When we go to a restaurant, kitchen hygiene is taken very seriously. In fact, it’s such an important topic that a few blunders can lead to hefty fines or even the restaurant shutting down in extreme cases! Naturally we can be a little more chill with our kitchens at home, but there’s a reason why hygiene is such a big deal in this particular area.
The goal for today is to focus on the places that are usually the most contaminated in the entire kitchen, and therefore the places you should always, always clean thoroughly whenever you can. Many germs, bacteria, and mold can grow and spread if you’re not careful, leading to allergies, infections, or even more serious problems.
Learning how to properly clean the kitchen will prevent most of these issues. After all, this is the place where you cook and get things to eat. A certain level of extra care is required!
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you." – Walt Whitman
Sink
The sink sees all kinds of action and it’s one of the most important places you should clean in the kitchen. When cleaning plates, cutting boards and pans, all sorts of organic matter passes by the sink, which can lead to germs and bacteria infecting the whole place.
There’s a reason why some people say that if you did the dishes but didn’t also clean the interior walls of your sink, you're not done. It’s absolutely true.
Luckily, cleaning the sink takes no extra effort on a daily basis. When all the dishes are done and you’ve cleared the counter, simply scrub the sink gently with dish soap and water for a good cleanse. That’s enough to keep most sinks clean.
If you’re struggling with bad odor, either coming from the drain or the sink itself, here’s how to clean the sink:
Boil water and pour it down the drain. Do this once a week and it should help in pushing any organics that get stuck down the drain to pass through. Unless your drain is clogged, there’s no need to add any extra chemicals, just boiled water should do.
As for the exterior surface, a simple mixture of baking soda and lemon juice works great. It’s super useful for getting rid of any grime or grease, as well as cleansing bad odor in the process. Let it sit on the surface of the sink for a few minutes and then rinse with warm water. You can also do this once a week to always keep it clean!
Cutting board
The cutting board can get seriously contaminated if not cleaned properly. Veggies and other ingredients will already leave juices that can stain and attach a near-permanent odor to it, but meat is where the real danger lies.
Salmonella is one of the most common bacterias commonly attached to raw or uncooked meat. Cooking the meat will naturally get rid of it whenever it’s present, but your cutting board isn’t safe since it gets in direct contact with the raw meat.
Here are a few tips on how to clean cutting boards:
- Try to clean your cutting board shortly after cooking to make it easier on yourself. If that’s not possible, you can always rinse it with hot water before proceeding.
- Scrub it thoroughly with dish soap and rinse with running water until clean.
- To remove stains and odor, sprinkle salt and then scrub with a slice of lemon.
- Don’t put a wooden cutting board into a dishwasher. If you prefer using the dishwasher, opt for a plastic one.
Knobs and handles
Simply due to being high-touch surfaces, knobs and handles should always be cleaned regularly anyway, but in the kitchen this is especially important because, well, you’re cooking!
The process is quite simple though: use any soft cloth to wipe them with cleaning alcohol. There are other more thorough solutions if you’re struggling with grime because of very old knobs and handles, but in most cases that won’t be necessary.
If it is though, perhaps a house cleaning pro can help you!
Refrigerator
The refrigerator should be sacred as far as cleaning goes. It’s a place for storing most of your food and condiments, including raw meat and veggies. Because of that, it’s not uncommon for ingredients and items to go bad in the fridge – we always forget that one bottle in the back, don’t we?
So let’s break down how to clean the fridge:
For cleaning the inside of the fridge, it’s very simple. First, remove everything and set aside – this is already a great step to look for expired products that may have gone bad without you realizing.
Then, create a mixture of one part baking soda and 7 parts water for a diluted mixture. Use a spray and clean with a soft cloth from top to bottom. You can also use a toothbrush for awkward corners if necessary.
Finally, for removing bad odor, fill an open container with dry baking soda powder and leave it at the bottom for at least a few hours. The baking soda will absorb any odor therein.
Once all of that is done, you can start putting the food back in!
Floor
This might seem strange when it comes to the kitchen. You know the floor is usually dirty and you’re not picking up food from the floor to cook, obviously, so why is this so important?
Well, even minor food bits, particles, and juices can fall on the floor, as well as grease and grime from cooking in general. This may not directly affect your cooking experience, but it is a pretty easy way to invite ants, cockroaches and other bugs that love free food into your kitchen, which is bad news.
Looking for a top to bottom kitchen cleanse? Get free quotes from house cleaners in your area today!
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