The dirtiest places in your kitchen….

Does your imagination run wild thinking about the bacteria that is lurking in your home?  You may be looking in the wrong direction when it comes to fighting germs in your kitchen.

Your refrigerator – Ice and water dispensers, vegetable crispers, meat drawers, and door seals are some the germiest.   Use a white vinegar flush on the water dispenser, and make sure you clean and sanitize your fridge from top to bottom.

Countertop appliances – Flushing your coffee maker and disinfecting your blender gaskets can keep you from ingesting harmful bacteria.

Countertops – All the hands, bags and containers that land on your countertops can cause cross-contamination daily.  Try disinfecting daily and let air dry or install a nonporous countertop material to reduce germ buildup.

The sink – Sinks require daily disinfecting to fight bacteria.  Flush sink drains weekly or bi-weekly with hot water and bleach or vinegar and baking soda.

Cooking utensils – Rubber spatulas and can openers rank in the top 10 for harmful strains of E. coli and salmonella.   If your utensils can be disassembled, take them apart to clean.

Reusable containers – Reusable containers should be cleaned as soon as you are finished with them.

Knife block – Knife blocks rank among the 10 germiest items in the kitchen. Cleaning with soap and water or submerge the block in water containing a tablespoon of bleach.  Let the block air dry.

Knobs, handles, sponges, and wash cloths also need attention in your kitchen.

With extra care and a little elbow grease you can tackle those nasty germs lurking where you prepare your family meals!