Just Jik It!

Everyone in Kenya uses a brand of bleach called Jik (pronounced jeek), and just like Americans they have turned this noun into a verb.  When you bleach something, you "jik" it.  (Just like in the US, if you want to search something online, you "google" it.)

Now, you have a number of different uses for bleach in Kenya.  Because the water isn't safe to drink, all fruits or vegetables must be washed in bleach water to kill any bacteria or other scary things living on the skin. (Bananas and oranges are okay, because you don't eat the peel.)  So, you'll commonly hear, "Have you jiked the lettuce?" or "I just jiked those potatoes and apples."  You might wonder if everything tastes and smells like bleach, but you only use a small amount of bleach in the water.

Another area where Jik is used is in washing dishes.  Because we don't use bottled water to wash dishes, you cannot simply rinse soapy dishes in tap water.  Instead, you have to "jik" your dishes after they are washed.  Please see below for a demonstration:

Initially, dishes are simply scrubbed in the same manner that you would scrub in the US (minus throwing them in the dishwasher).

The dishes are then placed and soaked in bleach water, effectively "jiking" the dishes.

The dishes are then dried and put away.

*Editor's Note:  The Jik model above was not pictured due to his capabilities as a dishwasher, but instead because of his striking good looks.