It’s the season for spring cleaning,but when you’re getting your home nice and tidy, there are a few frequently forgotten places that need a good scrub. When it comes to the kitchen, bacteria can lurk everywhere and one of the most commonly forgotten things are wooden chopping boards and utensils.
Deyan Dimitrov, cleaning expert and Laundryheap founder, warns that wood can harbour bacteria, so keeping it clean is crucial. He said: “Wooden cutting boards and spoons are prone to allowing bacteria to fester within their grooves and cracks, especially when they come into contact with raw meat. If you fail to scrub these items properly, you risk contaminating other utensils and ingredients.”
To ensure they get a proper clean to stop you getting sick, Dimitrov recommends soaking boards and spoons in a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution before cleaning.
He said: “Create a diluted mixture by adding one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide to two litres of water, soak your chosen utensils in it for a few minutes, and then wash and dry them as you normally would. It’s also helpful to store your chopping boards in an upright, stacked position to let them drain properly and to avoid the collection of moisture underneath.”
Another kitchen item that can be a breeding ground for bacteria is oven gloves – even if they look pristine on the outside,
Read the cleaning instructions on the label of your gloves before washing them, as silicone gloves should be hand-washed. Most oven gloves will be fine to add to your weekly load of washing.
Dimitrov said: “It can be helpful to pre-soak your oven gloves in a solution of one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and one tablespoon of baking soda for 10 minutes beforehand.
“If you’re not sure whether your oven gloves are safe to launder in your machine – or if you want a super deep clean – you can always get them professionally dry cleaned to be on the safe side.”