The five cleaning mistakes you're making in the kitchen
When it's time to clean the kitchen you might be used to a quick spray-and-wipe job on the stove and various pots and pans.
But if you're not careful those simple habits could be spreading more bacteria than you started with.
In a bid to change how we clean, it's time to stop mopping up our spills with tea towels and wiping away disinfectant sprays on the countertop too quickly.
In a bid to change how we clean, it's time to stop mopping up our spills with tea towels and wiping away disinfectant sprays on the countertop too quickly
DON'T CLEAN YOUR SPONGES IN A DISHWASHER
It might be tempting to pop your sponges in a stainless steel dishwasher but there is good reason to resist.
While it is potentially ridding your used cloths from germs and bacteria, it also does unprecedented damage to the appliance, Nine Honey reports.
Most of our sponges have leftover soap inside them, so when your dishwasher releases a torrent of water this soap builds and may even overrun the technology causing it to spring a leak.
While it is potentially ridding your used cloths from germs and bacteria, it also does unprecedented damage to the appliance, Nine Honey reports
Instead try microwaving your sponges for two minutes while they're still wet. This will kill those nasty germs, but ensure you're still replacing your cloths regularly.
DON'T WIPE YOUR DISINFECTANT OFF THE COUNTERTOP TOO QUICKLY
Many of us would be accustomed to spraying Ajax on a stove top or Pine O Cleen on the countertop, leaving it for a few seconds and then wiping it away.
But it pays to leave the cleaner for a minute or two to really sink in, particularly if you have a build up of stains, because the longer it's left the less time you'll need to scrub.
Many of us would be accustomed to spraying Ajax on a stove top or Pine O Cleen on the countertop, leaving it for a few seconds and then wiping it away
DON'T USE A TEA TOWEL TO CLEAN UP A FOOD-RELATED SPILL
Tea towels have truly become the go-to for cleaning up just about anything in the kitchen, but they have become riddled with germs as a result.
Tea towels need to be regularly cleaned as a result but it also pays to have a different dish rag for each type of spill.
If it's on the floor you could try a tissue, sponges for anything on the countertop and a tea towel just to dry your hands.
Tea towels have truly become the go-to for cleaning up just about anything in the kitchen, but they have become riddled with germs as a result
DON'T FORGET TO DEEP CLEAN YOUR STRAINER
If you're just using your strainer for ingredients like freshly cooked pasta it might seem as though the instrument doesn't need a proper scrub - but you'd be wrong, and potentially helping to spread mould.
Make sure you remove all pasta quickly from the strainer to avoid it sticking and ensure you're using hot soapy water and a scourer to get into the mesh grooves.
Make sure you remove all pasta quickly from the strainer to avoid it sticking and ensure you're using hot soapy water and a scourer to get into the mesh grooves
WASHING UP LIQUID ON CHOPPING BOARDS
You might think a good scrub with hot water and washing up liquid will suffice after you've chopped raw meat.
That's perfectly fine for pots and pans containing remnants of cooked food, but to eliminate harmful bacteria that poses a risk to health you need something stronger.
To really make sure chopping boards are spotlessly clean, try soaking them in bleach after every use instead.