Every chef or cook understands the need for an apron when cooking; keep your clothes clean. What most people don’t realize is that an apron serves more than this one purpose.
An apron also keeps the food protected from dirt coming off your clothes. It would be best if you kept the apron clean to take care of your food and family. There are some simple hygienic moves you can take to keep everyone safe.
Do you have to take the apron off when going to the bathroom, and why? Let us jump right into it to understand this.
Why Should You Remove Your Apron When Going To The Bathroom?
Aprons should never go to the bathrooms or even leave the kitchen. The apron is meant to keep germs from your clothes out of your food.
If you go to the bathroom with an apron, you will carry the germs from the toilet back to the kitchen, which will defeat the point of wearing the apron in the first place.
How To Keep Your Apron Clean And Hygienic
An apron is like a glove; for it to protect you, it has to be clean before use. It might get dirty while in use due to food spillages, but that is okay since that is its work in the first place.
The important part is keeping all the germs off your aprons before you use them. When washing an apron, you need to get all the stains and germs out in preparation for the next meal. Here are some tips that will help you keep your apron clean;
- If an apron is washable, soak it in water with detergent for between 20 and 30 minutes. Soaking will make sure that the detergent eliminates all the germs and stains.
- If the apron has stains from grease, you can get them out using liquid dish wash. Apply some on the stain and rub it until the stain clears out.
- If the apron has the smell of wine, garlic, or onions, soak it in hydrogen peroxide for 10-15 minutes. Hydrogen peroxide will get rid of the scent to give a lovely smelling apron.
- If the smell of milk is stuck on your apron, you can get rid of it by washing the apron in water with white vinegar.
- Clean the apron regularly to ensure there is no microbes buildup on it.
- Hang the apron in a clean area of your kitchen after use or fold it and store it well. Leaving it carelessly may get dirt on it, and they will, later on, get transferred into your food.
Why Should I Wear An Apron In The Kitchen?
There are several reasons to wear an apron in the kitchen. Some reasons are hygienic, while others have nothing to do with hygiene. It is an essential part of your kitchen, and you need to know more reasons to use an apron.
They protect your clothing
Cooking can be potentially disastrous to your clothes. You could quickly get some stains on your clothes no matter how careful you are. You could be a parent making breakfast for your kids before you go to work.
With an apron, all the spill-off, stains, and food remains will be kept off you. The apron will get dirty, but your work clothes will stay clean, saving you a lot of time.
Protect the food from your germs
Suppose you want to cook in the evening, you would have spent the whole day in your clothes, and they would have accumulated a lot of dirt on the way.
An apron will help ensure that all these germs do not end up in your food. For this reason, an apron must always be kept clean and washed regularly.
To protect you from heat and knives
An apron could help you keep some of the heat off you when working in a busy kitchen. It will also prevent minor injuries like cuts which would otherwise damage your clothes or inconvenience you.
They have pockets
In a home kitchen or even a restaurant, you may need to carry a few things with you as you work.
Aprons have pockets in which you could keep an extra pair of gloves, towel, or anything else you need to carry. This will be so much better than walking back and forth to get the small tools you need.
It is something to dry your hands-on
You ought to have a towel in the kitchen to dry your hands with, but if one is not available at the moment, you could use an apron.
An apron should be kept clean at all times to ensure that you don’t contaminate the food when you dry your hands on them. Dry hands will help you work more efficiently and keep you safe when handling knives and electrical appliances.
Other Reasons To Get An Apron
Psychological and sentimental reasons
This would mostly be for those that cook at home. Wearing an apron might make you feel connected to a loved one who used aprons while cooking. It is not a big deal to most, but it is essential to look at.
They are an excellent idea for a gift
If a person in your life cooks or has passion in the field, an apron would be a good choice for a gift. It is both practical and sentimental, which makes it a perfect gift.
How To Select An Apron For Yourself
There are a lot of choices when it comes to the selection of an apron. It would help if you made your final choice after careful consideration of some critical factors. Some things you need to look into include;
Intended use
The first factor you should consider is what you plan to use the apron for. If it is to be used for a busy restaurant, you need a stronger apron that can withstand a lot of use every day.
If you want it for your house where there is less cooking, you can go for one that is not as tough but protect your clothes.
The tools you use
The tools will dictate the quality of the apron you should buy. It is a good idea to buy a durable apron, but sometimes you might need to economize.
You would not need a heavy-duty apron for a home kitchen since there are not many heavy-duty tools that could damage it here.
However, in big professional kitchens, a heavy-duty apron will help keep your clothes clean and protect you from minor cuts. The apron will also be able to last longer even when in use under demanding conditions.
The fabric used in the apron
The material will determine all the qualities of an apron. The most commonly used fabrics are cotton and muslin.
You need to get one that fits all your needs perfectly and it is durable. Cotton is a good choice since it is easy to clean. Leather and rubber are used for industrial aprons to protect the workers from chemicals.
The apron’s design
Aprons are made in different ways, and they offer an additional amount of protection. Some aprons cover the whole front side while others only cover the lower body from the waist.
This type leaves the upper part exposed. Depending on how you get stains on you, you could choose one of the designs. Other aprons have more pockets than others; select a design that works best for you.
Comfort, style, and mobility
Cooking is an activity that requires you to move a lot to reach for utensils, cutlery, and ingredients. You need to get an apron that allows you to move freely around the kitchen.
You could get one with pockets where you can store tools and small items, so you don’t have to walk back to counters or tables to get ingredients. For a home apron, style is a topic worth looking at.
You should get an apron that reflects your personality. Even restaurant owners could get their staff aprons that match the restaurant’s colors. The fabric will determine the apron’s qualities, so you have to be keen on it.
Conclusion
Aprons have been used for a long time in kitchens and industries to protect the users. Kitchen aprons need to be kept clean at all times to ensure that the food does not get contaminated. Going with an apron to the bathroom is a terrible idea since it will pick up microbes.
Ensure you clean your apron regularly to get rid of any stains or germs that could have settled on it. Get any smell or food residue out of your apron as soon as possible to maintain high levels of hygiene.
When purchasing an apron, consider your intentions and the environment in which you will use the apron. Make sure that the apron is durable and easily cleanable for your convenience.
