Turns out the Kitchen is more dirty than the bathroom
Turns out the Kitchen is more dirty than the bathroom
With the longer, sunnier days of summer comes the crashing realization that you simply can now see with startling clarity just how filthy your home — and even your window screens and sliding screen doors — have become.
In a study to live the contamination of 30 common home items and surfaces, NSF International, which develops public health standards and food safety certification programs, found that the kitchen, not the toilet, was the germiest place within the house. (If that’s not icky enough, the corporate notes that 20% of foodborne illness outbreaks are believed to return from food consumed reception.)
Luckily, you’ll easily conquer any potential contagion with a touch effort, bleach, and a bunch of coffee to amp up your motivation and tackle all the surfaces, including your kitchen window screens and sliding screen door tracks.
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 quite 75% of kitchen dish sponges and rags show the presence of harmful bacteria (the worst being E. coli and salmonella).
How to clean it: Put wet sponges within the microwave for 2 minutes daily and replace them every fortnight approximately . Another option: Keep a stash of dishcloths, towels and cleaning rags which will be machine washed on a sanitizing cycle or with bleach.
2. sink
Food-handling experts discourage washing meat and poultry within the sink because you’ll splash bacteria everywhere. and those sink strainers? They’re a trap for slimy gunk, especially underneath.
Don’t forget the kitchen window screen above your sink. Screens can trap grease, moisture, and dust that contribute to bacteria buildup. Cleaning your kitchen window screen once a month keeps airflow fresh and your kitchen healthier.
3. Pet bowls and toys
Of the 30 home items NSF tested, pet food and water dishes ranked because the fourth-most germy. Pet toys ranked in seventh place. And you kiss that dog!
How to clean it: Either use the dishwasher’s sanitizing cycle daily or hand wash bowls in hot, soapy water and soak during a bleach and water solution. Rinse well and air dry. Soft pet toys are often machine washed on a sanitizing cycle.
4. Coffee reservoir
Bacteria, mold, and mildew are having a celebration within the dark, damp recesses of your faithful automatic kitchen appliance.
Proper ventilation also plays a role. Opening a sliding screen door or a kitchen window with a clean window screen allows fresh air to circulate, reducing odors and helping prevent bacteria and mildew from thriving in damp areas
5. Other sneaky places for germs in your kitchen
The most common sites for a few of the nastiest germs to cover are a number of the smallest amount obvious places, consistent with the NSF study. The tests found that 36% of the subsequent items tested positive for E. coli, salmonella or listeria: 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.
Another often-overlooked spot is your sliding screen door track. Dirt and food particles can build up in the tracks, attracting pests. Regular cleaning of both the screen mesh and the track helps keep your kitchen area sanitary.
Your toothbrush holder
Admittedly, most folks don’t leave the toothbrush within the kitchen. But we couldn’t ignore this finding within the NSF study.
Just like you sanitize small household items, your window screens and sliding screen doors also need seasonal cleaning. If your screens are too dirty or damaged, replacing them with new custom window screens or a durable sliding screen door from Best Custom Screens will improve airflow and help keep your home cleaner and fresher.
NSF tests showed that your toothbrush holder had one among the very best germ count of all items tested.
How to clean it:
If the toothbrush holder or rack is dishwasher safe, run it through a sanitizing cycle once or twice every week . you’ll also hand wash it with hot, soapy water, rinse then clean with a disinfecting wipe. And don’t ditch the crud that gathers at the highest and base of your toothbrush and charger. A disinfecting wipe or a plant disease soaked with lotion can remove the scum
http://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-cleaning-your-kitchen-20180825-story.html
At Best Custom Screens, we provide high-quality sliding screen doors and custom window screens that not only keep bugs out but also improve ventilation in your kitchen and throughout your home. A clean screen equals a cleaner, healthier living space.
Studies by NSF International found that the kitchen is the germiest room in the home, even more so than the bathroom. Dish sponges, sinks, pet bowls, and refrigerator compartments often harbor harmful bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and listeria, making regular cleaning essential.
Dish sponges should be sanitized daily and replaced every 1–2 weeks. The easiest method is microwaving a wet sponge for 2 minutes. Alternatively, use machine-washable dishcloths or rags cleaned on a sanitizing cycle.
Yes. Washing meat or poultry in the sink can splash bacteria around, and sink strainers trap gunk that fosters growth. Kitchen window screens above the sink can also collect grease, dust, and moisture. Cleaning screens monthly helps maintain airflow and reduce contamination.
Sliding screen doors allow fresh air to circulate, which reduces odors, moisture, and bacteria buildup in damp kitchen areas. Clean tracks and mesh regularly to avoid dirt, pests, and trapped food particles that compromise sanitation.
Yes. NSF found pet food and water bowls rank as the fourth-most contaminated household items, while pet toys ranked seventh. Clean bowls daily with hot, soapy water or a sanitizing dishwasher cycle, and wash toys regularly to protect both pets and humans.
According to NSF testing, high-germ spots include refrigerator meat and vegetable drawers, gaskets, rubber spatulas, blender gaskets, can openers, and food storage containers with rubber seals. Cleaning these often-overlooked items reduces risks of foodborne illness.
If screens are torn, warped, or heavily soiled, replacing them is more effective than constant cleaning. New custom window screens or durable sliding screen doors from Best Custom Screens improve airflow, keep insects out, and contribute to a cleaner, healthier kitchen environment.
