Your kitchen is the heart and soul of your home. It's where family and friends meet, where you have get-togethers and maybe where you spend part of your day. It's logical to assume that from time to time it will need more cleaning than the rest of your home. That's why it's important to avoid some kitchen cleaning mistakes. Here's what we think!
1.Your sponge may be ready for replacement
Stop for a minute and think about how long that sponge you're using has been sitting next to the sink? Be very honest! You may not have known it, but dishwashing sponges provide a great environment for bacteria to thrive. Plus, if you use old, dirty sponges to clean dishes or surfaces, bacteria can spread, leading to food poisoning. It's a good idea to change it every few weeks and wash it thoroughly between uses.
2. Combining cleaning products
If you really want to thoroughly clean and disinfect your kitchen, you'd think that when it comes to cleaning products, the more the merrier. But it's actually not a good idea to combine them, as they can create toxic fumes that can be harmful if inhaled. For example, they can cause breathing problems or irritation to the eyes and skin.
All this can be avoided if you keep yourself away from products containing toxic petrochemical ingredients. Instead, opt for environmentally friendly, recycled cleaning products such as CYCLE's kitchen cleaner (link), which is also "FOOD Safe", meaning it won't harm your food, an important consideration in a kitchen.
3. The cleaning of ingredients and spice containers is neglected
It may be at the bottom of your cleaning list, but various storage jars, cans, pots and spice holders should be properly cleaned at certain intervals. After all, they can harbour bacteria and mould if not done. Again, this can lead to food poisoning, allergic reactions and respiratory problems. It is very important to wash spice containers regularly and ensure that they are completely dry before refilling them.
4. Wet dishes
Before you put your pots back in the cupboard, always make sure they are dry. Putting away wet dishes can create a moisture-rich environment that allows microbes to multiply.
5. You forgot to clean your fridge
More than likely, your kitchen is full of small appliances that need to be cleaned regularly, as appliances are one of the main places for microbes to breed in the kitchen. Frequent cleaning with plant-based cleaners containing surfactants will help remove contaminants such as mould spores and mycotoxins. We recommend CYCLE's kitchen cleaner for this too!
