15 Things in Your Kitchen That Are Dirtier Than You Realize

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A surprising fact is that many of the items we use regularly in our kitchens or daily lives contain more bacteria. Some of these culprits are well-known, while others may surprise you—and in fact, they are infesting our homes on a regular basis…

The germs lurking in these corners can be harmful to your health, cause foul smells, and spoil food. Below, we list some of the nastiest things in your kitchen and our top tips on keeping them clean.

Cutting Boards

Every time you use cutting boards, they become an infection area. Especially if you cut raw meat, disease bugs will part prematurely with the used surface. Food particles may get caught in the grooves left from slicing, so sometimes, it is more challenging to clean completely used notches. To avoid cross-contamination, regularly sanitize and use separate boards for meat and vegetables.

Sponge

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Kitchen sponges are famous for being full of bacteria since they are wet and cannot dry properly. They frequently contain food particles, giving germs a perfect place to attract and prosper. Changing sponges regularly instead of using the same dirty sponge every day and microwaving or dishwashing them can lower the load.

Dish Towels

Towels are usually damp and featured left about, so they touch everything. It is a breeding ground for germs. They can move bacteria from surface to surface or your clean hands and dishes. Wash your towels in warm water and rotate your linens regularly so that fresh air can replace the used ones.

Handles and Knobs

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Cabinets, drawers, appliance handles, and knobs are touched many times to more but cleaned very rarely! They collect germs from hands, spills, and splatters. Simply wiping them down with disinfecting solutions regularly can make your kitchen environment less germy.

Coffee Maker

Because the reservoir is always moist, over time, it can collect mold or bacteria in your coffee maker. These strains of bacteria could influence the taste and cleanliness of your coffee. Plus, running a cycle with vinegar once a month can help stave off any unwanted growth.

Refrigerator Seals

During your regular cleaning routines, you likely forget all about the rubber strips on your refrigerator door. Spills and condensation can turn them into cesspools of mold and bacteria. Keeping them clean with a bleach solution and cleaning them often will allow the masks to stay effective.

Blender Gaskets

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Food particles and moisture build-up where the blender gaskets are placed, leading to mold and bacterial growth in the gaskets. These parts get left when cleaning all too often. After each use, take it apart and clean all parts well.

Stove Knobs

Caked with grease and food particles, stove knobs serve as a breeding ground for germs. During cooking, these knobs are among the most frequently touched and then not cleaned (very often)! You should remove and soak them periodically to prevent the build-up of dirt and germs.

Can Openers

The food particles stuck between the can opener blades are surely a colony-house for bacteria; you might be gravely inclined towards keeping your can open and closing daily and cutting anything with it, but make sure to know that harmful bacteria multiply very quickly, using the residues as their breeding ground.

Both hands and can contents often come into contact with them, making it essential to keep this surface clean. It’s not that odd to clean the openers and crap after each use.

Sink Faucet

One of the most touched surfaces during cooking and clean-up is the sink, so it needs to be cleaned carefully. It can also act as a gathering host to germs. Your kitchen, especially, has to be clean at all times and not have dead bugs here and there.

Salt and Pepper Shakers

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These hand-held objects come into contact with dirty hands and the environment we live in every time we use them while cooking or eating our meals. It is often ignored when it comes to cleaning. It is possible to reduce contamination by wiping them down using an antibacterial solution.

Microwave Touchpad

Your microwave touchpad or buttons are frequently the sites of oily fingertips, oils, food debris, and organisms. Wiping it down with a disinfectant on occasion can keep this area very germy and spot-free.

Refrigerator Drawers

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Fruits and vegetables with various spills, like cauliflower, tend to be a center for the bacteria growth community, as can your meat drawers in the refrigerator. Bacteria and molds can often grow out of undetected locations. Regularly washing these drawers with clean soap and water can empty them.

Knife Block

Water in the slots of knife blocks can collect harmful bacteria you can’t see. These ruts are a wet and dark environment where germs can flourish. Keeping the block clean and the knives dry before stowing them can help mitigate this risk.

Reusable Grocery Bags

Your reusable grocery bag is great for carrying more than just groceries; it often collects bacteria from multiple sources. Routine washing in the machine or hand cleaning with antibacterial soap can be a good way to keep these bags clean.