Homemade solution is handy kitchen cleaner

    Clean kitchen surfaces are a key ingredient to a healthy household, but that doesn’t mean consumers need to spend a lot of money on cleaning solutions, states Ethel Schneweis, Ford County Extension Family and Consumer Science agent.
    An inexpensive, homemade cleaning solution –—1 teaspoon regular (unscented) laundry bleach, mixed with 1 quart water — is an often recommended approach to cleaning and sanitizing food preparation surfaces in the kitchen.
    While this solution is a standard with food safety pros, it is recommended that consumers reread their countertop care instructions before using any new cleaning product.
    Storage for the homemade cleaner can be a plastic or glass container with a re-sealable lid, kept out of reach of children and pets and labeled, Schneweis said.
    More information on food safety is available at the Ford County Extension Office, 100 Gunsmoke, Dodge City, or by going to the K-State Research and Extension Web site www.oznet.ksu.edu. Click on “Health and Nutrition” and then “Food Safety. “