Cleanliness is Next to Godliness: How to Have a Healthy Kitchen

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Get rid of the wood and plastic chopping boards. Both of these materials are porous. This allows bacteria from raw foods to seep into the material and/or mildew to form. Knives also cut slats into the material, which allows bacteria to grow. Marble, glass, steel, or corian materials are best. Just avoid chopping acidy foods on marble, as it will damage it. Have two chopping boards. Use one board for vegetables, chesses, and fruits only. Use another board for raw meat only. Regardless of material, cutting boards should be cleaned with hot soapy water after each use. A tsp of household bleach or vinegar in one cup of water can also be used to disinfect the board.

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Kitchen sponges harbor mold, Ecoli, yeast, and food born pathogens. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists tested several methods of killing the above dangers. They found the most effective method was to either microwave the sponge for 60 seconds or run the sponge through a dishwasher drying cycle. This killed 99.9 % of microbes and 99% of yeast and mold. Just make sure your dishwasher is reaching a temperature of 155 degrees, the temp at which germs are killed. This process should be done after each time you use the sponge. Replace sponges every week or two, depending on how often you use it. Note: Only microwave damp sponges. A dry sponge in the microwave can produce a fire.

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Food particles get trapped in the drain and disposal. Drains are dark and moist….the ideal place for bacteria to grow and multiply. The kitchen sink drain and disposal should be sanitized once a week by mixing a cap full of household bleach in 1 quart of water and pouring down the drain. An eco friendly alternative is pouring 1 or 2 cups of straight vinegar down the drain.

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Get the dented cans out of your pantry and never buy them again. Canned foods have been heated and then air tight sealed by the manufacturer. This process kills any bacteria in the can. When a can is dented it can get tiny holes in the aluminum that are invisible to the naked eye. These tiny holes allow air into the can and thus can allow bacteria the oxygen it needs to grow.

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Kitchen countertops can have over 488 bacteria per square inch. Depending on what type of counter top you have, use bleach or vinegar to kill bacteria. Clean countertops before and after cooking. Use a spray bottle of water and 1 tsp of bleach or straight household vinegar to clean. Allow the bleach or vinegar to sit for 2 minutes and wipe with a paper towel. Never mix bleach and vinegar. Keep pets off the counter. If you are planning to replace your countertops, look into pure copper countertops or stainless steel countertops. They are made from non porous materials, are easy to clean, and pure copper has shown evidence to actually kill some bacteria.

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Keep your refrigerator thermostat cooler than 41 degrees F. Bacteria thrives at temperatures of 41- 140 degrees F. However, some bacteria like, Clostridium perfringens, can still grow in the refrigerator. Freezing does not kill bacteria. Avoid overcrowding the fridge. Overcrowding impedes air circulation and can result in some items not maintaining the set temp. Clean the inside and door handles of your fridge once a week with soapy hot water or vinegar and water. Discard foods before they mold. Keep meats on the lowest shelf or bin to avoid fluids dripping down on other foods. Keep raw meats separate from all other foods.

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Kitchen faucet handles have more than 13,227 bacteria per square inch. Faucets should be cleaned after every time you cook. If you touch the handle after handling raw meats, they should immediately be cleaned. Clean with the same solution that you use to clean countertops.

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Potholders and oven mitts are often made of fabric. It is easy to contaminate pot holders with raw foods. Anything from a simple splatter out of the sink to turning foods that have not fully been cooked, but are too hot to handle with hands, can contaminate fabric potholders. You should wash pot holders weekly in hot water, soap, and a tsp of bleach. Replace them every three months.

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Kitchen cabinets take a lot of abuse. Investing in throw away shelf liners make for an easy clean up. The outer cabinet and hardware should be wiped down with a solution of ½ vinegar & ½ water once a week. Inner cabinets should be wiped down once every few months with the same solution. You can add a drop of any scented essential oil into the solution to counteract the vinegar smell. Be sure to completely dry the cabinets before replacing contents. Never put dishes up while they are still wet. This can lead to mold and wood rot. Pools of stagnant water inside of dishes can grow bacteria.

Continue reading my clean series by finding out how to have a healthy bathroom here.