soap and water. Always do this prior to disinfection.
• Disinfect with a strong bleach solution, a 70% alcohol solution, or EPA-registered household
disinfectant (follow label directions).
o Preparing a strong bleach solution for home-care settings (bathrooms, sick rooms, etc):
5 Tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of warm water
4 teaspoons bleach per quart of warm water
o Allow to air dry.
o Rinse surfaces, utensils, pots and pans treated with this strong bleach solution with clean
water prior to contacting food (it is not necessary to rinse bathroom surfaces).
What about surfaces like doorknobs and handles where it might not work to clean and then
disinfect? For frequently touched surfaces (tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, faucets…..)
use standard household cleaners and EPA-registered disinfectants following label instructions.
Labels contain instructions for safe and effective use of the cleaning product including precautions
you should take when applying the product, such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good
ventilation during use of the product. More information is available on the Center for Disease Control .
Courtesy of B. Ingham. March 2020. bhingham@wisc.edu
To find more resources and information for food safety tips, visit the Fight Bac! Partnership for Food Safety website. People desire resources that put them back in control– try using some of these recommendations to implement cleaning measures in your own home. Many resources are available on this site, including coloring pages and placemats for children to learn from.
For more information, contact Donna Peterson, FoodWIse Coordinator/Educator, Grant, Green, Iowa and Lafayette Counties at 608-328-9440 or donna.peterson@wisc.edu.
Courtesy of
