Do You Really Need to Disinfect Your Groceries Now?
The new coronavirus or known as COVID-19 has a great impact on our lives. We have to take extra precautions like wearing mask when going outside, stay distant at least 6 feet from people in line, washing your hands more often, boost your immune system and now disinfecting your groceries.
As this pandemic situation progresses, we are all mandated to stay inside and many people are cooking from home now more than ever before. You’re probably practicing in social distancing but, you may also be wondering if the food, packaging and grocery bags you bring into your home need to be disinfected.
Well, it’s a valid concern considering many of the products you’re buying have probably been handled by others — and possibly sneezed or coughed on.
According to the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, it is not proven yet if food packaging plays in transmitting the virus that causes COVID-19. Still, the World Health Organization says that in addition to close person-to-person contact, people can pick up the virus by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth.
They also stated that some surfaces can have a bigger risk of getting the virus. Remember that the virus can stay for 3 days or 72 hours on a plastic bags and stainless steel and on cardboard for up to 24 hours.
How can you sanitize or disinfect your groceries?
Use a disinfectant wipes on glass, cans or containers and clean all the surfaces or wash them in a cold running water.
Unpack and throw out disposable packaging and transfer the food to a clean bag or container.
For fruits and vegetables, scrub them with your hands or rinse them for at least 20 seconds with a cold running water and drying with a clean towel or paper towel to remove dirt and to reduce any bacteria that may be present. (It is not recommended to use soap when cleaning them because of the risk of ingestion.)
Is it necessary to wash your grocery bags?
Of course, if you are using a reusable or cloth bag then you have to wash them separately and properly before reusing them. It can pick up germs and viruses that you can bring at home. Some study also states that you can leave grocery/cloth bags outside under the sun, in a garage for a period of time and the virus will no longer be detectable.
Cleaning tables, countertops, or other surfaces are also important.
Aside from washing your hands with soap and water, cleaning your sinks and counters are really necessary (with or without a pandemic situation).
There is no harm on being a bit more cautions. It is important to disinfect the surfaces that were touched by your groceries or grocery bags. Practicing basic food safety rules is not that hard, though.
See our All Purpose Cleaner and Cream Cleaner and Microfiber Cloth to clean and disinfect your sinks and countertops. They are just 3 of our many trusted products that we’re using when cleaning our clients’ home.
Practicing these precautions with your groceries can help you lower the chance of being exposed to the virus. Still, if someone in your household get sick or showing symptoms of the disease, you should take extra cleaning and disinfection steps around the home in order to protect your family and make sure to consult your doctor.
Learn more on how to properly wash your hands and other blogs to prevent you from getting the virus.