Most people associate hospitals with cleanliness. After all, we expect all hospitals to maintain a high standard when it comes to hygiene since keeping clean helps prevent diseases from spreading.
But are all hospitals really as clean as they should be?
Rats and Cockroaches
According to British news reports, more than 400 hospitals, care homes, schools, and hospices in the UK were rated two out of five; which means that they failed to meet the basic standards of hygiene.
Inspectors also said that some of the kitchens were full of rats and cockroaches. There were also flies in the sinks and mold on the walls. Some inspectors added that they even saw a rat's nest inside a nursing home, and found rat droppings scattered on the floor.
They also found that in a few hospitals, the staff had thrown away the food packaging and made their own labels, which means that they are unsure of the expiration date of the food that they're serving. There were also dirty work surfaces and rusted microwaves that are still being used.
Low Standards
All in all, six care homes and three nurseries were given a score of zero. This means that they have to improve their standards or they will be forcibly closed down. In addition, 187 organizations were given a score of one out of five, and 205 were given a score of two.
Comparatively speaking, the percentage of organizations that failed are small, however the ones that failed to meet the hygiene standards were very surprising to say the least.
Chief executive Katherine Murphy, from the Patients Association, said that "This says to me that big institutions, places that people trust and rely on, are at best apathetic and at worst careless towards public and patient safety and well-being."
"These institutions are treating and caring for some of the most vulnerable people in society."
Keeping Your Kitchen Clean
It's very important to make sure that your kitchen is always clean, since that's where you prepare the food that your family eats. Here are some useful tips that you should always keep in mind when it comes to kitchen hygiene:
Always wash your hands before handling food
Wash your hands as much as possible whenever you're handling food. Scrub them for at least 30 seconds with soap and water. Afterwards, make sure to dry them with a clean cloth.
Wash the rind of any fruit that you will be slicing
Make sure to wash the rind of any fruit that you'll be slicing. It's possible that the bacteria on the rind will get inside the fruit once you slice it.
Use a separate chopping board for vegetables, meats, and fruits
The bacteria from raw meat can get into vegetables if you don't use a separate chopping board, and this can contaminate your food.
Using a cooking thermometer is the best way to tell if your food is cooked
A cooking thermometer is a worthwhile addition to your kitchen. It helps ensure that your food is cooked perfectly and that bacteria is dead. Pork needs to be cooked until 145 degrees. Ground beef should be cooked until 160 degrees. And chicken requires 165 degrees.
Microwave your sponges!
Yup, you heard it. Sponges are actually one of the dirtiest things in your kitchen. And you don't want to use a dirty sponge to wash your dishes right? Microwave your wet sponges (never dry) for two minutes on high and all germs inside should be killed.
Clean your refrigerator
Wash down both the inside and outside of your refrigerator with warm soapy water every couple of weeks to make sure that there's no bacteria.
Sources: mirror.co.uk, dailymail.co.uk, health.com
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