Are you doing more harm than good?
According to the National Science Foundation, a kitchen sponge may be the dirtiest item in your home.
The damp nooks and crannies trap debris creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, including E. coli.
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That cross-contamination continues as bacteria is transferred to our hands and the food we prepare and eat.
Coming In a Close Second: Cotton Dishcloth
Southerners love a lovingly crocheted or knitted cottondishcloth.
Along these same lines, keep separate cleaning cloths for bathrooms and kitchens.
Don’t use the same cloth to wipe up a messy floor and a counter.
Best Alternative for Kitchen Cleaning
Switch to microfiber dish and cleaning cloths.
A synthetic material, microfiber cloths have tiny, split fibers that are more absorbent and capture more bacteria.
They are lint-free, durable, easy to wash, and quick-drying.
A microfiber cloth will absorb four times more liquid than the same-size cotton cloth.
You just grab it, spray it, and wipe every surface in the kitchen.
Not every surface should be cleaned the same way.
This same warning applies to “natural” cleaners likedistilled white vinegar.
As an acid, vinegar is helpful in cutting through grease and acts as a mild disinfectant.
But it can also etch natural stone surfaces like unsealed granite and marble.
Not Rinsing Surfaces After Disinfecting
Again, it’s time to read labels.
There are food-safe disinfecting cleaners that don’t require rinsing after use.
But they don’t belong anywhere near your non-stick cookware, stainless steel appliances, or glass stovetop.
Metal or even hard plastic pads can leave minute scratches that mar the surface.
The scratches harbor bacteria and change the performance of the surfaces.
