Using the brush and dustpan to clean the hob and worktop

[ProveMeRight]

So last night the elves made a big mess in the kitchen, including flour on the hob and worktop. My husband cleaned away the flour by using the brush and dustpan we use on the floor, to sweep away the flour. I was horrified - for me floor things always stay on the floor and never touch food surfaces but he reckoned a bit of antibac after made it all okay. For context I have caught him in the past using the dishcloth to clean something on the floor and putting it back on the sink. So am I being unreasonable - dustpan brush never ever touches the kitchen work surfaces, even if you planned to antibac it after? And that goes for everything, floor things don't come in contact with food prep things. Anti-bac doesn't get rid of the grimness.

I'm with you on that, though I understand the logic in using the dustpan and brush, it's for the floor.

This made me laugh. DP is exactly the same. He's got no sense of cross-contamination. He'll take a flannel out of the washing machine to wipe something down and huff about me disinfecting afterwards.
Yesterday he tried to clean sauce off his shirt with the washing up sponge as I was washing up after a fry-up ‐big greasy stain. This is an adult who is generally pretty sensible about most things.

I'm with you.

I have a dustpan and brush for floor, and another set for counter tops.

Would never use sink tag ok thr floor. Ew.

My husband is the same and it totally freaks me out too!!

it's not really on but then again assuming he cleaned it properly afterwards with surface cleaner and gave it a good wipe I don't see the real issue. I think you're being a bit OTT if it was a one off.

I use the dustpan and brush for the countertops, it makes it so much easier and they are always cleaned with cloth and cleaner afterward.

I agree with you about the dish cloth but I don't see a problem with using dustpan and brush if he followed up by wiping down the service with antibac

Bit gross for the worktops, yes. But actually I can't see the problem for the hob, really-unless you're in the habit of putting food directly on it, the only things that come into contact with the hob are the bottoms of pots and pans.

Re the worktops though- if they're scrubbed after, with disinfectant or whatever, it should be ok. Not if they're given a cursory swipe with a wet cloth.

Still easier to invest in a little dustpan and brush specifically for the worktops.

I'm in two minds here. My floors are probably about as clean as my worktop as we're strictly no shoes in the house. My initial reaction would be a bit squeamish about using it on a worktop surface, but thinking about it, it's practical and I probably would and then just give the worktop a quick clean after.

Cleaning with spray afterwards makes it fine. Also I would never use the counter or hob as “food preparation area” without a cutting board, which is always fresh from the dishwasher, so 🤷‍♀️

I have a little dustpan and brush for exactly this purpose. I wouldn't be without it.

I wouldn't use the floor one though. Separate utensils for separate uses.

Of course you are not unreasonable. He is grown up and should have thought.
Is he saying to you that it’s right decision?

I wouldn't use one regularly on counters because, eww.

In this specific scenario though of elves tipping flour on a dry work top, yes I'd have probably done the same. Dry brushed all the flour off with dustpan and brush then a thorough clean down with flash or whatnot. I don't see an issue personally.

I use a handheld hoover!!

We all have a different idea what’s acceptable from OTT to grim

I presume after brushing flour up he’d wipe the tops anyway so bit of a non issue

I do this to sweep any crumbs then wipe it after

I have a mini dustpan and brush (from a local cheap stuff shop) for worktops and hob. Like this, only pink to go with my pink and lime green theme kitchen. Hangs on a hook on the wall under the breakfast bar where the bin is hidden. www.dunelm.com/product/mini-dust-pan-and-brush-1000239326

My cleaner once used the hoover for crumbs on the dining table. She is no longer my cleaner.

I wouldn't use floor stuff on work surfaces. I would ask DH to clean it with some anti bac stuff and not give it another thought though.

I vacuum the worktops, oven, tables etc. - no issue as they are cleaned afterwards. Quick and efficient.

If my cleaner was faffing with a dustpan there I'd think they were a bit rubbish.

Thank you for all the thoughts, looks like I'm not as conclusively right as I thought 😂. To clarify - our hob is induction and is like an extension of our worktop as it's a small kitchen. I think a dedicated worktop brush and dustpan is a great idea so I might get one of those. I still think floor and worktop should always be separate and don't trust antibac as much as hot water and soap.

Are you all immunocompromised?? Or regularly smush your dustpans and brushes into huge piles of excrement!?

The microscopic quantities of 'germs' that stay alive on a clean(ish) dustpan won't make you ill.

Even if there was something despicable on your floor that you'd swept up, most of them die within 48 hrs as the brush / dustpan isn't a food or water source.

Then some of them would have to transfer onto the counter top in sufficient quantities as to cause you an issue.

Countertop is, again, a fomite so a lot of 'germs' won't last that long.

And then you're cleaning the top anyway?!!!!

Some people don't know how to use their critical thinking anymore.

I regularly do this, use a cloth for floor then wash dishes (in hot soapy water!) and DS12 has been sick precisely twice in his whole life and I can't remember the last time I had gastro symptoms.

I don't use the dustpan for that, but the idea doesn't remotely bother me. I think if bacteria were visible, everyone would stop worrying about them when they realised they are everywhere all the time. Also, why don't people realise that panicking about germs and anti-baccing the hell out of everything does not actually make you healthier or make sick less often? I think the last time any of us had d&v was when ny dc were toddlers. They are now 16 and 19.

Bit of an over reaction there!

Is it the same as using the nozzle of the vacuum to suck up crumbs from worktop after going around the edges of the carpets?
I do this and you've made me doubt myself 🤔
I then spray and wipe the worktops with kitchen spray and kitchen roll.
You've definitely got me thinking