How To: Clean and sanitize the kitchen

Looking to give your kitchen a good cleaning this spring? Don't go out and spend a ton of money on sanitizing sprays and cleaning equipment. Cleaning and sanitizing your kitchen is easy, effective, and inexpensive, because everything you need is likely in your kitchen!

You Will Need:
• Sponges
• Soapy water
• Bleach
• A towel
• Vinegar or hydrogen peroxide
• A microwave oven
• A dishwasher (optional)

Step 1: Put things away
Put away all food, dishes, silverware, and small appliances.

Step 2: Remove all food and soil particles
Remove all food particles and other soil types that are visible on surfaces using a sponge, soap, and warm water.

Step 3: Clean handles
Wipe down all cupboard knobs, refrigerator door handles, and stove handles with fresh soapy water.

Step 4: Re-wipe with bleach
Wipe down the same surfaces, this time with one capful of household bleach in a gallon of clean, lukewarm water.

Step 5: Wipe dry
Allow all food contact surfaces to dry, or dry them with a clean, dry towel.

Step 6: Clean cutting boards
Clean and sanitize plastic cutting boards in a dishwasher or with soapy water, and then sanitize with straight vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.

Step 7: Clean sponges
Clean sponges by wetting them and putting them in a microwave for one minute or running them through a dishwasher cycle. Never microwave a dry sponge.

Fact: Each year over 550 food-borne illnesses are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 percent of which are attributed to restaurants.