FIVE COMMON KITCHEN CLEANING MISTAKES TO AVOID

Photo courtesy of Nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Most people clean their kitchens on a regular basis to protect their families and huge financial investment—their dream homes.  Unfortunately, many cleaning methods actually exacerbate the situation because bacteria, debris and other elements are spread around the home.

Safeguard your dream home and your family by ceasing to make the following five cleaning mistakes.

1. Being deceived by a dirty dishwasher.  You trust your new dishwasher to clean all of your family’s dishes, utensils, pots and pans, etc., however this doesn’t mean that the dishwasher itself is clean.  The edges of dishwasher and refrigerator doors are usually a breeding ground for mildew, mold and fungus.  Often times, the bacteria is so small that it’s not even visible to the human eye, but it’s there.  To ensure that these appliances are clean, wipe down the seals on a monthly basis with a bleach-based cleaner.  If you notice a stinky order, place one eight-ounce cup of distilled white vinegar in the top rack of your empty dishwasher.  Next, run the dishwasher for a full, normal cycle to allow the vinegar’s acids to break-down debris and residue.  Finally, sprinkle a cup of baking soap around the top rack and run for one rinse cycle.

---

2. Using a bottom-up cleaning method. Running back and forth, for example, when mopping, is a surefire way to spread bacteria and debris.  Another mistake to avoid when cleaning is sweeping and mopping first, then wiping down countertops.  Be strategic by working top-to-bottom.  Wipe down countertops, appliances and kitchen accessories first, then sweep and mop the floors.  Not only is this method much more efficient, but it will help keep your kitchen and bathrooms as clean as possible.

3. Spreading bacteria with icky sponges. The sponge you grab 10+ times per day to clean could actually be spreading up to 320 million disease-causing bacteria!  Worse yet, the bacteria can spread from your hand to your mouth and eyes, ultimately making you sick.  Before you begin your cleaning routine, microwave a wet sponge for two minutes to remove all bacteria.  This simple step will help prevent foodborne illness.

4. Not caring for your cutting boards. Surprisingly, the average cutting board contains 200 more fecal matter than a home’s toilet seat!  Eradicate those germs by first cleaning the board in your dishwasher.  After the cycle, spray it with a water-based solution of five percent vinegar and let it dry overnight.  In the morning, spray it with bleach, rinse it off and rest assured your cutting board is squeaky clean.

5. Trusting your kitchen trash can is clean. It’s common to neglect cleaning kitchen garbage cans because many people assume that they are simply a repository for trash—what harm could be done?  Trash truth told, germs remain long after you have taken the trash out and inserted a new garbage bag.  Scrub your bathroom and kitchen garbage cans on a regular basis to ensure that they are clean.

Article by: Jennifer Elkow