Do you "sanitize" your knives?

The Aflac Duck

The Aflac Duck

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Feb 27, 2014
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So I work in merchandising/retail and I often use my knife to cut straps, boxes, plastic, and many other warehouse related items. Many of these stock rooms I work in have roaches, mice, rats, and other dirty thing crawling around them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty, but when I'm cutting a box that clearly has rat s**t on it; that's straight up nasty. Usually when I get home, I pour some 91% rubbing alcohol on a cloth and "sanitize" my knife. I wipe down the blade, scales, liners, etc.. I usually use my knives at home as well, and I dont want to keep a filthy knife laying around.

Does anyone else do this or am I a germaphobe? :D
 
You are definitely a germaphobe, but so am I! :D I don't cut anything in my daily tasks that is all that "dirty" per se, but if I'm going to cut my lunch with my knife, I'm going to keep it as clean as one in the kitchen. I usually, too, use straight rubbing alcohol on a paper towel. A great way to clean the very edge is to soak the paper towel in it, fold it tight, and cut back and forth a couple of times. I love how the blade shines after a good wipe down.
 
I can gladly say I never stick my knife in crap:) I've never been in a situation where warm water doesn't do the trick for cleaning a blade up.
 
I carry multiple knives for EDC. My food knife is always sanitized. The others I'll wash with dish soap if I've used them that day.
 
If I was going to eat with it, maybe. But I dont eat with any of my pocket knives
 
I've used hand sanitizer & alcohol to wipe my blade off, heck I've even just used WD40 and if it looks clean then it works. Germs are everywhere but yeah any kind feces would call for at least some sort of sanitizer :)
 
I always have 2-3 pcs of alcohol swabs on my wallet. whenever I need to use my knife to cut food I always wipe it down first.
 
I do somewhat the same. I work in medicine, so I have lots of access to alcohol and other cleaning agents. I avoid the really corrosive stuff, but my knives get wiped down with alcohol fairly regularly. If it's something I'm really paranoid about (like someone cutting themselves with my knife) I'll do a wipe-down with iodine, alcohol and then wash with soapy water.
 
I try not to let the blade remain dirty partly because a blade caked in dirt will ultimately mean a blade with dirt caked in the washers that is not operating smooth and not really easy to clean out. As I use an EDC for food prep, I prefer to use an antimicrobial as well. I generally use 90% isopropyl alcohol because at that concentration it is a very effective disinfectant in killing a variety of pathogens that cause illness, plus a great cleaning agent for removing things like caked on adhesive or sap. I use the same alcohol when doing general cleaning as well. Unlike many other cleaners, it also doesn't have the toxicity concern of residue that wasn't completely removed, and it doesn't gum up in the washers like cleaners which do leave residue.
 
I usually don't sanitize my knives unless I am going to use it to prep food (in that case I'll sanitize right before)
 
Seems like you might try a folding utility knife for at work. I know it is gratifying to use your EDC during the day but cardboard alone beats up a knife but add what you describe as a dirty environment I would prefer a job specific tool with disposable blades. This keeps your EDC clean and sharp for other tasks.
 
I am certainly not manic about it but I always clean my knives. Generally with hot water but if I ave done something in an area I am unsure of I sanitize it with dish washing liquid or disinfectant.
 
My Resilience is currently doing service as a kitchen knife, cutting up meat and chicken. Everytime I'm done with that I spend some time sanitizing it. I'm thinking about throwing it in the dishwasher soon just to see how it holds up to that.
 
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