The Kitchen Sink Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi and Other Microbes That Could be Living on Your ‘Clean’ Sink.

Spring cleaning: The majority (some 68%!) of people dread it. Others put it off or ignore it completely. We’d argue that it’s worth every second: Cleaning can have some surprising psychological benefits; and, if you zoom in on a microscopic level to see what you’re accomplishing when you clean, it’s hard to imagine not cleaning.

Take your kitchen sink, a common touchpoint in your home. You wash dishes, grab drinks of water and rinse your hands in your sink. We’re willing to bet that you think your sink is one of the cleaner places in your home.

That doesn’t mean that your sink is as clean as you want it to be. Let’s explore some of the materials often found on sinks that appear clean to the naked eye. Then, we’ll talk about ways to make our sinks as spotless and safe as we want them to be.

The Viruses, Bacteria, Fungi and Microbes That Make Their Home in Your Kitchen Sink

The Cleveland Clinic tells us that “9% of foodborne illness outbreaks occur in the home”… and that it’s impossible to tell where bacteria may be present with our naked eyes. This makes (true) kitchen cleanliness a vitally important matter.

Even if you think your sink looks clean, the following list of unwanted guests could be present:

• Salmonella: This microbe typically lives in human and animal intestines and (like E. coli) contaminates through food. It can also cause gastrointestinal distress. Salmonella enterica, a subspecies of the Salmonella genus, is associated with many human foodborne illnesses.

• Pseudomonas Aeruginosa: This microbe spreads from person to person through their environment. It’s very common in healthcare settings, but it can exist anywhere. It’s also resistant to many drugs — and its fatality levels are unfortunately high: In 2017, almost 33,000 Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections occurred, and an estimated 2,700 of those patients died.

• Staphylococcus aureus: This microbe commonly exists in people’s noses. Sometimes it’s harmless, but it can also cause Staph infections that can be dangerous. These infections can be localized simply to your skin, but more serious variants can spread to your lungs, heart, bloodstream and bones.

Leery of trusting your apparently clean sink now that you know what could be lurking there? Never fear: With a trusted cleaning routine, you can trust your sink’s safety.

A Cleaning, Disinfecting and Ongoing Germ-Killing Routine is Vital

Unfortunately, just cleaning with soap and water won’t be enough. Starting with an all-purpose cleaner is good, but a follow-up will be necessary.

You need a disinfectant like MicroGold® Multi-Action Disinfectant Antimicrobial Spray to provide a chemical kill and an antimicrobial coating for a more long-term mechanical kill. A good disinfectant will kill germs and viruses within minutes of application (check the product instructions; dwell times vary). To reap the benefits after those minutes are done, you’re going to need an antimicrobial agent that works to keep killing germs and viruses for longer periods of time.

Finally, when you’re done, wash your hands. The active antibacterial ingredients in the industry’s best waterless hand soaps can last for four hours, keeping you safe from personal infection.

Enjoy Completely Clean, Fresh and Disinfected Sinks with the MicroGold® Suite of Products

When you’re cleaning your kitchen or considering surfaces that surround you as you prepare food and pour yourself water and even hand-wash your dishes, you want to be 100% certain that there aren’t any pathogens hiding in the corners of your sink (or sitting right out in the open).
By providing both mechanical and chemical kills, by cleaning now and coating your surfaces with an antimicrobial coating, and by gently lifting contaminants from your hands, the MicroGold suite of effective cleaners is ready to help you combat microbial growth. Before you know it, your sink will be spotless and safe for your daily use.
Check out MicroGold® Multi-Action Disinfectant Antimicrobial Spray, a hard-working solution that makes use of anti-viral coating treatments to render even the most suspicious of surfaces completely clean. Using MicroGold® All-Purpose Cleaner and MicroGold® Waterless Hand Soap, you’ll find you no longer need to fear suspicious contaminants lining your kitchen sinks.

Find MicroGold® at stores near you or shop online.