Associate Professor Barbara Mullan from Curtin University’s school of psychology told ABC: “Bacteria will stay alive on surfaces, even clean surfaces, for up to four days. So on dishes that have contamination like food particles, bacteria can stay alive for a very long time.”

The only solution? “Try to keep on top of the dishes,” she said.

Dr Kelly A. Reynolds, PhD, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona’s Zuckerman College of Public Health in Tucson told Woman’s Day: “There can be millions of pathogens (disease-causing germs) clinging to the sink and the seal of the drain,” says Dr. Reynolds.

Same as previous, if you keep on top of cleaning your kitchen sink there shouldn’t be a problem.

Your coffee maker can very quickly become a hot bed of warm, moist bacteria growth. A dirty coffee maker can also affect the taste of the brew, making your coffee taste oily and/or chalky.

Try cleaning your coffee maker by running a cycle with diluted vinegar and water.

It’s a myth that your microwave kills all the bacteria inside when you use it. “Bacteria are resilient and can lie dormant if you’re not regularly disinfecting the surface,” says Dr. Reynolds.

Make sure you’re wiping out the microwave daily, and clean up spills as they happen to stop microbes from multiplying.

READ MORE: These Microwave Hacks That Will Give Better Tasting Food

Do not forget about your kitchen floor, unless you want to meet an invasion of the bug variety. Your kitchen floors are the first place bugs enter and dwell when hygiene levels slip (no judgment, it happens).

All you have to do is a quick 5-minute daily sweep and bulk it up to a 10 minute or so sweep every second day.

It’s where trash goes in and trash comes out, but one thing that doesn’t budget is the bin itself. And let’s be honest, not everything that enters the rubbish bin makes it directly into the bin; sometimes there’s a bit of spillage and splatter, especially around the lid and rim.

Besides being more careful when you and your household members dispose of trash, it’s a good idea to spray disinfectant and wipe down your trash bin daily.

Grease, spills, crumbs and other food bits tend to accumulate over the course of the day, and especially after cooking. This attracts pests like lizards, ants and cockroaches that nobody wants to have in their home. So it’s wise to give your counter tops a wipe-down at the end of the day or, better yet, disinfect them with an all-purpose cleaner.

READ MORE:
Here’s How Often You Should Be Cleaning Your Office Desk
10 Golden Rules For A Healthier Kitchen And Lifestyle
This Handy Cleaning Tool Will Leave Your Home Spick And Span In No Time

Photo: Pexels

Text: Now To Love / Additional reporting: Elizabeth Liew