How To Keep Your Kitchen Germ Free

A clean kitchen is a trick to a healthy family, and although sometimes we can become a little lazy with our cleaning practices, it’s vital that you change your habits now. A large number of illnesses caused by food can be avoided with some simple cleaning methods. A germ-free kitchen is hard to achieve on a daily basis, but its all about creating new cleaning habits. The results will mean a healthier family and a lot less stress.

There are many ways you can clean your kitchen; however, a lot of those methods often have a negative effect if not completed correctly.

Countertop

Countertops take a beating when it comes to foods. Everything from raw eggs and meat to germs from hands, pets, pests and any number of other things can be left on your bench tops, so ensuring it is disinfected regularly will ensure these germs are not spread into your next meal.

Use disinfecting spray before and after any food prep to kill bacteria. At the end of each day do a more thorough disinfecting with a bleach spray.

Cutting Board Bacteria

Your chopping boards are used for everything from meats to herbs, and often there can be contaminant spills that you might not notice. From raw chicken to seafood, there are different types of food that love top breed salmonella and can cause very severe illnesses within your family.

Ensure your cutting boards are cleaned after each type of food is cut on it, so bacteria won’t spread from food to food. Also, make sure your chopping boards are cleaned properly before they are placed in the dishwasher. Often if there are cut marks on your chopping board, it can trap bacteria, and should be treated before it gets washed. Mixing a teaspoon of bleach with around 16 ounces of water will create a safe spraying solution that will kill bacteria before you place it in the dishwasher.

The cleanest boards to use are glass and plastic, or wood ones that are coated in the Microban compound.

Dish Towels

Imagine you have just finished cutting raw chicken or seafood, and you wipe your hands on the dish towel before continuing on with your cooking. This is one of the easiest ways to transfer salmonella onto something that will be used regularly to wipe over plates, glasses, and cutlery, delivering a healthy source of bacteria right into your family’s mouths.

During food prep, keep a paper towel handy so you can wipe your hands with them instead of the dish towels. Once you have finished preparing food, wash your hands with soap and water and use more paper towel to dry them, NOT the dishcloth.

Knife Block

Using knives is a big part of food prep, and unfortunately, if you don’t clean them thoroughly after each use, they are a great way to spread bacteria. Clean your knives properly with hot water and soap, as well as running them through the dishwasher.

If you use a knife to cut something, don’t rinse it and place it in your knife block straight away, make sure it is 100% clean and dry. If you put wet knives into a knife block, you could have mold growing in there within a day or two. Magnet strips are a better way to store knives as they allow air to constantly reach the knives.