Kitchen Guides
10 Dirtiest Things in Your Kitchen and How to Clean Them
Do you know what they are? The things on this list will surprise you
It might be hard to believe but the kitchen is one of the dirtiest places in your home. Many of the things that are used in here are breeding grounds for germs and some items have a high potential for cross-contamination. You might think that the daily wiping and washing is enough to keep appliances and the area clean, but the truth is you need to take extra care to keep the germs at bay.
Here is a list of 10 things in your kitchen that can possibly be the dirtiest, and ways to keep them clean.
Here is a list of 10 things in your kitchen that can possibly be the dirtiest, and ways to keep them clean.
2. Kitchen sink
From washing meat and vegetables to dirty dishes and hands, the sink is a place where you clean everything used in your kitchen. And this makes it a prime place for germs. Often inadequate cleaning is the cause for it to become a breeding ground for microorganisms.
How to clean
Use a disinfectant to clean the sink every night. Blocked drains lead to unpleasant odours in the kitchen – for cleaning the drain, make a solution of water and baking soda and let it run down the outlet. Also, once a week, pour a cup of hot water in the drain and then follow it up with a cup of chlorine bleach. Leave it for the night, this will sanitise and clear the drain.
From washing meat and vegetables to dirty dishes and hands, the sink is a place where you clean everything used in your kitchen. And this makes it a prime place for germs. Often inadequate cleaning is the cause for it to become a breeding ground for microorganisms.
How to clean
Use a disinfectant to clean the sink every night. Blocked drains lead to unpleasant odours in the kitchen – for cleaning the drain, make a solution of water and baking soda and let it run down the outlet. Also, once a week, pour a cup of hot water in the drain and then follow it up with a cup of chlorine bleach. Leave it for the night, this will sanitise and clear the drain.
3. Chopping boards
The day-to-day use of cutting boards creates cuts and cracks in them and bacteria grow unchecked in such places. Cutting boards also cause cross-contamination as you cut various food items on it.
How to clean
Rinsing it daily is not enough to wash out bacteria. Thoroughly scrub and wash the board (wooden/plastic) under warm soapy water using a brush with tough bristles. Such bristles will get inside the cracks and will do the job of cleaning properly. Plastic boards can be cleaned in a dishwasher, while you can use the microwave trick you used for the sponge on wooden boards. After cleaning the board, air dry it well.
Keep at least two cutting boards in your kitchen; one for raw meat and one for fresh vegetables. This will lessen the risk of cross-contamination.
Tip: It is time to change your board if you see too many cracks and cuts.
The day-to-day use of cutting boards creates cuts and cracks in them and bacteria grow unchecked in such places. Cutting boards also cause cross-contamination as you cut various food items on it.
How to clean
Rinsing it daily is not enough to wash out bacteria. Thoroughly scrub and wash the board (wooden/plastic) under warm soapy water using a brush with tough bristles. Such bristles will get inside the cracks and will do the job of cleaning properly. Plastic boards can be cleaned in a dishwasher, while you can use the microwave trick you used for the sponge on wooden boards. After cleaning the board, air dry it well.
Keep at least two cutting boards in your kitchen; one for raw meat and one for fresh vegetables. This will lessen the risk of cross-contamination.
Tip: It is time to change your board if you see too many cracks and cuts.
4. Reusable grocery bags
Yes, these bags are helping you save the environment but they can be carriers of germs too. You use them to carry all kinds of produce like poultry, juice boxes, milk packets and often the bags get wet. You then also carry fresh vegetables in the same bag. Imagine the bacteria just lurking in there, waiting to cross-contaminate.
How to clean
Always use bags that are washable; wash them in hot water every week.
Yes, these bags are helping you save the environment but they can be carriers of germs too. You use them to carry all kinds of produce like poultry, juice boxes, milk packets and often the bags get wet. You then also carry fresh vegetables in the same bag. Imagine the bacteria just lurking in there, waiting to cross-contaminate.
How to clean
Always use bags that are washable; wash them in hot water every week.
5. Handles and knobs
Anything that is touched multiple times in a day by many people will always be high on the list of contaminated surfaces as germs get transferred from hands to surfaces and vice versa. Handles and knobs of kitchen appliances, drawers and cabinets accumulate a lot of germs. This happens especially while preparing meals, as we tend to touch these surfaces with hands that have handled unwashed produce and different containers. All these things lead to germ build up.
How to clean
Scrub and wipe these surfaces daily with a kitchen disinfectant.
Discover ways to make your kitchen feel bigger
Anything that is touched multiple times in a day by many people will always be high on the list of contaminated surfaces as germs get transferred from hands to surfaces and vice versa. Handles and knobs of kitchen appliances, drawers and cabinets accumulate a lot of germs. This happens especially while preparing meals, as we tend to touch these surfaces with hands that have handled unwashed produce and different containers. All these things lead to germ build up.
How to clean
Scrub and wipe these surfaces daily with a kitchen disinfectant.
Discover ways to make your kitchen feel bigger
6. The microwave oven
Food, moisture and warmth – these are three favourite things for microorganisms to multiply and microwaves serve these up on a platter. A dirty microwave oven with food splashed on its insides is a perfect place for germs to breed. The outside surfaces, including keypad and handle, collect germs as well.
How to clean
To clean up splattered food, place a cup of water in your microwave and turn it on till steam is formed. The steam will soften the food stuck to its surface and make it easy to wipe it off. Clean a greasy window with a mixture of half vinegar and half water and then let it dry. Also, routinely boil a bowl of water mixed with lemon juice in the oven once a week to keep odours at bay.
Tip: Always cover food inside a microwave to prevent splatters.
