Eight in 10 Brits admit to judging people on the state of their homes, and our cook spaces are one of the worst culprits.
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You might think your kitchen is as clean as a whistle, but there’s loads of surprising and forgotten spots teeming with deadly bacteria.
“There’s a tonne of bacteria and viruses lurking among the pots and pans waiting to contaminate food and make you sick with fever, stomach cramps and vomiting” says cleaning pro and author of Live, Laugh, Laundry, Laura Cleanaholic.
“You might think your kitchen is sparkling clean, but miss these unexpected areas and you could get infected E.coli, listeria, norovirus, salmonella or even hepatitis A.”
Ready to get scrubbing? Here, Laura reveals the six shocking spots harbouring enough grime to make your skin crawl…
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Washing-up sponge
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“Did you know that your kitchen sponge will likely have more bacteria than your toilet seat?” asks Laura. “As kitchen sponges are usually moist, they can potentially pick up bacteria including salmonella, E.coli and staphylococcus.”
Staph infections cause different symptoms like hot, swollen skin, sores and blisters, painful lumps and sore red eyelids or eyes.
In more serious cases, it can cause blood poisoning and toxic shock syndrome.
“To banish the bacteria, use washing-up liquid like Fairy Max Power antibacterial to protect your sponge,” says Laura. “If you use a dirty sponge to wash dishes and clean surfaces, you’ll cause cross-contamination and potentially make yourself – and your family – ill.”
Spice jars
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Studies suggest that spice containers – along with chopping boards and bin lids – are some of the most unhygienic areas of the kitchen, and Laura knows why.
“People tend to reach for their spices after chopping meat or handling raw vegetables that have been stored in fridge drawers (another breeding ground if not cleaned regularly),” says Laura.
“You might not see food splatters, grease or dirt on your spice jars, but the bacteria is still there. If we can’t see that something is dirty, we usually forget to clean it.
“To stop the spread of germs, disinfect your jars (and other surfaces) and wipe with a clean microfibre cloth.
“Read the instructions carefully as most disinfectant products need a few minutes to work their magic before you wipe them away.”
Fridge door seal
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Your fridge door has a seal for a reason: to maintain the same chilly temperature and to stop our food spoiling too quickly and making us sick.
If the seal gets dirty from food spillage or broken from overuse, the fridge becomes a hot spot for bacteria and mould – and it could give you a highly infectious disease like shigella or norovirus (the dreaded vomiting bug).
“Please don’t forget door seals, handles and appliance buttons (like the microwave) when you clean the kitchen,” says Laura. “We touch these areas more than anywhere else in the room so they’re more likely to become contaminated.
“Disinfect them at least once a week using a spray bottle and clean cloth.
“For difficult-to-reach areas, use a knife to carefully dislodge dirt and a microfibre cloth to wipe it away.”
Rubber gloves
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Washing up by hand is a surefire way to scrub off all the nasties, but if you use rubber gloves you may be making a real mess.
While brilliant at keeping your hands clean and dry, the gloves come into contact with all sorts of food and grime which could then spread to any other item or surface you touch while wearing them.
“Wash your hands before putting on your gloves to stop bacteria from getting trapped inside,” says Laura.
“To clean the gloves, wash them in warm soapy water and hang them (ideally outside) to dry after every use. This will avoid build-up of bacteria and mildew.
“If they get wet inside, hang them inside out and replace them at the first sign of damage.”
Wooden chopping board
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Wooden chopping boards are kinder to the environment than their plastic cousins, but clean them poorly and you’ll suffer the consequences.
“For some reason wooden boards are an item we don’t clean properly, and before long they can be buzzing with really bad bacteria,” says Laura.
“Due to their material, wooden boards shouldn’t be dunked in the washing-up bowl so they’re very hard to clean.
“Giving it a quick wipe after chopping raw chicken won’t cut the mustard. Instead, sprinkle the board with bicarbonate of soda and squeeze lemon juice and a little washing-up liquid on top.
“Scrub the fizzing mixture to remove the dirt, rinse carefully and wipe to dry.”
Can opener
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It’s so easy to crack open a can of beans and throw the opener back in the drawer. It didn’t touch the inside, did it?
No matter how careful you were with the can opener, flecks of food will linger on it and the science doesn’t lie.
“Swabs have shown a shocking amount of unfriendly bacteria like salmonella and E.coli clinging to the kitchen gadgets, which cause severe and unpleasant symptoms like vomiting, severe diarrhoea and stomach pain,” says Laura.
“You must clean utensils like can openers and spatulas after every use, and it’s not a hard job at all.
“Simply soak them in warm water and washing-up liquid, or pop in the dishwasher if it’s safe to, then let them air dry.”