Having a germ-free kitchen is essential for healthy living. Since we prepare and eat our food in the kitchen, it’s only natural that we should keep it clean at all times. Preparing food in an unsanitary kitchen will only lead to spread of an infectious disease, food poisoning, and even death. To keep that from happening, we listed down some simple tips on how you could possibly keep your kitchen completely germ-free.

1. Clean Your Kitchen Regularly
Regular cleaning is the first step towards achieving a germ-free kitchen, and one of way of doing it is through using commercial products to disinfect and clean kitchen surfaces. Ensure that you thoroughly wiped up the disinfectant, and don’t immediately place food on a newly cleaned surface as it could absorb any remnants of the liquid cleaner. Apart from the countertops, also clean the cabinets, dining table and the floor of your kitchen.

2. Set Separate Cutting Boards
To prevent cross-contamination with your fruits and veggies, be sure to use a different cutting board for your meat products. Also, ensure that you wash them immediately after using; for glass and plastic cutting boards, simply run them through your dishwasher once you’re done washing your plates.

3. Keep Your Dish Towels and Sponges Clean
Set different sponges for your plates and for your counters, and make sure that you replace these sponges every two weeks. While in use, limit the bacterial growth by letting the sponges dry out in between uses. If you want, you can occasionally microwave your wet sponge for a few minutes. Other than sponges, your dish towels should also be replaced and washed once a week.

4. Avoid Leaving Out Your Dishes Overnight
As much as possible, avoid letting your appliances or dirty dishes sit out for long hours or overnight. While washing your dishes and cleaning your kitchen isn’t as appealing as relaxing on the couch, leaving your kitchen messy will only serve as an open invitation to ants, bacteria, fruit flies and other creepy crawlies.

5. Disinfect Your Appliances As well
Apart from your dishes and countertops, it’s also crucial that you clean your kitchen appliances like your microwave, refrigerator and even your portable grill. These appliances often come into direct contact with your food, so it’s only natural that you also maintain its cleanliness.

Regular cleaning and disinfecting is crucial for achieving a germ-free kitchen. So keep your scullery as clean as possible by following the aforementioned tips.