Despite being the center of the house, the kitchen can be the dirtiest area of the house. There’s an obvious mess, such as a crusty oven, a sticky floor, or dirty dishes. However, there are frequently neglected spots and items, so consider whether there are any other locations you’re failing to tidy.
Consider the spaces and items you would use daily when preparing meals. Kitchen counters, sinks, handles, sponges, reusable water bottles, and other items should come to mind. Because they are frequently touched regularly, it is essential to disinfect them daily or a few times a week to prevent bacteria build-up and cross-contamination.
Continue reading to learn which areas of your kitchen are the dirtiest and how to properly clean them.
Any handles, touchpads, and knobs
Every kitchen appliance has a handle or control panel that needs to be touched every time it is used. Washing all those knobs, buttons, and touchpads every week is crucial to remember because we tend to forget about them when we’re deep cleaning our kitchens. particularly if you handle raw food or cook with it in contact, Use a clean cloth or paper towel and a disinfectant wipe or spray-on solution to thoroughly clean kitchen cabinet pulls, appliance handles, and control panels.
Sink
Even though your kitchen sink has a lot of water flowing through it, there are probably bacteria on the surface somewhere, particularly in the cracks where the sink meets the counter, around the drain, and in the stoppers for the garbage disposal.
Every time a meal is prepared or at least once a day, the kitchen sink should be cleaned and disinfected. Don’t forget to clean the faucet, handles, and counter spaces around the sink. When you wash off infected foods, they catch every splash. Use a fresh towel or throwaway disinfection wipes together with a sink cleanser that has a disinfectant in it.
Dishcloths, brushes, and sponges
Many houses utilize fabric dishtowels, cellulose sponges and sink cleaning brushes to lessen their consumption of paper towels and their environmental impact. Regretfully, if not thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, kitchen sponges and cleaning brushes can harbor significant quantities of bacteria.
If you use these products, make sure to wash them in hot water after cleaning or preparing a meal. After every use, the dishwasher can be used to thoroughly clean the vegetables and sink scrubbing brushes.
Refrigerator
We’ve already talked about the potential dangers that can exist on touchpads and refrigerator handles but even in cold climates, your refrigerator can harbor some really dangerous bacteria. If at all possible, remove refrigerator drawers or shelves once a month and wash the surfaces with warm or hot water and a light detergent to get rid of any bacteria, yeast, or mold that may grow there. Use a fresh cloth or paper towel to dry.
Additionally, spend a few extra minutes vacuuming the area beneath and behind the item in addition to dusting its top. To vacuum the coils, remove the vent cover. Food particles concealed beneath the coils act as insect magnets, while dust on the coils requires more energy to keep cool.
Chopping boards
Cutting boards, particularly wooden ones, have microscopic crevices that emerge after just one use, which can host bacteria. Having a minimum of two distinct chopping boards is essential: one for fruits and vegetables and another for meats. Cross-contamination during food preparation will decrease as a result.
Small Appliances, Blender, and Coffee Maker
Even perfectly clean water can harbor germs, bacteria, and mold if it remains in a warm, humid space like a coffee maker. After each use, a few minor appliances need to be cleaned. Disassemble and thoroughly clean small appliances at least once a week. While some parts can safely be cleaned in a dishwasher, others need to be cleaned in hot, soapy water, rinsed in hot water, and dried thoroughly.
Reusable Water Bottles, Shopping Bags and Lunch Boxes
If a reusable lunch box, shopping bag, water bottle, or other sealable container hasn’t been properly cleaned, there’s a chance that bacteria will cross-contaminate it every time you use it.
Counters maintaining and cleaning
Don’t ignore your kitchen counters; in addition to being used for food preparation, they are frequently the locations where daily goods such as shopping bags and purses are placed.
Shakers with salt and pepper
The salt and pepper shakers in the kitchen are one last unclean area to think about. Shakers come into regular use and are handled a lot when preparing food. After preparing each meal, give them a thorough cleaning once a week and a gentle wipe down with a disinfecting wipe.
Image From Frepik