ALL of us are guilty of getting behind on housework from time to time, but there are items in our kitchen which need cleaning more regularly than you’d think.
So if you want to banish the bacteria, then listen up…because household expert Deyan Dimitrov, the founder and CEO of dry cleaning company Laundryheap, has revealed the five dirtiest places in our kitchens.
Toaster
Perhaps most surprisingly, the first is one that we will use almost every morning: the toaster.
You’d think that the heat would kill off any nasties, but sadly the crumb tray can often still be full of stale crumbs and burnt bits.
If you're guilty of loafing about, you can easily check whether your toaster needs a good clean by looking down at the bread slots.
You can then clean your toaster by unplugging it, removing the tray and emptying it out over the bin.
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For those wanting to leave no crumbs behind, Deyan recommends an extra few steps including wiping away sticky residue and gently shaking the kitchen tool to remove any remaining debris.
Microwave
You might also want to rethink warming up your cuppa in the microwave, as dried on food often makes the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
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Whilst wiping it down will help, the expert says there is a better way to make sure yours is squeaky clean.
Rather then buying specific products, simply mix one tablespoon of white vinegar and 250ml of water in a bowl – then heat the mix for two minutes or until the water boils.
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Once it’s cooled, you can then wipe down the microwave with any stubborn stains easily disappearing – even on the ceiling.
Oven gloves
Sadly, even low tech items can still be brimming with bacteria.
Oven gloves also need to be regularly washed – although Deyan warns that throwing them in with the next load might not be enough to keep them.
Not only will silicone oven gloves need to be hand washed, the cleaning guru recommends pre-soaking your fabric ones so they stay germ-free.
To do this, simply fill a bowl with warm water then add one tablespoon of washing up liquid and one tablespoon of baking soda.
Leave for ten minutes and then you are all set to add the oven glove to your next laundry load.
Aprons
Aprons will also need an extra scrub before going in the washing machine – especially if your cook likes to get their hands dirty.
Not only are they susceptible to stains but grease, crumbs and food can build up on aprons – which is pretty unappetising.
In addition to washing it every couple uses, you can pre-treat aprons by soaking them in a mix of laundry detergent, vinegar and lukewarm water for 15 mins.
Wooden spoons
The Laundryheap CEO even recommends pre-soaking your wood utensils in a diluted hydrogen peroxide (one tablespoon to every 2L of water).
Whilst you'd think putting in the dishwasher would be fine, he explains: “Wooden spoons are prone to allowing bacteria to fester within their grooves and cracks, especially when they come into contact with raw meat."
He adds: "If you fail to scrub them properly during a clean, you risk contaminating other utensils and any food they come into contact with.”
With all these extra items, we might have to start the spring cleaning early!
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