6 Ways to Keep A Healthy Kitchen These Holidays

With holiday festivities and relative visits (hello, open borders!) just around the corner, your kitchen is about to get a workout.

It’s important to keep a clean kitchen most of the time but especially so with lots of people in your home.

These are 6 ways you can naturally keep your kitchen clean and fresh this holiday season.

1. Kitchen Bench

We prepare food on our benches, so it makes sense that it needs to be as healthy as possible.

You should be wiping it down properly daily with warm water and detergent to ensure it is kept tidy.

If you have stubborn stains on your bench, sprinkle a little baking soda on there and spray some diluted white vinegar before wiping it down. Just don’t use vinegar if you’ve got a stone benchtop.

2. Dishcloths

Your dishcloths and sponges are a haven for bacteria and if they aren’t clean, can transfer bacteria from one section of your kitchen to another while you’re cleaning.

Soak them in boiling water and dishwashing detergent for an hour or so before rinsing, or you can pop them in the dishwasher.

You should be replacing your dishcloths weekly or more regularly if you’ve been using your cloth on heavy-duty jobs.

3. Sinks and Drains

Your sink and drain are often forgotten during a clean. But this is where you wash your hands, rinse fruit and veggies, and pour unused liquids such as off milk or drinks that may have been left behind by guests.

Make sure you’re disinfecting your sink at least once a week. You should be thoroughly wiping your sink down after every meal with a cleaning product and keeping it clear of food waste.

Stop the drain smell by sprinkling baking soda down the drain and leaving powder around the entrance of the drain too. Leave for half an hour then pour boiling water down the drain.

4. Pantry

An organised, clean pantry has so many benefits. Having everything in its place and in containers will give you a great idea of exactly what you have (I found 3 packets of self-raising flour at the back of my pantry when I was doing my clean) plus keep bugs at bay.

Keeping everything organised gives everything its place, making future pantry straighten-ups super easy.

The first clean is tough but worth it. Pull everything out of your pantry, organise it into sections (baking, dinner, snacks, condiments) and put it into containers. You’ll be surprised what a difference putting items into containers makes, instead of haphazard packaging strewn throughout the pantry.

5. Fridge

Your fridge gets a workout during the festive season. Ensure it’s clean and has the space you’re going to need when the guests come over.

Follow our method for getting your fridge clean. The method involves emptying it out, pulling out your shelves, cleaning them down and putting them back.

It’s worthwhile throwing out all expired foods, as well as anything you know you aren’t likely to eat before it expires.

To keep fridge smells away, you can either pop a cotton ball soaked in lemon in there overnight or leave half cup of Baking Soda on your top shelf all the time – some people swear by it!

6. Kitchen Utensils

Your utensils are going to be used a lot over the holidays so you want them in great working order, as well as hygienic. Before visitors come, soak all of your most used utensils in boiling water and vinegar to give them a fresh start.

Sprinkle coarse salt on your cutting board and rub with a lemon half, squeezing slightly to release the lemon juice as you go. It will stop smells and sanitise. You should also never use the same chopping board for raw meats and vegetables.