For most people, the first course in the morning in the office leads straight to the kitchen: there is hot coffee or tea to start the day awake. But there are also unwelcome guests waiting in the coffee cup from the communal kitchen because almost every fifth person is infected with intestinal bacteria!
Intestinal bacteria in every 5th cup!
Bacteria from the toilet actually have no place in the kitchen – but they can still be found, especially on coffee cups in the office. One in five cups is said to be contaminated with the intestinal bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli), as reported by SWR.
If you don’t wash your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet, the bacteria will of course also be transferred to cups, cutlery, etc. in the communal kitchen. Even the washing cycle in the dishwasher does not kill all germs, since often only the short rinse program is selected at a low temperature – a fact that is particularly disgusting.
Tips for more hygiene
If you want to turn off the disgust alarm in the kitchen, you should follow these important tips. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends hygiene when dishwashing:
- Putting dishes in a dishwasher is better than washing them by hand. A temperature of 60 to 65 degrees should be reached in the machine so that the dishes are hygienically clean again
- Use different towels to dry hands and dishes
- Conventional washing-up liquid is sufficient for use, antibacterial agents are not necessary
- Replace dishwashing brushes and clothes regularly. Clean dishwashing brushes in a dishwasher, wash dishcloths in the washing machine at 90 or 95 degrees
- Occasionally microwavable chopping boards or sponges to sanitize. To do this, place the items in the microwave for at least two, maximum of four minutes at the highest level
