Published on December 7th, 2018 | by Guest

Health and Safety in the Kitchen: The Case for Antimicrobial Kitchen Countertops

Bacteria and viruses can reproduce quickly in the kitchen, especially around your kitchen countertop where you prepare your meals. They are dangerous to you and your family’s health since they can cause foodborne diseases and food poisoning.

The common bacteria and viruses that can lead to hospitalizations and fatalities in the U.S. are toxoplasma, Norovirus or Norwalk virus, Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens. The effect and symptoms of these disease-carriers to humans vary, depending on the type of bacteria or virus which contaminated the food.

That’s the reason why we have to put much importance of keeping our kitchen cleaned and sanitized. Nowadays, we have a lot of options of getting rid of disease-causing bacteria from creeping into our kitchen. And one excellent alternative today is using a kitchen countertop with antimicrobial properties.

Antimicrobial Countertop Keeps You Safe

If you want to control the development of bacteria and viruses in your kitchen, kitchen countertops with antimicrobial properties are of great help. It’s because antimicrobial countertops eliminate microorganisms like salmonella, norovirus, and E. coli, and Toxoplasma.

As mentioned earlier, these microorganisms can be detrimental to human health, especially to children, who have a relatively weak immune system than adults to combat these bacteria and viruses. Of course, you don’t want any of your family member to get sick. Aside from the fact that it’s painful to see your loved one suffering, it’s also costly to get ill nowadays.

As a move to keep our kitchen free from bacteria and virus, we often spray antibacterial and disinfectant chemicals to every nook and cranny of our kitchen. It takes a lot of effort to do this. Moreover, sprays that contain chemicals can also have an adverse effect on the health.

Doesn’t it sound great when you don’t have to worry about having to apply a toxic chemical on your countertops?

For homeowners out there, antimicrobial kitchen countertops are indeed your best friend. If you’re someone who wants to ensure that no one in your family gets sick, then it’s now time to try an antimicrobial countertop to make your family safe from diseases.

Kitchen Countertops That Have Antimicrobial Properties

You can find several materials for kitchen countertops. The common ones that you see in many kitchens are granite, quartz, laminate, wood, and tile. However, there are three kitchen worktop materials today that are not only aesthetically appealing but also antimicrobial.

Copper Countertops

Copper ceased being popular decades ago, but it’s popularity increased because it can kill bacteria at the time of contact on its surface. In fact, copper is widely used in hospitals, restaurants, and professional sports teams’ training rooms to eliminate the growth of disease-causing microbes.

The Defense Department funded clinical trials to attest the effectiveness of copper against Acinetobacter, a bacteria that can cause infection in the bloodstream among patients who are critically ill. Copper is also effective to kill norovirus, a contagious virus that affects children and causes symptoms like flu, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Specialized Laminate Countertops

Specialized laminate countertops provide prevention of the growth of mold and mildew. Since one of the favored habitats of microbes is mold, it means that this type of countertop materials inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses.

You won’t have a problem when it comes to its sanitation because specialized laminate countertops have a non-porous surface. Microbes love to conceal and grow in the pores of countertops, especially in porous natural stones like granite.

With a specialized laminate countertop, you can have a kitchen worktop that has the same aesthetic appeal as granite, but without the disadvantages of having to worry about microbes hiding inside those pores.

Silestone Quartz Countertops

This type of countertop material is impregnated with antimicrobial agents, making it one of the top countertops nowadays. Microbes are capable of double increase every 20 minutes if you don’t get rid of it quickly.

Applying the surface with bleach is not a guarantee that you’ll eliminate 100 percent of those microbes. The last E. coli bacterium left out can increase into millions in just 8 hours. However, if you have a Silestone quartz countertop, that last E. coli bacterium has no chance of reproducing. That’s why you should consider this countertop material for your kitchen.

Budget Tips for Your Shopping

If you have a plan for a kitchen remodel, buying a kitchen countertop that has antimicrobial properties can be expensive. The good thing is that there are ways on how you can minimize your cost when buying a new kitchen countertop.

Look around for the Best Prices

One of the excellent tips to cut down your cost when buying an antimicrobial countertop is to make a short list of the ones that fit your budget. You can also approach manufacturers and offer your honest review of their products in exchange for freebies.

Ask About Promotional Offers

There are times when suppliers and manufacturers have sales and promotional offers of their products, and it’s advisable that you’re always on the lookout for these offers. In this way, you can have considerable amount of discounts of the antimicrobial countertop that you want for your kitchen.

Look for Promo Bundles

Perhaps you’re not only looking for a kitchen countertop, but also kitchen cabinets or appliances. If you’re lucky to find a supplier that offer promo bundles, don’t hesitate to grab it! Getting this kind of offer is a cost-effective way to make the most out of your shopping.

Takeaway

It’s essential that we prioritize the health and safety of our family in the kitchen. This part of our home is susceptible to the growth of various bacteria and viruses, and it’s dangerous because it’s also in the kitchen where we prepare the food that we eat.

The good thing is that there’s a way to prevent and stop those microbes from creeping into our kitchen. Take, for instance, antimicrobial kitchen countertops. This type of countertop can kill disease-causing bacteria that are common in the kitchen. With it, we won’t have to worry anymore of those tiny monsters that can significantly have an adverse effect on our health.

Author Bio:

Sofia Larosa is a home improvement blogger. She writes tips about how to make your kitchen aesthetically appealing and provides guides for DIY home improvement practitioners. Sofia also loves to review kitchen products like Floform Countertops in her articles.

Tags: Antimicrobial Countertop, countertops, home improvement, kitchen