10 Easy Tips for a Safe Neater Kitchen

The First Days of Spring Have Come and Gone

For a quick start on the cleaning season, here are some tips on cleaning the most active and perhaps the most dirty room in the entire house: the kitchen. Here's a list of things that should be cleaned, including how and when, provided by a number of bacteria experts.

The big surprise? People who have pets are as much as six times as likely to acquire salmonella-based illness. The cause is pet bowls, in particular their water bowl. It is often dumped into the kitchen sink before food handling starts. How to sanitize like the professional kitchens, mix a sanitizing solution composed of one teaspoon of household bleach into four cups of plain water. Spray it on counter tops and cutting boards. Although experts do not agree on any need to use this in the home, although if you do, then do it the correct way by letting sprayed counters air-dry. Using a dish towel may just re-contaminate the area. Always clean up prior to sanitizing. Any chlorine coming into contact with any dirt or soil, will no longer will sanitize. Do not use more than a teaspoon chlorine, stronger doesn't equal better. Also redo it every five days or so. as chlorine quickly dissipates.

  1. Counter tops: Clean regularly using an all-purpose household cleaner, then pray with a weak solution of bleach and allow to air-dry as necessary.
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  2. Sink, drains and faucets: Clean on a regular basis with household cleanser, particularly after washing off or rinsing any uncooked meat. and remember to clean the handles of the faucet.
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  3. Dishes and the dishwasher: If you wash dishes by hand, be sure to let them air-dry in a dish rack as using a dirty or even wet dish towel might re-contaminate your just washed dishes. To cut down on dishwasher soap buildup, once in a while fill the dispenser with household baking soda or put a small cup containing vinegar in the top basket, then cycle the empty dishwater.
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  4. Microwave: Fill up a bowl with an entire cut up lemon and two cups water. Microwave it for two minutes, and then wipe the interior with paper towels. Using hot water softens up any food spills while the lemon reduces grease while keeping a fresh smell in the microwave
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  5. Range and oven: For easier cleaning, spray an all-purpose household cleaner for stove spills and let sit 10 minutes. Oven spills are not a food safety hazard if you heat the oven up to 400 on a regular basis. Cover any fresh spills with salt until there's period to clean it up.
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  6. Dish towels and sponges: Change your dish towels every day, or even more frequent if they become wet or soiled. A wet sponge can be microwaved for two minutes, although the time can variy depending on the microwave power (also if a sponge is not wet, it could catch on fire). As an alternative, put sponges in the top dishwasher rack at the conclusion of each day.
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  7. Refrigerator: Daily: wipe down handles, including the backside. Weekly, throw out any food that’s gone past its pickup date or showing signs age. Each three to six months, all shelves should be emptied and clean the interior using 1/4 cup of baking soda mixed with one quart of warm water, afterward spray with a solution of bleach and let air-dry. Take out all drawers and clean the under side. Before you put any food back, wipe food containers such as jars to eliminate drips. Wipe down all rubber door gaskets to make sure of a tight fitting seal. Vacuum the refrigeration coils and also empty and clean out the underneath drip pan if required.
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  8. Pet bowls: Locate some other place instead of the kitchen for cleaning up turtle or frog environments and emptying a pet bowl, or wash and sanitize sinks prior to preparing fresh food in the sink.
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  9. Cutting boards: A majority of scientists hold the believe that wooden cutting boards can be safe, while they are maintained in a clean, sanitary and dry state. There have been studies that show wood encumbers growth of bacteria, whereas bacteria flourish in etches on plastic. At any rate, keep them sanitary by cycling them in the dishwasher, or clean by spraying with a weak solution of bleach. Always rotate cutting boards or clean them using soapy water subsequent to preparing any raw food, including vegetables. After all they do grow in dirt.
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  10. Cross-contamination: Everyone knows cooked food is not supposed to be put on the same surfaces that was utilized for raw food. Although cutting boards are not the only problem. All sorts of things are touched while handling raw food: Things like salt & pepper shakers, cabinet knobs and handles, etc. Try to pay attention to items you handle so you may wipe them down.
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  11. Bonus Tip: It’s unnecessary to rinse raw chicken and other raw meat as this just spreads bacteria.