Stephanie Cooper
You may think the bathroom is the biggest germ holder in your house, but you are wrong. According to professional domestic cleaners, most of the dirtiest places in your home are actually in the kitchen. Shocking, right? Who can imagine that the room where we prepare our food is infested with all sorts of fungi and bacteria? The following list contains the must-clean spaces and items and will help you significantly improve the home environment.
This is not a place you consider looking when you first hear the word "germs", but they are there. Think about how often you have touched them with greasy fingers or spilt something onto them. Get a soft sponge and clean them with soapy water. Do this every week to prevent the grime from accumulating.
How many times have you put your grocery bags on the kitchen worktop? What about your cats? Do they like casually strolling on them? Now, think about all the other things you place there and imagine how many germs live on your worktops. Professional home cleaners advise wiping these surfaces daily with hot water and soap.
Most people think they don't have to clean their kettle because it boils water, and that is enough to kill all bacteria. However, have you noticed sometimes strange particles are floating inside your kettle? That is the limescale, and you should really avoid ingesting it. Fill your kettle with about 1 cup of white vinegar and leave it for around an hour. Then rinse the inside only with water and be careful not to wet the electric components. Do that every month.
You know, the thing you use to cut your food on. We have bad news for you if you use the same cutting board for raw meat, fish and vegetables. You can get a nasty E. coli or Salmonella visit. Wash the cutting board after every use and purchase a separate one that you must use only for meat. Cross-contamination is no joke.
Your rug is put in a place where frequent spills occur, greasy drops can fly in all directions, and it is the most high-traffic area of your house. According to carpet cleaners, kitchen mats are dirtier than your living room carpet ad must be washed more frequently. Purchase a washable rug that you can just pop into the laundry machine every month.
What will happen to your body if you use the same plate for a week without ever washing it? Now imagine you eating without using your hands. The result will be an incomprehensible mess in the kitchen, germs everywhere and a nasty stomach virus. So, as a pet owner to pet owner - wash your animals' plates after every feeding. Wash the water bowl and pour fresh water daily.
Humans are nasty. Do you know how many bacteria live on our skin? And according to recent research, around 20% of people don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Whit that in mind, you should sanitise your door handles ( not only the ones in the kitchen), if not every day, at least once a week using specialised detergents.
You need to wash your sink and all its parts ( faucets, spout, handles, etc.) at least once a week to prevent the accumulation of grime, limescale and germs. Yes, you wash your dishes in it, but do you know how many small particles are left stuck on the surface of your sink after you are done? A lot! So using a sponge or a soft-bristle brush gently scrape everything using a specialised non-toxic detergent.
The boiling water and detergent may clean your dishes, but they do nothing for the machine. Grime and food scraps accumulate at the bottom, cloning the pipes and becoming the ideal breeding grounds for bacteria. Clean your dishwasher at least once a month, depending on how often you use it. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and use only specialised detergents. If needed, call for professional cleaning help.
