I can’t believe people need to be told this, omg. Sunlight also kills bacteria, luckily for us in Australia we get plenty sunlight. I change my tea towel every two days, I also hang the one in use up where it can dry easily. Washing your hands with soap and water before handling any food is basic hygiene and common sense. Never do food prep without washing your hands thoroughly.
Do remember though there are good bacteria that we need to help with our immune system. When cleaning up surfaces you don’t need to use bleach or anything harsh that kills 99% of the bacteria. Unless you have a very busy household where everyone is in and out the kitchen constantly. Chopping boards though need to be disinfected after use. A wooden chopping board with cracks get rid of because harmful bacteria gets into the cracks.
One thing that people might forget is washing out a dish cloth that you wash dishes with. Especially if it’s left wet in a scrunched ball. These need to be soaked in a disinfectant like Vanish or a solution of bleach. Cotton dish cloths can be bleached back to being white like new. Then through the washing machine. Even towels are supposed to be washed every three days to prevent bacteria forming.
These are the basic things that we learned in high school when I was young. The home science or home economics classes taught this from the moment we started high school and we were constantly reminded of hygiene.
