Cleaning the Crew Lunchroom
There’s a lot of cleaning going on at my Bedford, New York farm.
With recent news regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), everyone around the world is working hard to sanitize and disinfect as many areas as possible. Here at my farm, we’re also taking proper measures to ensure everything is clean and safe and that everyone stays healthy. Yesterday, we replenished hand soaps and cleansers in all the buildings, stocked-up on vitamin-C and zinc, and scrubbed the crew lunchroom from top to bottom.
If you’re planning to do some deep cleaning this weekend, here are some tips and photos, enjoy.
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- Through this glass-paneled door in my large Equipment Barn is the cozy lunchroom where the outdoor grounds crew takes their coffee break and eats their meals.
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- The room is kept tidy and clean, but on this day, we decided to give the room a deeper cleaning and disinfect all the shared surfaces to reduce any bacterial growth. Sanitizing is reducing microbial counts to safe levels, and disinfecting aims to destroy harmful microbes and viruses.
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- First, Carlos thoroughly sweeps the concrete floor of any dust and dirt. Because this area can get dusty, Carlos works from the bottom up, so all the eating surfaces are cleaned last.
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- Carlos then sweeps all the benches. The picnic-style tables are from the commissary kitchen of my original Connecticut TV studio – they are all still in great condition.
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- When disinfecting, always use EPA-registered household products and follow the instructions on the container.
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- Next, Carlos mops the entire room – twice. First with hot, soapy water, and then with clean water, until all signs of soap are gone.
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- He mops the baseboards and all the moldings.
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- And then wipes down the ledge where the crew keeps small items such as hats and gloves, etc. It’s always a good idea to wear disposable gloves whenever cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
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- Here, Carlos cleans the windows and trim work – making sure latches and other handles are given special attention.
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- It’s important to clean all the tight areas and to disinfect every nook and cranny to reduce the spread of harmful bacteria.
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- Next to every sink, Sanu makes sure there is ample hand soap for all to use. The most important tip is to wash your hands – a lot – with soap and water for at least 30 seconds.
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- The most frequently touched surfaces around any home are the most crucial to disinfect against any virus. Carlos scrubs the tables, rinses off any leftover cleansers, and then wipes them down again.
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- Here he is wiping down every inch of every bench.
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- All the tables are left shining and clean.
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- This rolling cart is often used to store containers of utensils, plates, etc. It, too, is also thoroughly cleaned.
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- Carlos cleaned the Berkey. I already have an excellent well water set-up, but I wanted to eliminate the use of large plastic water drums and dispensers, so last year I got several Berkey Water Purification Systems for the farm. Each Berkey tank holds up to six gallons of water and can filter more than three-gallons per-hour. There is one in every outbuilding.
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- And don’t forget the stovetop.
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- Or the microwave. The microwave is used by every member of the crew, so it is important it stays very clean.
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- Carlos not only cleans the unit but also wipes underneath it also. Always make sure to lift what is possible to make sure every surface is cleaned.
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- Stainless steel is a great material for kitchen areas. It is industrial strength, durable, shiny, nonporous and easy to clean and disinfect.
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- All the cups and plates are washed and placed back on the shelves.
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- Carlos wipes down every surface including this shelf, the phone, light switches, remote controls, and doorknobs.
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- After a couple of hours, everything is spotless – just in time for lunch. As a reminder, I placed a sign between the shelves to keep everything tidy.
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- The lunchroom looks great. What cleaning chores are you tackling this weekend? For more tips, go to my web site at marthastewart.com and to the “Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook.”
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