How clean is your child's lunch box?
Next time you pack your child’s lunch box with delicious, nutritious goodies, spare a thought for the less-than-appetising nasties that could be lurking within it.
The results of a study by e-cloth have shown that almost three-quarters (73%) of fabric lunch boxes are likely to harbour high counts of harmful germs. It also found that if lunch boxes aren’t cleaned properly and regularly, they can become a breeding ground for mould. Mould spores can cause health problems such as itchy eyes, migraines, coughs, asthma and even aspergillosis – a serious health condition that weakens the immune system.
Just as concerning is the fact that the bacteria Staphylococci and Enterococci, which are usually found inside the human body, were present in some of the lunch boxes in the study. The NHS warns that eating food contaminated with these bacteria can lead to serious cases of food poisoning.
Why are these germs making their way into our lunch boxes?
The aforementioned bacteria are often found on surfaces such as door handles, toilet flushes, desks, and kitchen worktops and cupboards.
‘The high volumes of non-food-borne bacteria suggest that we aren’t washing our hands before we pack or eat from our lunchboxes,’ says e-cloth commercial director, Laurence Smith. ‘It also shows that we aren’t cleaning them properly, which is allowing mould to spore and bacteria to grow.’
‘They might look clean, with their shiny interior, so often all we’ll do is shake out the crumbs, but there’s an underworld of invisible germs growing that we all need to be aware of.’
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How to clean a fabric lunch box
DO:
Keep your hands clean: Before you clean it, wash your hands to prevent bacteria transferring from skin to food.
Clean your lunch box after every use: The best way to stop bacteria and mould from thriving is to give the lunch box a good wipe down.
Use vinegar: Distilled white vinegar is a fantastic cleaner that can take on a wide range of tasks. Fill an old trigger spray bottle with a solution of half distilled white vinegar, half water and use this, along with a clean cloth, to wipe the lunch box, inside and out.
Use a disinfectant: Once the lunch box is clean, spritz it with a disinfectant spray, such as Zoflora Rhubarb & Cassis Multipurpose Disinfectant Cleaner or Milton Antibacterial Surface Spray. Leave for a few minutes, then wipe down with a clean cloth, rinse and dry.
Use bicarbonate of soda to deodorise a smelly lunch box: Sprinkle it into the lunch box and leave it overnight to do its magic, then tip out.
DON’T:
Use baby wipes: they’re not designed for removing bacteria.
Use a tea towel or dish cloth: They might make the lunchbox look clean, but all they’ve done is move the bacteria around.
Put it in the washing machine: Check the care instructions first, but it's unlikely they’ll say the lunchbox is machine washable. However, any removable straps can be placed in a mesh laundry bag and washed on the gentle cycle in your washing machine.
How to clean a dirty lunch box
If something has leaked in your lunch box, or left a stubborn stain behind, we suggest creating a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water (roughly equal parts – aim for a thick, gloopy consistency) and applying it directly to the stain. Work it in with a microfibre cloth or soft-bristled brush and leave it for an hour if the stain doesn’t come away easily. Once the stain has been removed, rinse with a damp cloth.
To prevent stains in the future, make sure any plastic containers you put inside the lunch box are reliably and effectively sealed. It might sound obvious, but pack some paper towels with each lunch, too. That way, your child will have something to wipe their hands on after they’ve eaten.
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