When Must A Knife Be Cleaned And Sanitized?

Numerous diseases arise from our kitchen, but most don’t know. While working in your kitchen, the first thing you must care for is cleanliness; though it looks spotless with a naked eye, germs are still around you, on different gadgets, mainly on your knives.

Knives are multi-purpose gadgets used to cut different foods; you can say that a knife can transfer germs from one food to another, affecting your health. To avoid the contamination of different food items, you must clean and sanitize your knife.

Here in this article, we will discuss when a knife must be cleaned and sanitized. If you want to know about it in-depth, then read till the end to ensure the safety of your family and yourself.

When Do You Clean Your Knife?

Here are some of the situations after which you have to sanitize and clean your knife.

1. Buy A New Knife

Usually, new knives look clean and hygienic, but in reality, they contain hundreds of germs because, after the manufacturing process, employers handle them to put them in the packaging box. During this, germs from his hand transfer to the knife. At the same time, the packaging box itself is home to numerous bacteria.

Manufacturing companies of these types of gadgets do not care about cleanliness; that’s why you’ll have to think about its cleanliness before using it at your home. So after buying a new knife, clean it well and then sanitize it to kill all the harmful microorganisms on it.

2. Cutting Different Foods

People use a single knife to cut different food items like meat, vegetables, and fruits. In this process, cutting raw meat with a knife and then using the same knife for vegetables or fruits can cause cross-contamination. This is the biggest reason for food contamination; it’s necessary to use different knives for different food items or clean the knife before cutting any other food item.

Uncooked meat already has numerous harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning; that’s why it’s always recommended to clean your knife right after cutting raw meat. If you leave it in your kitchen, germs might spread over other gadgets, including food items.

3. When Numerous People Use The Same Knife

People share the same knife to cut different items in gatherings or kitchens at restaurants or homes. Though some clean the blade properly, they forget the handle on which most germs are found. Chefs touch different surfaces in the kitchen from where germs attach to their hands and are transferred to different places.

4. After Sharpening Your Knife

Before cutting meat, people used to sharpen the knife to make their work easier and faster because a sharp knife will cut it faster, and you’ll have to apply less force. Sharpening a knife could leave small particles of metals on the blade. So it’s essential to remove them by cleaning them thoroughly to avoid health risks.

5. Scaling A Fish

Like raw meat, fishes are also home to pathogens, so cleanliness must be kept in mind to avoid them. Fish scales have plenty of microorganisms, so you must cut them on the chopping board and wash the fish, knife, and chopping board. Ensure that you must not cut any other thing while doing this.

6. Having A Cut

A sharp knife requires a lot of care to avoid cutting your hand. If somehow you cut your hand, then apply the first aid immediately and clean the knife as consumption of blood cells through the meal might transfer blood-borne diseases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Should You Clean Your Knife?

As you know, germs proliferate on any surface, and if you leave it without cleaning, all the gadgets in your kitchen might get infected, which can cause numerous diseases in the family members. Using dirty tools like knives will spread the infection and other diseases.

How Often Should You Clean Your Knife?

It’s not necessary to clean the knife after every task, but it depends on the item for which the knife is used. If you use a knife to cut raw meat, then clean it right after completion because raw meat carries more germs than any other food item. Its recommended to clean knives regularly if you deal with meat.

It’s unnecessary to clean it after every task if you use a knife to cut vegetables or fruits. Usually, fruits or vegetables are pre-washed and are cut after washing them at your home. The chances of having harmful bacteria on them are significantly less, so you can clean the knife regularly but not after each task. However, it’s beneficial for your health to clean them after every task but not necessary.

Can You Just Clean It With Dishwasher Or Handwasher?

Yes, you can clean it with a dishwasher or a hand-washer; it will eliminate many germs from the knife. But sanitization ensures that your knife is entirely germ-free and safe. Soapy water can help remove all the dirt and debris but not all the microorganisms. To kill all the germs, it’s better to soak it in the bleach for a few minutes.

How To Clean And Sanitize A Knife?

Cleaning and sanitizing are two different processes; in cleaning, you’ll have to simply wash the knife with a dishwasher or any other soap. In sanitizing, you’ll have to sterilize it in a solution mainly in bleach to kill all the microorganisms. Let’s discuss how to clean and sanitize a knife at home.

Knife Cleaning & Sanitizing Procedure

Cleaning A Knife

Follow the following steps to clean a knife thoroughly.

First, remove food debris from the knife using a paper towel or a tissue.
After removing all the mess, boil some water. If your tap has both hot and cold water, then apply hot water; otherwise, boil a small amount of it to kill all the germs.
Rinse the knife under hot water or simply put it in the boiled water if you boiled it in a pot. Make sure not to leave the knife longer in it.
Now scrub the blade and handle carefully with a sponge. Make sure not to cut your fingers.
Now wash the soap from the knife and dry it with a towel or tissue paper.

Sanitizing A Knife

Follow the following steps to sanitize a knife.

The sanitizing process requires cleaning as you have to clean a dirty knife first and then sanitize it.
Then add one liter of water to a bowl and one teaspoon of bleach. Mix them thoroughly.
Now put the cleaned knife in the mixture for one minute.
Take it out and dry the knife with a paper towel. Now it’s ready to use again.

Knife Cleaning And Sanitizing Tips

Read these tips carefully to avoid damaging your knife and clean it properly for a clean kitchen.

Use a dishwasher or hand-washer during the cleaning process.
Try to boil the water at 190 degrees Fahrenheit or 80 degrees celsius for cleaning a knife.
Use a soft sponge to remove debris, as a hard sponge might leave its marks on the knife.
Point the sharp side of the knife on the other side to avoid any mishap.
Use a clean paper towel to dry the knife.
Try to clean the blade with a dishwasher and avoid it from handling as most handles are made of wood which might swell.
Clean the cutting board and other instruments used in the cutting process to avoid cross-contamination.
Clean the knife block the same way you clean your knife.
Insert the knife in bleach for almost one minute or according to the metal condition but not for a long time.

Importance Of Cleaning A Knife

Knife cleaning and sanitizing ensure the prevention of germs and enjoying a healthy meal. Cleaning a knife will help you to prevent the following things.

Allergies

Numerous people are allergic to different food items; if you use the same knife to cut different things, the person might get affected. So use a clean and sanitized knife to cut different food items to prevent the allergens from affecting others.

Food Poisoning

Many people have a delicate digestive system that could cause numerous problems, mainly food poisoning. Different types of meat contain various bacteria that replicate and cant die while the cooking process and affect your stomach when consumed. The same vegetables and fruits have chemicals on them. So, cleaning both knives and food items is essential.

Cross Contamination

Most people are unaware of cross-contamination, which is a specific way through which germs are transferred from one item to another. For example, if you cut meat in the evening with a knife and forget to clean it and then cut fruits or any other food item with the same knife, the germs from the meat will be transferred to fruits and other things. This will keep on spreading until you will clean it properly.

To Get Better Flavor

To enjoy a better taste and the best dining experience, you’ll have to clean the knife to avoid mixing of flavors of certain food items. It’s better to clean the knife after cutting vegetables because some vegetables have a strong taste.

Final Words

The knife is one of the essential gadgets in kitchens and is used frequently. That’s why it’s important to clean it after every usage to prevent bacteria and viruses. Follow the steps mentioned above in this article to clean and sanitize it properly.