Kitchen Surfaces in your Home come in contact with a variety of different germs. Germs from your hands, germs from meal prep and raw food, airborne germs, microorganism germs, and more. Did you know that cross-contamination from any of these germs can be hazardous to your health? This can be a very concerning health risk if not treated properly. Your Kitchen Countertops could make you ill if not maintained correctly over their life span.
Common Kitchen Countertops options used within the last 30 years include Granite Countertops, Laminate Countertops, Corian Countertops, Butcher Block Countertops, and Concrete Countertops. Which Countertop Material is the safest? Which Kitchen Countertop material is most resistant against bacteria growth? All of these Countertops materials are porous in nature.
What Are Porous Countertops? Why Should I Avoid Them?
Porous Countertops are a material that is “full of pores, permeable by water, air, and other substances and germs”. The porosity of your Kitchen Countertops can lead to degradation of your Countertops over their life span, and can even lead to bacteria overgrowths, fungus, water absorption, and more. This article looks to analyze different types of porous Countertops Materials and the downfalls of each, and how to avoid this when possible.
Granite Countertops, Laminate Countertops, Corian Countertops, and Concrete Countertops are ALL very porous Countertop Materials. For example, Concrete and Granite both also have outdoor uses as well, due to their imperviousness against the elements. However, that also means that Concrete and Granite both absorb water. Laminate Countertops and Butcher Block Countertops are also victims of this water absorption issue, due to the natural porosity of wood.
As mentioned in a previous article, your Porous Kitchen Countertops could be “contributing to the growth and spread of pathogens like E.coli, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, and coronavirus.”
Click here to learn more about how Gross Granite Kitchen Countertops really can be.
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Are You Cross Contaminating Your Countertops by The Way You Clean Them?
Do you use your Dish Sponge to wipe down your dirty countertops?
Do you clean your Kitchen Towels after each and every use?
That’s the big problem with cross-contamination, although a rag or sponge may not appear to be visibly soiled, they hold germs after each use, that you could be inadvertently spreading all over your Kitchen Countertops, Dishes, that could be cross-contaminating those surfaces and items. Kitchen Rags and Sponges are commonly used to wipe up spills, dry your hands, clean and dry dishes, and more.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, Cross Contamination is defined as “a condition where unwanted microbes or chemicals contaminate our food products. This contamination occurs when the food we are making comes in contact with unclean equipment, surfaces, employees, or raw products.”
If this is a habit you are used to in your own Kitchen, would you feel comfortable if someone in your favorite Restaurant handled your food and plate in this manner as well? Especially in this day and age of the Coronavirus, ensuring that your food is prepared properly without the risk of foodborne illness or contacting COVID-19 is a big deal. Restaurants follow health codes and undergo rigorous inspections to ensure proper hygiene practices to prevent foodborne illness and contamination throughout the Kitchen are followed and in place.
By incorrectly using sponges and rags on your Kitchen Countertops, you could be spreading all those germs and bacteria, which are then absorbed by your porous Kitchen Countertops. Those germs are then left to linger under the surface in those pores, like dirt and oils that cause pimples, left to fester under your skin.
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How Can I Avoid Germy Kitchen Countertops?
Cleaning your Kitchen Countertops properly can vastly decrease the presence and spread of germs, and other pathogens that can make you sick on your Countertops. However, this still doesn’t solve the problem of years of bacteria growth from improper cleaning being stored in the pores of your Countertops. The best thing you can do when looking to build a new home or replace our existing Countertops is to Replace your Kitchen surfaces with Quartz Countertops.
Fun Fact: Our Specialists always check your Countertops with a Microscope when assessing your current Countertops. On multiple occasions they’ve found, mold, signs of mildew, water damage and swelling and even bugs within Granite Countertops cracks and seams, broken areas of Concrete Countertops, and underneath Laminate Countertops. GROSS!
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Quartz Countertops Are the Cleanest Kitchen Countertop Option for Your Home
Did you know that Quartz Countertops are non-porous? This means that none of the germs, bacteria growth, fungus, bugs, microorganisms, or other icky things that can make you sick CANNOT be absorbed into your Kitchen Countertops. One of the newer surfaces on the market, Quartz Countertops are being used widely as both Kitchen Countertops and Bathroom Countertops. Quartz Countertops are made up of 93% pure quartz and 7% binders and pigment, ensuring tons of color options and patterns for any Kitchen or Bathroom surface. Choose a stylish Marble design, or get the look of Granite, with more durability! The possibilities are endless with Quartz Countertops. In fact, an American-Made brand of Quartz called Cambria Quartz, is an NSF 51 certified Food Safe Preparation Material, meaning they are approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
SHOP NOWBuying Quartz Countertops for Your Kitchen
As always, International Granite and Stone is here to help! Let one of our highly trained Countertops Specialists come out and take a look at your Countertops so we can best assess your needs. Schedule a Complimentary In-Home Consultation and Design Services today, at no cost to you! Browse our Quartz Countertops Brands such as Cambria Quartz, Silestone Quartz, Pompeii Quartz and more on our website, or stop by one of our Showrooms. With almost 20 years of excellence in the Countertop Industry, International Granite and Stone will get your job done right, guaranteed.
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Sources
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/porous
https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/would-your-kitchen-pass-a-restaurant-health-inspection-50626
https://www.igscountertops.com/granite-countertops-germs-gunk-galore-gross-dont-buy-granite/
