Keeping a clean kitchen isn’t merely a means of keeping to aesthetics; there are some serious hygienic, therapeutic, and economic reasons to keep your kitchen clean and clear. After all, shouldn’t your kitchen be clean enough to eat off?
In addition, keeping a clean kitchen is also a means of pest prevention. Often, the cleanliness of a kitchen is one of the main factors in unwanted pest problems like ants, fruit flies, roaches or rodents in the home. Certainly your first line of defense, the cleanliness of your kitchen can also be your last.
Much of improving the cleanliness of your kitchen comes down to simple habits, of getting into the recurring habit of certain practices and policies. For instance, start wiping down your counters and dining tables after every meal; keep the lid of the garbage closed at all times; cover partially eaten leftovers or half chopped foods like onions and tomatoes; discard food scraps right away, not letting them sit in the sink for hours at a time.
Sticking to these habits means less sources of food for pests—who are only entering your home for food, water and shelter; items which you can take steps to eliminate. In addition to helping qualm your potential pest problems, you’ll also up the cleanliness of your kitchen in terms of bacteria, giving you cleaner surfaces to cook and prep food on, as well as eliminating potential sources of bacteria in the fridge and in the garbage.
Salmonella and ecoli are nasty viruses that can occur as a result of improper cleanliness and disinfection. Thus, eliminating or containing food stuff is a great way to prevent your chances of contracting one of these bugs. For more on food hygiene in the kitchen check out The Evening Inn.
With these practices in place you can start adapting other practices such as keeping your counters free and clear, washing dishes immediately after use, or putting away appliances like blenders and food processors when not in use. These practices are designed for more organizational effects, keeping your kitchen streamlined and free of clutter.
As stress and anxiety are commonly tied to clutter and a lack of organization, keeping your kitchen as clean as possible can help reduce your stress. You can even turn your kitchen into a zen garden with a small fountain in the corner or with some air fresheners, although some of the more distinctive air fresheners might pervade into your cooking.
For some natural air fresheners whose influence you might not mind entering your cuisine, plant some natural herbs and spices near the window. Visit Organic Authority for a comprehensive description of what you can grow in your garden.
Finally, as a last pest prevention, you might want to go through your kitchen and close up or seal any gaps or leaks in the doors and windows; this will help close up portals for pests to enter through as well as plug drafts and breezes where precious heat or AC is likely to leak, saving you money on your energy bill as well.
Keeping a clean kitchen can have many positive effects on your home and health by reducing stress. It can also eliminate pest problems, and save you money on your energy bill.
