Hygiene and Nutrition

Cleaning Utensils at Home

Subtopic: Materials Used For Cleaning

Hello! These are simple, useful materials we use to clean plates, cups and cooking pots. They help keep our family healthy. (Good for children in Kenya.)

🧼
Soap or Dishwashing Liquid

Used with water to remove food and germs from plates and cups. Bar soap or liquid is both OK.

🧽
Sponge or Scrubber

Rub the dishes to remove dirty food. Soft sponge for plates; rough scrubber for pots.

🧤
Rubber Gloves

Protects hands from hot water and rough scrubbing. Adults or older children should wear them.

💧
Clean Water

Rinse dishes with clean water so no soap or germs remain.

🧺
Drying Rack or Clean Cloth

Let dishes dry on a rack or wipe with a clean dish cloth.

🧴
Bleach (Optional)

Used by adults to disinfect some utensils. Must be handled carefully and mixed correctly.


How to use these materials — easy steps

  1. Scrape off food into the dustbin. 🍽️
  2. Put a little soap on the sponge or in the water. 🧼
  3. Scrub the dishes well to remove food and grease. 🧽
  4. Rinse with clean water until no soap bubbles remain. 💧
  5. Place on a drying rack or wipe with a clean cloth. 🧺

Safety Rules (for children)

  • Always ask an adult to help with hot water. 🔥
  • Do not taste cleaning liquids or bleach. ❌
  • Wash your hands after cleaning. ✋
  • Keep cleaning materials in a safe place away from small children. 🔒

Where to find these in Kenya

You can buy soap, sponges and brushes at local markets, dukas (shops) or supermarkets in towns and villages. Ask a parent to help buy the right items.

Fun activity (matching game)

Match the picture to the word: 🧼 - Soap, 🧽 - Sponge, 🧤 - Gloves, 🧺 - Drying rack, 💧 - Water.

Keep utensils clean so the family does not get tummy bugs. Clean tools = healthy food! 😊

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