Sanitation in Housekeeping

GARBAGE AND REFUSE MANAGEMENT

WHAT IS SANITATION?

Sanitation refers to the maintenance of healthy and hygienic conditions that is free from disease-causing
organisms.

What appears to be clean may not always be sanitary. CLEAN means free from visible soil or dirt while
SANITARY means free from disease-causing organisms and other harmful contaminants which are not
visible to the eyes. One can find linen that is without a spot, a glass that sparkles and sink that is wiped-
clear of dirt. But these objects, although clean on the surface, can in fact harbor invisible disease-causing
agents or harmful chemicals. On the other hand, a machine-washed glass may have visible watermark It
may not sparkle on the surface, but it is free of invisible bacteria since it has been sanitized.

PREVENTION OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION AND DISEASE

A house or a building that is not properly maintained in terms

of proper housekeeping can create conditions for microorganisms, bacteria and also pests to multiply
rapidly. When this happens, occupants become susceptible to various forms of illness and diseases like
H-fever , typhoid fever , malaria and other fatal ailments.

Bacteria breeds in unsanitary, moist and slightly acidic environment like:

•Dirty surroundings

•Wet, un-disposed and uncovered garbage

•Stagnant and dirty water

•Crowded places like storerooms that are dirty

•Un-disposed, uncovered left-over foods

•Dirty and un-sanitized containers, pans & utensils

To prevent the entry and proliferation of bacteria in a house or a building, unsanitary conditions must be
eliminated.

Here are some measures:

1.Keep all parts of the house clean & free of dirt.

2.Stagnant water in cans, pails & drums should be covered so that it does not become a breeding place
for mosquitoes.

3.Moist foods & leftovers must be wrapped in plastic before they are thrown into garbage cans.

4.Since bacteria thrive in a moist media, wet garbage must be contained in garbage cans that are
underline w/ plastic, to be tied, and then disposed immediately.

5.Storerooms and closets must not be crowded and should be cleaned and fumigated from time to time.
6.All critical areas for public use like sinks and wash-rooms should always be sanitized w/ sanitizing
detergents to kill existing bacteria.

7.Items for public consumption like glasses, cutleries, eating utensils ,towels, bed sheets, etc. should not
just be washed with soap & water but must also be sanitized w/ sanitizing detergents.

8.Personal items used by sick people should be segregated and also sanitize.

9.Use protective devices as protection against contamination during cleaning.

10.All entrances and windows must be covered w/ protective screen to prevent entry of insect.

11.Automatic locks maybe resorted to so that windows and doors are always closed & pest and dirt can
not just get into the building.

12.Protect the food from insects by covering them or by placing them inside refrigerators when they are
not being consumed.

13.Perishable foods should be stored in appropriate temperature to prevent spoilage.

14.All utensils, containers and equipment used for cooking and serving must be washed and if possible
sanitized immediately after use.

15.Avoid serving with bare hands.

16.Patch up all holes in every part of the house especially in corners and ceiling since they become an
entry point and hiding place of insects.

GARBAGE CONTAINERS

1.Garbage and refuse must be kept in containers that are:

2.Plastic bags and wet-strength paper bags shall be used to line garbage containers so that moisture,
molds and fungi will not stick in the corners and surfaces

3.Cover all garbage containers used in food preparation & utensil washing.

4.Garbage containers, especially those by food establishment must be:

5.Keep drain plugs in place at all times, expect when doing a cleaning job.

6.Provide enough containers to hold all the garbage and refuse that have accumulated.

7.Clean containers frequently to prevent insect and rodent attraction.

8.Provide suitable facilities for washing of containers.

9.Liquid waste derived from cleaning activities should be disposed of as sewage.

GARBAGE STORAGE

1.Store garbage and refuse in a way that insects and rodents cannot get into them. Keep them covered.

2.Do not store unprotected plastic bags, wet-strength paper bags, or garbage outside the building.
3.Cardboard or other packaging materials that do not contain wet garbage need not be stored in
covered containers.

4.Garbage or refuse storage rooms must be made of easily cleanable, non- absorbent, washable
materials.

5.Store outside garbage/ refuse containers, dumpsters, and compactor systems on a smooth surface of
a non- absorbent material, such as concrete or machine-laid asphalt. This must be kept clean and in
good condition.

REFUSE DISPOSAL

1.Garbage and refuse must be disposed as often as possible and not allowed to overflow. Un-disposed
garbage cause foul odor and serve as attraction to insects and rodents.

2.Keep areas around incineration facilities clean and orderly. If garbage or refuse is eradicted by burning,
use legal, controlled incineration that prevents particles from entering the atmosphere.

3.Do not place food scraps in protected sanitary containers,

4.Do not stack refuse containers.

5.Report broken or refuse containers.

6.Keeps hands out of mechanized garbage disposal machines.

Recycling and Segregation of Waste

"Recycling" means separating, collecting, processing, marketing, and ultimately using a material that
would have been thrown away. For example, a glass is 100% recyclable and can be re-used without
causing any change in its quality or condition. The process of creating a new glass from an old one is also
extremely efficient, producing virtually no waste or unwanted by-products. Quality products and
packaging materials are usually produced out of recovered materials. Everyone can help in creating
markets from recyclable by buying and using these products.

Recyclable Materials

Advantages of Recycling

1.Recycling minimizes the use of landfills and incinerators in the task of reducing waste.

2.Recycling protects our health and environment when harmful substances are removed from the waste
stream.

3.Recycling conserves our natural resources because it reduces the need for raw materials

Think of ways to reduced the amount of material that gets added to the waste steam

1.Take the advantage of institutions that provide collection opportunities. For example, many grocery
stores collect bags for recycling, garages often accept used monitor oil auto supply stores typically buy
back used vehicle batteries and some groups collect newspaper as fund raising event
2.Do not throw away what can be re used again. Leave grass clipping on the lawn or compost them with
other yard and kitchen waste

3.Donate unwanted items that are in good, or at least in repairable condition

PEST CONTROL

Pest and insects and carry disease causing organisms. Rodents for instance usually carry bacteria that
can cause food spoilage ands food poisoning. It is therefore important to understand how pests breed
and multiply so hat appropriate preventive and control measures can be undertaken

Some measures that are being adopted to facilitate recycling waste:

1.Curbside collection. This program offers scheduled pickup of separated recyclable products from the
curb like trash collection. The company performing the pick up service will generally supply homes on
the pick up route with specially marked containers for holding the items to be collected.

2.Drop-off centers are sites set up for leaving materials for recycling. They serve as convenient central
pick up Location for processors or recyclers

3.Buy-back centers pay costumers for recyclable materials. Many people recycle aluminum cans and
glass pop bottles at buy-back centers

4.Waste companies buy recyclables from offices, business , institutions school and industries