Your kitchen may look clean, but appearances don’t always tell the whole story. Many of the items you use every day can collect bacteria, mold, and food residue without you realizing it. Since these tools and surfaces come into contact with the food you eat, keeping them clean matters just as much as washing your hands before cooking.
The good news is that most problem areas are easy to deal with once you know where they are. A few extra minutes of cleaning can help lower the risk of spreading germs around your kitchen.
Sponges and Dishcloths
Kitchen sponges and dishcloths are constantly exposed to food particles and moisture, making them one of the easiest places for bacteria to multiply.
Rinse them thoroughly after each use, let them dry completely, and replace them often. You can also sanitize a damp sponge by running it through the dishwasher or microwaving it for about a minute if it doesn’t contain any metal.
Cutting Boards
Every cut you make leaves tiny grooves in a cutting board. Those small scratches can trap bacteria, especially after preparing raw meat, poultry, or seafood.
Using one cutting board for raw meat and another for fruits and vegetables helps lower the chance of cross-contamination. Wash boards with hot, soapy water after every use, and replace them if they become deeply scarred.
Refrigerator Door Handles
Your refrigerator handle gets touched countless times every day, often with hands that have handled raw ingredients.
Since it’s easy to overlook during routine cleaning, it can collect germs surprisingly quickly. Wiping it down with a disinfecting cleaner every few days helps keep it cleaner.
Coffee Makers
The inside of a coffee maker stays warm and damp, which can allow mold and bacteria to grow if it isn’t cleaned regularly.
Running a mixture of white vinegar and water through the machine every month or so helps remove mineral buildup while keeping the inside cleaner.
Can Openers
The cutting wheel on a can opener comes into direct contact with food every time you open a can. Small bits of food can stick to the blade if it isn’t washed afterward.
A quick rinse with warm, soapy water after each use helps prevent dried residue from building up.
Salad Spinners
Salad spinners can trap moisture under lids, inside gears, and around small parts. Leftover water and bits of lettuce create a place where bacteria and mold can grow.
Taking the spinner apart when possible, washing every piece, and letting it dry completely before storing it helps prevent problems.
Kitchen Counters
Kitchen counters come into contact with groceries, raw meat packaging, fresh produce, and countless other items throughout the day.
Cleaning countertops after preparing meals, especially after handling raw meat, helps stop bacteria from spreading to other foods and surfaces.
Reusable Grocery Bags
Reusable grocery bags travel from the store to your kitchen over and over again. Along the way, they can collect bacteria from leaking food packages, shopping carts, and checkout counters.
Wash cloth bags regularly according to the care label, and wipe insulated bags clean after each shopping trip.
Related: Are You Supposed to Bag Your Own Groceries at Trader Joe’s?
Pet Bowls
If your pet eats in or near the kitchen, their food and water bowls deserve regular attention, too. Leftover food and standing water can allow bacteria to grow quickly.
Wash pet bowls every day with hot, soapy water, and clean the area around them to help keep germs from spreading.
Microwave
Food splatters inside the microwave can build up faster than you might think. If they’re left there, they can attract bacteria and leave lingering odors.
Wiping down the inside every few days, or after messy spills, makes cleaning much easier and keeps your microwave ready for the next meal.
