No matter how clean you might think you’ve made your kitchen to be, there will always be room for improvement.
There are just some spots in the kitchen that may need your extra attention. With that said, below, you’ll find the dirtiest parts of your kitchen that you need to pay more careful attention to and how you can clean them.
Kitchen sink
One of the dirtiest areas of your kitchen is the sink. This isn’t really surprising given the fact that it’s the place where you clean off dirty dishes and other kitchen utensils.
There are several areas of the sink that you should pay extra attention to. Make sure you also clean through the crevices like the drain and the handles and faucet too.
To clean your kitchen sink, all you need are disinfectants and a towel to wipe down the sides of the sink. Again, don’t forget to wipe down faucets as well and make sure that you scrub at areas that can have hard to remove stains.
The idea is that you should clean it once a day or after every time you wash dishes.
Dishwashing sponge
Another dirty item in your kitchen that people may not know how to clean is the dishwashing sponge.
Since it’s the item that you use to clean the dirty dishes, it’s understandable why it can be confusing to people how to clean a dishwashing sponge, but it’s a simple matter altogether.
In fact, all you have to do is throw it away! Yes, that’s right. Once you’re done with it, there’s no use trying to wring germs and dirt out of it. You have to purchase a new one. You should replace it either once a month or even twice a week if you use it often or if it won’t hold up any longer.
Cutting board
A lot of kitchen utensils may not be receiving the best care and attention that it deserves from you. One of these kitchen utensils is your cutting board.
Because this is where you chop up ingredients, and it absorbs all sorts of juices and other food material, it can get quite dirty. Wiping it down and washing it may not be the best way to sanitize it.
For wooden cutting boards, use hot water and soap to clean it and then maintain every once in a while with a slice of lemon and salt rubbed down its body. For plastic ones, you can simply use your dishwasher, and you should be fine.
Knife block
Another kitchen item that needs your special attention is your knife block.
Due to the tiny slits that a knife block has, it can be tough to sanitize and get it clean. Plus, wood isn’t that easy to clean and sanitize either.
To clean your knife block, shake it over a sink to get any food particles out. Once you’ve done that, soak the knife block in a bath of lukewarm water that has some drops of liquid dish detergent. After a few minutes, clean out the slots with thin brushes before rinsing and drying.
Kitchen towels
Another kitchen item that you should clean properly is your kitchen towels.
Although you may think that you aren’t using it as often as the other towels in your home, it should still get the cleaning that it deserves. So that when you wipe down a surface with it, you don’t end up spreading dirt and germs all over the place instead.
With that said, kitchen towels should be washed at a high temperature of water to kill bacteria and germs, and you should add a few drops of bleach as well. Ideally, you should have a different kitchen towel every day.
Salt and pepper shakers
If you’re thinking of other kitchen-related utensils that are complicated to clean, then you should include salt and pepper shakers to the list.
Salt and pepper shakers aren’t too complicated to clean, but it requires a bit of time to get the hang of it because you need to sanitize it as a habit.
All you have to do is wipe it down with a disinfectant after every time that you use it to prepare your meals. Every week, you should soak it in a mixture of hot water and a small amount of liquid dish soap. Let it soak for a while before you rinse it and let it dry.
Can opener
A complicated tool that you use in your kitchen and that you probably don’t clean as much as you should is your can opener.
Your can opener touches a lot of food that can end up creating mold and growing bacteria if left dirty. This is the reason you should clean it as thorough as you can after every use and don’t get into the habit of keeping it away cone you’re done with it.
You can clean it the same way you would any other kitchen tool, but you have to pay extra attention to the part that touches the food most often.
There are some can openers that you can wash in dishwasher. So if you’re looking for convenience, then you can try searching for those types of can openers.
Refrigerator
Cleaning refrigerators can be a tedious task, so a lot of both home and commercial cleaning services offer it as a separate cost.
With that said, you have nothing to be afraid of as long as you regularly clean it. First, make sure that you take out any expired food items as soon as possible.
With any spills in the refrigerator, make sure that you wipe it away as soon as it happens. Use mild detergent and hot to warm water to clean your fridge with once every month so that you don’t accumulate or grow any unwanted things inside.
Another great tip to keeping a clean refrigerator is to repackage items before storing them in the fridge. Not only does it make sure that you don’t have unwanted spills due to worn down packaging, but it also makes the refrigerator look organized.
Kitchen handles
Last but not least, one overlooked ? and probably the dirtiest ? part of the kitchen are the handles.
To clean kitchen handles, you need to use disinfectants every day to keep them clean and avoid the spread of germs.
Wrap up
Now that you know how to clean the dirtiest items and parts in your kitchen, you should be able to keep a genuinely clean and sanitized kitchen. That way, your kitchen can indeed be the safest place for you to prepare your food.
About the Author – Jacky Xu is the Chief Operating Officer for MaidSailors.com, the # 1 NY maids service provider. Maid Sailors provide a wide range of cost-effective, yet high-quality commercial cleaning services that are sure to delight their customers.