The Download on Dirty Dishes

NORTH OLMSTED, OH--(Marketwired - Nov 22, 2016) - From brownie batter disasters to marinara sauce mayhem, cooking can create a serious mess in the kitchen. But it's not just the clutter you can see that needs your attention. Handling raw food or unwashed hands can lead to an invisible mess of dirt and bacteria all over your kitchen surfaces. Moen, the number one faucet brand in North America, got down and dirty to uncover the most unsightly areas of your kitchen, plus offers some tips on how to make cleanup easier and more efficient.

Disgusting Dishes
That tasty turkey tetrazzini can quickly go from crave-able to cringe-worthy if left sitting in your sink. Bits of last night's leftovers on plates in your sink, or on the sink surface itself, can provide a spot for germs to grow.

The solution? Rinse dishes right away, and do so with the right kitchen tools. Almost 9 in 10 Americans (86 percent) believe having a faucet sprayer makes cleaning dishes easier, according to a recent Moen survey, conducted online by Harris Poll.* That may be because sprayers, like a side spray or pullout/pulldown hose, provide an easy way to rinse food and grime off dishes and the sink. Fixtures with Moen's Power Clean™ spray technology offer a powerful, concentrated spray that cleans 50 percent faster than most of Moen's other pulldown and pullout faucets,** while containing splashing and minimizing mess. After rinsing dishes, place them in the dishwasher and make sure no food particles are left in the bowl.

Scummy Sinks
The Moen survey also found that nearly 9 in 10 Americans (88 percent) agree that a kitchen sink should be cleaned on a daily basis, and this may be a reason why: with often more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in just the drain, your kitchen sink may have more bacteria in it than most bathrooms.

One way to improve the cleanliness of your kitchen sink is to disinfect it by washing it with a mixture of bleach and water every day, letting the solution go down the drain to disinfect there, too. Finish the job by buffing stainless steel sinks with plain club soda for a fresh appearance.

Dingy Dishcloths
Even though we use towels to dry supposedly clean hands, they're not as sanitary as we think. Wet dishcloths and sponges provide a perfect spot for bacteria to grow. One way to potentially reduce bacteria on dishtowels is by replacing and laundering them regularly. You can reduce bacteria on wet sponges by using your microwave. Zap them for at least 30 seconds to help get rid of germs and bacteria.

Unsanitary Utensils
Items like can openers, knife blocks, rubber spatulas and even the gasket on your blender provide spots for germs like E. coli, yeast and mold to hide. Put dishwasher safe items in the dishwasher after use to clean them, or wash by hand with hot soapy water. Make sure to pull two-piece spatulas apart when cleaning.

To clean the blender, rinse off any food particles, then fill the blender with dish soap and water. Turn it on to loosen the debris that typically sticks to the blades.

"Don't let the threat of germs and grime keep you from cooking the foods you love," says Andrea Maher, senior marketing communications specialist, Moen. "Just be sure to follow healthy habits, like washing hands carefully, and keep the right items within arm's reach to make both cooking and cleanup simpler. Install towel rings and bars to let dishtowels dry out, preventing the moisture that might breed bacteria. Choose fixtures with built-in features to promote a cleaner look, like Moen's Spot Resist™ finishes, which fight fingerprints and water spots. You'll find it's easy to cook, cleanup and chow down in no time at all."

For more information, visit moen.com or call 1-800-BUY-MOEN (1-800-289-6636).

*Methodology: This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Moen from September 19 - 21, 2016 among 2,035 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Courtney Yerega at cyerega@fallscommunications.com.

**Versus most Moen pulldown and pullout faucets without Power Clean technology

Tweetable Highlights:

• Did you know your kitchen sink could be dirtier than the bathroom? @moen shares insights and tips for keeping your kitchen clean
• Salmonella on your sponges? Gross! Conquer kitchen cleanup with tips and tricks from @moen
  

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About Moen
As the #1 faucet brand in North America, Moen offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed kitchen and bath faucets, showerheads, accessories, bath safety products, kitchen sinks and garbage disposals for residential applications - each delivering the best possible combination of meaningful innovation, useful features, on-trend styling and lasting value. In addition, Moen^® Commercial offers superior-performing products that can deliver lower lifetime costs for today's facilities.

Moen is part of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), which creates products and services that help fulfill the dreams of homeowners and help people feel more secure. The Company's trusted brands include Moen^® and Riobel^® under its Global Plumbing Group (GPG), Master Lock^® and Sentry^® Safe security products, MasterBrand Cabinets^® and Therma-Tru^® entry door systems. Fortune Brands holds market leadership positions in all of its segments. Fortune Brands is part of the S&P 500 Index. For more information, please visit www.FBHS.com.