Food, moisture and warmth – these are three favourite things for microorganisms to multiply and microwaves serve these up on a platter. A dirty microwave oven with food splashed on its insides is a perfect place for germs to breed. The outside surfaces, including keypad and handle, collect germs as well.
How to clean
To clean up splattered food, place a cup of water in your microwave and turn it on till steam is formed. The steam will soften the food stuck to its surface and make it easy to wipe it off. Clean a greasy window with a mixture of half vinegar and half water and then let it dry. Also, routinely boil a bowl of water mixed with lemon juice in the oven once a week to keep odours at bay.
Tip: Always cover food inside a microwave to prevent splatters.
7. Dish rags/kitchen towels
Kitchen towels and dish rags are used to hold hot dishes, wipe surfaces and many other tasks. The dish-wiping cloth sometimes gets used for other tasks. When the same piece of cloth is used for many purposes and is exposed to various surfaces it spreads germs to all the areas it touches. If you wipe your hands with a towel that is also used for something else in the kitchen you are either contaminating your clean hands or dirtying a clean cloth – possibly meant for drying dishes you eat from.
How to clean
Use different towels/rags for different purposes; go for different colours or designs so that you can identify them easily. Change the cloths every day, and towels every couple of days. Wash them in very hot water or use bleach and dry them well to kill the germs.
Find out ways to be eco-friendly in the kitchen
Kitchen towels and dish rags are used to hold hot dishes, wipe surfaces and many other tasks. The dish-wiping cloth sometimes gets used for other tasks. When the same piece of cloth is used for many purposes and is exposed to various surfaces it spreads germs to all the areas it touches. If you wipe your hands with a towel that is also used for something else in the kitchen you are either contaminating your clean hands or dirtying a clean cloth – possibly meant for drying dishes you eat from.
How to clean
Use different towels/rags for different purposes; go for different colours or designs so that you can identify them easily. Change the cloths every day, and towels every couple of days. Wash them in very hot water or use bleach and dry them well to kill the germs.
Find out ways to be eco-friendly in the kitchen
8. The fridge
This does sound alarming – the appliance that you trust to keep your food fresh and safe is itself at risk for contamination. The reason is simple: a refrigerator houses all kinds of food (raw and cooked) and the chances of spills and leaks are higher, which aid bacteria growth. The crisper drawers for fruits and vegetables are especially vulnerable. If not stored in sealed packs or containers, juices from raw meat products can contaminate other food items
How to clean
A thorough cleaning every week is a must. Empty the fridge and wash each and every corner properly; use hot soapy water or a mix of water and vinegar. Do not overpack the shelves; the cool air needs to circulate to keep all foods fresh. Know which is the right space to store different food items such as raw meat, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables. The temperature in different parts of a refrigerator varies according to its distance from the cooling element. Keep all the food items properly packed and covered.
This does sound alarming – the appliance that you trust to keep your food fresh and safe is itself at risk for contamination. The reason is simple: a refrigerator houses all kinds of food (raw and cooked) and the chances of spills and leaks are higher, which aid bacteria growth. The crisper drawers for fruits and vegetables are especially vulnerable. If not stored in sealed packs or containers, juices from raw meat products can contaminate other food items
How to clean
A thorough cleaning every week is a must. Empty the fridge and wash each and every corner properly; use hot soapy water or a mix of water and vinegar. Do not overpack the shelves; the cool air needs to circulate to keep all foods fresh. Know which is the right space to store different food items such as raw meat, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables. The temperature in different parts of a refrigerator varies according to its distance from the cooling element. Keep all the food items properly packed and covered.
9. Blender gasket
At the base of the blender jar, there is a rubber seal installed to help prevent leaks. It is called the gasket. This bit of the blender is often populated with bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli plus yeast and mould. Repeated use and washing leaves moisture and particles of food trapped between the base and the gasket, making it a great place for germs to proliferate.
How to clean
Cleaning the blender without dismantling its parts will not be effective. So, separate the gasket, blade unit and lid and wash all the parts in hot soapy water or put them in the dishwasher (check the manual to see if your blender is dishwasher safe). Do not use water on the motorised base. Wipe all the parts with a clean dry cloth or sponge, especially the gasket.
Read more:
Kitchens: 5 Biggest Problems Solved
10 Things Every Cleanliness Freak Can Relate to
Tell us:
How do you keep your kitchen appliances clean? Share your special tips and tricks in the Comments section below
At the base of the blender jar, there is a rubber seal installed to help prevent leaks. It is called the gasket. This bit of the blender is often populated with bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli plus yeast and mould. Repeated use and washing leaves moisture and particles of food trapped between the base and the gasket, making it a great place for germs to proliferate.
How to clean
Cleaning the blender without dismantling its parts will not be effective. So, separate the gasket, blade unit and lid and wash all the parts in hot soapy water or put them in the dishwasher (check the manual to see if your blender is dishwasher safe). Do not use water on the motorised base. Wipe all the parts with a clean dry cloth or sponge, especially the gasket.
Read more:
Kitchens: 5 Biggest Problems Solved
10 Things Every Cleanliness Freak Can Relate to
Tell us:
How do you keep your kitchen appliances clean? Share your special tips and tricks in the Comments section below
The sponge or scrubber you use to clean the dishes stays wet most of the time and bacteria thrive in its moist environment. This and the presence of crevices on its surface make it a hotbed for bacteria such as E. coli and various strains of Campylobacter.
How to clean
Disinfect the sponge by soaking it every night in white distilled vinegar or lemon juice. Microwaving it for two minutes also disinfects it. Make sure the sponge is moist; if it is dry it will catch fire. Do not use this technique with scrubbers that contain metal. Remember to rinse the sponge/scrubber thoroughly after disinfecting it.
Tip: Change the dish-washing sponge every two weeks.