If you think that it’s the bathroom that is the dirtiest place in your home, think again. According to the National Sanitation Foundation or NSF, it’s the kitchen that has more germs and fecal contamination that any other area in your home! Yes, the very place where you prepare your culinary masterpieces and sometimes eat them, too, has the most potential to cause health issues, ranging from stomach flu, E. coli infection to salmonellosis.
This is why you should do your best to keep your kitchen clean. It’s not enough that it looks and smells nice. You need to make sure you are sanitizing and disinfecting properly to be sure it is free of microbes that can wreak havoc on your health and that of your loved ones, too!
It’s a good thing that you don’t have to douse your entire kitchen with cleaning products, many of which contain harsh chemicals that can do more harm than good. Certainly, it’s a terrible idea to get rid of germs and other harmful stuff that the naked eye cannot see only to replace them with nasty chemicals that are just as dangerous.
Fortunately, the kitchen itself is home to some of the most effective kitchen cleaners. If you want to keep your kitchen clean naturally, keep on reading. Our friends at Clean Corp have provided the top 5 hacks in keeping the most used area in your home spotless and safe for the whole family.
Hack #1: Disinfect Chopping Boards With Lemon and Salt
According to health experts, there should be a couple of chopping boards in your kitchen: one that is out of plastic for cutting meat, and another that is out of wood for chopping fruits and vegetables. Following this can help prevent cross-contamination, which can leave everyone at home at risk of various digestive issues.
It’s also important to clean your chopping boards properly to prevent cross-contamination as well as the problems that are associated with it. If you hire a professional cleaning service to keep your kitchen clean, make sure they’re properly cleaning and disinfecting the various items/areas in your home.
Other than cleaning them with soap and hot water, you may also do so with the help of lemon and rock salt. All you have to do is sprinkle a generous amount of rock salt on chopping boards, and rub it against the surface with half a lemon. Gently squeeze the lemon while doing so to release the juice. Wait for about 5 minutes before rinsing your chopping boards with warm water.
Hack #2: Clean Pots, Pans and Baking Sheets With Baking Soda
Burnt pots, pans, and baking sheets look horrid. What’s even more horrifying is the fact that bits of food and grease stuck on the surface can serve as breeding grounds for disease-causing germs. Those burnt-on residues, needless to say, should go before you use your cookware once again or stash them in their designated storage spaces.
Forget scouring pots, pans, and baking sheets endlessly. A quick way to make them look sparkling once again is to allow half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of water to sit in them for about 30 minutes. Scour and rinse.
You may also fill your problematic cookware with a cup of water and a cup of vinegar. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and transfer to the sink, and then dump two tablespoons of baking soda in it. Allow the fizzing to subside, and then scrub with a scouring pad. Feel free to add a little baking soda for superb results to help you keep your kitchen clean.
Hack #3: Deodorize Everything With Citrus Peels
Believe it or not, you can come up with an all-purpose cleaner that can also deodorize your kitchen with the peels of oranges, lemons, limes, or other citrus fruits. Not only do their peels smell wonderfully clean and fresh, but they also have disinfecting properties. Because they are all-natural, no one is at risk of contact with harsh chemicals.
To get started, stash citrus peels in a large mason jar. The goal is to fill half the container with citrus peels. Fill with white vinegar, cover the mason jar and allow it to sit for two weeks.
After a couple of weeks, strain the mixture using a sieve. Transfer the liquid part into a spray bottle. You can use it for disinfecting just about any surface in your kitchen. It’s also great for making your kitchen smell delightful. Feel free to add a little rosemary, jasmine or any other herb that you like for a personalized smell! This all natural solution will help keep your kitchen clean and save you some money too!
Hack #4: Polish Countertops With Water and Rubbing Alcohol
Countertops can also easily collect germs and contaminants that can cause an assortment of health problems should your food or the food that you are preparing comes into contact with them. This is why it’s not enough that you keep your countertops clean and shiny — you should also rid it of microorganisms that your naked eyes cannot see.
There is a quick and effective way to keep your kitchen clean and disinfect countertops, and that’s by mixing one part 70% rubbing alcohol and three parts water in a spray bottle. Spray on surfaces and wipe clean with a soft and dry cloth.
It’s not a good idea to clean countertops with something acidic such as white vinegar. This is especially true for those that are out of granite as they may wind up looking less than stellar afterward. The rubbing alcohol and water mixture mentioned above is great for cleaning as well as disinfecting all kinds of countertops. If this sounds like a daunting task, we suggest hiring a cleaning company that can deep clean the countertops for you.
Hack #5: Eliminate Grease on Utensils With Diluted White Vinegar
Kitchen utensils are grease and grime magnets. Because of this, it can be very easy for germs to thrive in them. It’s a good thing that it’s trouble-free to keep spoons, forks, knives, and others clean and safe to use for food preparation and eating. Such can be done with the help of water and white vinegar.
In a tray, place kitchen utensils that could use some serious cleaning. Pour equal parts of warm water and white vinegar. Let them sit in the mixture for 15 to 30 minutes to ensure superb results.
Using soapy water and a scouring pad, remove any remaining grease on kitchen utensils. To kill off present germs, some people prefer to boil their kitchen utensils in the water and white vinegar mixture for about 10 minutes. Pouring it down the sink afterwards will help keep your drains working perfectly too. It’s a great idea to perform this regularly to keep your kitchen clean and avoid issues that may arise from using contaminated kitchen utensils.
In Conclusion
Try these top 5 hacks to keep your kitchen clean even if you have kids! If you have heard or read about other hacks, feel free to share them in the comments section below. Happy kitchen cleaning!
