People take safety precautions more seriously nowadays when they disinfect their groceries due to the coronavirus pandemic. On the other hand, too much sanitizing of goods can have an equally detrimental effect. People unintentionally disinfect their groceries in a wrong way. Here are some of the few mistakes we make when we sanitize our groceries, and some tips to keep in mind.

1. You don’t wash your hands
After doing the grocery, the first thing you should do is to get your hands washed. If you don’t, you are not sanitizing your groceries properly and you’re wasting your effort in having a clean kitchen environment. So always do this first.

2. You don’t disinfect surfaces
Having a clean kitchen and a pair of hands are not enough, as it’s also important to scrub or wipe all the areas of your kitchen. Doing this also prevents the spread of germs and avoids contamination of food that might happen if your kitchen is not cleaned properly. To sanitize your kitchen, wipe it off with a disinfectant wipe or spray before you empty your food on the counter.

3. You use soap to wash your crops
You may like to wash everything with soap, but it’s not a good idea since it will only make food taste bizarre. To properly wash your crops, whether it needs to be peeled or not, simply rinse them with cool water. You also need to wash your peeler to avoid getting any possible contamination on your peeler and to the crops you are peeling.

4. You don’t clean your fridge regularly
Due to lockdown, you might spend a lot of time cooking, so you probably know what’s in your fridge and how often you clean it. If not, then you have to check what you have inside your fridge every weekend and clean all the areas while tossing the food that’s been there for more than a week or food that has gone bad. If you don’t, your groceries will then blend in with any putrefying produce and might be contaminated.

5. You don’t store your goods properly in the fridge
According to food safety experts, to keep your groceries sanitized, you need to organize your fridge. Your leftovers and pre-cooked should be on the top shelf, daily products are on the middle shelves, while any raw meats are on the lower shelves. The bottom crisper should contain your fresh fruits and vegetables, while all of your condiments and beverages are on the door.

6. You don’t wash your reusable bag
If you are using a reusable bag, make sure to wash it before going to the store. This will help to prevent the spread of bacteria and the increase of foodborne illnesses.

7. You wipe everything you buy
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is no evidence of COVID-19 spreading through packaged pantry goods, which means you don’t need to wipe all your goods but you can still do it if it makes you feel better.