Kitchen Cleaning Tips

Although some people prefer plastic cutting boards because they can be put in the dishwasher, I've always loved large wooden chopping blocks. Perhaps it's because I have fond memories of my father chopping on his custom-made wood cutting board, but there's something that's rustic and cool about old-school boards. Since I'm the proud owner of a giant (and incredibly heavy) new wooden cutting board, I figure it's high time I learned the proper technique for cleaning it. To find out the dos and don'ts of wooden cutting board care, keep on reading.

If you love baking and absolutely loathe dishes, then there's only one thing you can do: avoid washing extra dishes by dirtying the least amount of kitchen equipment. Here are a few tips to keep the dishes at bay and the actual dishwashing part easier, so you can spend more time getting down to the fun part of the job — the taste test.

• Set out a large plate. Place all the equipment you will need on the plate like measuring cups, spoons, a knife, and a spatula. It will keep your counters clean and clutter-free.
• Measure all dry ingredients, then wet. So the dry ingredients don't stick inside the spoons or cups, measure the dry ingredients first before measuring the wet ingredients.
• Don't put a single dish in the sink while prepping the batter. Avoid putting bowls, whisks, knives, and other equipment in the sink. Chances are you will need it again, so stash it on the large plate for easy grabs.

In order to keep you and your family well fed and healthy, a clean kitchen is essential. Here are some tips to keep your kitchen germ- and bug-free.

• Wash your hands before preparing and eating meals and snacks. I know you know this already, but it's just a little reminder.
• Clean commonly touched surfaces in your kitchen. Use disinfectant spray or wipes on sink faucets, refrigerator handles, stove handles, cupboard handles, soap dispensers, trashcans, doorknobs, light switches, and any other areas touched by grimy hands.
• Have separate cutting boards for meat. To avoid cross-contamination to veggies and fruits, use a separate cutting board for meat. Be sure to wash them immediately after use. If using plastic or glass cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher.
• Keep the items that disinfectant your dishes clean. Have both a sponge for dishes and one for the counters; replace sponges every two weeks. While in use, limit bacterial growth by allowing your sponge to dry out between uses, and you can also periodically microwave your wet sponge for two minutes. Dish towels should also be cleaned at least once a week.
• Wash all fruit and vegetable peels, even the ones you don't eat. Who knows how many hands (or worse) came in contact with your oranges, avocados, bananas, and cantaloupe. Wash all fruits and veggies before cutting into them to avoid transferring germs onto the edible parts.

Read on for more germ-busting tips.