Kitchen Hygiene 101: Meat Prep, Chicken Rinsing, and Actually Keeping Your Kitchen Clean
Today's Holistic Spotlight is about an old kitchen habit that needs to be called out and put to pasture… Let's explore kitchen hygiene, proper meat prep and full sanitization. I am 1000% not someone that stresses about germs, nor do I sanitize constantly, BUT I do try and be careful with raw meats! This article is inspired by a friend of mine who wondered why she’d get extreme stomach upsets off and on…until she witnessed her roommate make chicken.
The offending roommate rinsed it, flinging the dripping water and juices everywhere. The sink. Tap. Counter. Didn’t wash her hands once, but did dry them on the communal dishtowel.
Then she cut the veggies on the same board she’d cut the chicken. “Washed” the board and knife by rinsing them with plain water. Touched every common surface with raw chicken hands. The fridge. Freezer. Stove. Utensils in the drawer. Didn’t clean a single thing!
And listen, I’m not sharing this to shame anyone. A lot of people learned kitchen habits from their mom, grandma or whoever taught them to cook. But some of those learned habits came from a very different time and they don’t always hold up now that we understand germs and cross-contamination better.
One of the biggest practices that’s changed and should never return?
Washing raw chicken.
Why Do People Rinse Chicken? Maybe you don’t do this but many do and they do it for a few reasons.
Some were taught it removes the “slime.” Some think it removes blood, bacteria, processing residue or that weird liquid in the package. Some grew up watching older generations do it and it just became part of the ritual: open the package, rinse the chicken, season it, cook it. Not even a thought. Historically, it makes sense why this habit existed because back when people were handling whole birds from a farm or market, there was likely feathers, dirt or other bits that needed to be cleaned off.
Equally, if refrigeration was poor or it had been left sitting a bit too long, they may have rinsed it to get off some actual slime (aka bacteria).
The chicken we buy at a modern grocery store has already been processed and inspected. It doesn't sit around unrefrigerated for long periods. It does not need a sink bath.
Raw chicken is ready to cook and should be handled carefully as it can really cause chaos.
If it’s got a slimy feeling, just pat it dry with a paper towel (this actually gives you better seasoning and browning) and then toss the paper towel and wash your hands.
But running raw chicken under the faucet? That’s where things get gross fast, and contamination can spread like wildfire!
Why Rinsing Chicken Is a Problem The issue with rinsing isn't so much the actual act of rinsing, but the splash zone it creates. It can spread the chicken juices up to 3 ft away.
The water hits the chicken, bounces off and carries microscopic raw chicken juices with it. Even if you can’t see the droplets, they can land on the sink, faucet, counter, dish rack, soap pump, nearby utensils, spice jars, produce, your clothes, the floor and anything else in range.
So you’ve now spread them around the kitchen instead of keeping the germs contained in one place.
Raw chicken can carry germs like Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Clostridium perfringens. These are not “oops, my stomach feels a little off” germs.. These can cause vomiting, diarrhea, fever, cramps, dehydration. For babies, elderly people, pregnant women or anyone immune-compromised, they can become much more serious.
It’s simple: The way you kill germs on chicken is not by washing it. It’s by cooking it to the proper internal temperature. For chicken, that means 165°F (definitely recommend a food thermometer for that).
The Big Issue: Cross-Contamination Most kitchen hygiene issues are not the result of doing something intentional. They happen because raw meat germs get spread. That’s cross-contamination.
It looks like:
🤔 Touching raw chicken, then grabbing the salt shaker. 🤔 Cutting raw chicken, then cutting cucumber on the same board. 🤔 Rinsing a knife instead of washing it with hot soapy water.
Putting cooked chicken back on the same plate that held the raw chicken. Wiping the counter with a damp cloth, then using that same cloth on the table.
Touching the fridge handle, faucet, cabinet pulls, phone, trash can, or drawer handles with raw meat hands.
Using the sink as if it magically cleans itself.
A quick rinse is not cleaning. Water alone does not remove everything, and it definitely does not sanitize.
Basic Meat Prep Rules
Best practices include:
1. Set up before you open the meat Before you touch raw meat, get everything ready.
Have your cutting board out. Have your knife ready. Have a plate or pan ready. Have paper towels nearby. Have the trash open if needed. Get your seasonings out before your hands are contaminated.
This one step prevents the “raw chicken hands touching everything” problem.
2. Keep raw meat contained Raw meat should have a small, clear work zone. Ideally, use one cutting board for raw meat and a separate board for produce.
I love the idea of keeping it very obvious: one board for meat, one for everything else.
If you only have one board, wash it thoroughly with hot soapy water after raw meat.
