Germs just love your kitchen
>>> With the longer, sunnier days of summer comes the crashing realization that you can now see with startling clarity just how filthy your home has become. In a study to measure the contamination of 30 common household items and surfaces, NSF International, which develops public health standards and food safety certification programs, found that the kitchen, not the bathroom, was the germiest place in the house. (If that’s not icky enough, the company also found that 20% of foodborne illness outbreaks come from food consumed at home.) Luckily, you can easily conquer any potential contagion with a little elbow grease, bleach and a bunch of coffee to amp up your motivation and tackle all the surfaces and more in your kitchen. (But, uh, about that coffee, see item No. 4 ...) Here are some of the top sources of bacteria, yeast, mold and viruses, and how to clean them.
1 Dish sponge Have you ever picked up your dish sponge and been knocked back by the odor? Yeah, that’s bad, because sponges can retain and breed bacteria. The NSF found that more than 75% of kitchen dish sponges and rags studied showed the presence of harmful bacteria.
How to clean it: Put wet sponges in the microwave for two minutes daily and replace them every two weeks or so. Another option: Keep a stash of dishcloths, towels and cleaning rags that can be machine washed on a sanitizing cycle or with bleach.
2 Kitchen sink Foodhandling experts discourage washing raw meat and poultry in the sink because you can splash bacteria everywhere. How to clean it: Wash and disinfect all sink surfaces once or twice a week with a tablespoon of bleach mixed into a gallon of water. Pour a quart of water mixed with a teaspoon of bleach down the drain and disposal monthly to sanitize them. Scrub that slimy sink strainer on a regular basis, and pop it in the dishwasher for a hot cleaning.
3 Pet bowls and toys Of the 30 household items NSF tested, pet food and water dishes ranked as the fourth-most germy. Pet toys ranked seventh. How to clean it: Either use the dishwasher’s sanitizing cycle or hand wash bowls in hot, soapy water. Rinse well and air dry. Soft pet toys can be machine washed on a sanitizing cycle.
4 Coffee reser voir Bacteria, mold and mildew are having a party in the dark, damp recesses of your faithful automatic coffee maker. How to clean it: Most manufacturers recommend monthly cleaning. Begin by allowing up to four cups of undiluted white vinegar to sit in the reservoir for 30 minutes before turning on the brew cycle, using an empty coffee filter. Follow with cycles of fresh water to rinse.
5 Other sneaky places for germs in your kitchen The most common sites for some of the nastiest germs to hide are: The refrigerator meat and vegetable compartments, the refrigerator door’s insulating gasket; rubber spatulas, blender gaskets, can openers, pizza cutters and food storage containers with a rubber seal.
How to clean it: Wash rubber, neoprene and plastic with a mild, liquid soap and then air dry. Wash utensils and food storage containers in hot soapy water or in the dishwasher. Soak manual can openers and pizza cutters in white vinegar and then scrub with an old toothbrush. Refrigerator gaskets can be cleaned with a mild detergent or a tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a quart of warm water.