3. Do not wash raw chicken Pat it dry instead.
Open the package carefully, drain the liquid into the trash or sink without splashing, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, throw them away, and wash your hands. Disinfect the sink before putting anything else in there. That’s it. No chicken shower needed.
4. Wash hands like it matters After handling raw meat, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Soap, scrub, under nails, between fingers, rinse, dry with a clean towel or paper towel.
Handwashing is one of the biggest pieces people skip, and it’s also one of the easiest ways to keep germs from traveling all over the house.
5. Wash first, then sanitize Cleaning and sanitizing are not the same thing. Cleaning removes food, grease, crumbs, and visible mess. Sanitizing reduces germs.
If there is raw chicken juice on your counter, do not just spray something over it and call it good. Wipe up the mess first, then wash with hot soapy water. Then sanitize fully.
You see, sanitizers work best on clean surfaces. Grease, food bits, and organic matter can get in the way and lessen the germ-killing effects.
6. Don’t forget the “touch points” After raw meat prep, think beyond the cutting board. Clean and sanitize:
Those little touch points are where raw meat germs can hang out quietly and then get spread or ingested.
Where HOCl Comes In This is one of the reasons I love HOCl for the kitchen, especially. In case you missed my last article, HOCl stands for hypochlorous acid. It’s something your own immune system makes as part of its germ-fighting response. But, they can create it just by combining salt, water, and electricity.
I know the word “acid” sounds scary, but HOCl is very different from harsh acids or bleach fumes. Outside our body in the real world it becomes a powerful disinfectant, but… when made properly and used as directed it’s also gentle enough that it can be used in wound care and other sensitive settings. [Read my previous article on HOCl here]
For kitchens, it gives you confidence that something is fully sanitized without feeling like you just fumigated your house. Way less harsh than bleach and not full of nasty toxins like commercial disinfectants.
Depending on the product and concentration, HOCl has been shown to be effective against many bacteria and viruses, including things like E. coli, Salmonella, Staph, Candida, norovirus surrogates, and other common pathogens.
Some EPA-registered HOCl products are listed for use against tough viruses, like norovirus, with specific contact times.
That contact time is key.
You can’t spray and instantly wipe it off and expect full disinfecting power. Read the label. Some products need the surface to stay wet for 1 minute, some 5, some 10. The label wins, but after using HOCl you can be confident you’ve gotten rid of the kitchen nasties that can cause so many problems!
HOCl vs. Bleach Bleach works so I won’t pretend it doesn’t. Sodium hypochlorite is also strong disinfectant and has been used forever because it kills a wide range of germs.
But bleach has downsides.
It can irritate lungs, skin, and eyes. It can damage fabrics and some surfaces. It has a harsh smell. It should never be mixed with vinegar, ammonia, or other cleaners because toxic gases can form. [Not everyone learns that and it’s serious!]
And for people trying to lower the toxic load in their home, bleach is often one of the first things they want to swap out.
HOCl is still chlorine-based chemistry but it behaves differently than household bleach. It is typically formulated at a more skin-friendly pH so it’s less harsh and doesn’t come with that same “bleach bomb” feeling in the kitchen. BUT, it's still a powerful sanitizer.
So for everyday kitchen cleanup, especially after raw meat, I’d much rather reach for HOCl than bleach.
Using HOCl Properly
✅ Clean first. ✅ Spray the surface. ✅ Let it stay wet for the full contact time. ✅ Let it air dry. ✅ Follow any food-contact surface instructions on your product.
Raw meat needs to be handled with respect. Chicken juice is not a seasoning we want! Tap water is not a sanitizer. A quick rinse is not a cleaning protocol and ignoring basic food safety can lead to icky sickness.
Once you know better, this is such an easy area to clean up and HOCl is one of my favorite tools for making that feel doable, safe and not toxic-overload-y.
Curativa Bay I’ve been leveraging Curativa Bay’s product line lately and have honestly been using it for anything I want to disinfect. I love when something WORKS and is simple, effective and not full of fragrance, alcohol, or a long ingredient list I have to decode. That’s exactly the kind of swap I’m always looking for. Their HOCl products can be used for skin support like minor cuts, scrapes, irritated spots, acne-prone skin, diaper-area irritation, sweaty skin, and pet skin/fur care; for food and kitchen use like produce, meat, seafood, cutting boards, counters, and high chairs; and for home cleaning like high-touch surfaces, toys, bathrooms, travel surfaces, and mold-prone spots. I love that it’s gentle and is so close to nature -- salt water and electricity -- but is still powerful enough to earn a permanent spot in the house.
Check out my recent article here on all the ways you can use HOCl in daily life and… |
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