Unless immunocompromised or cutting raw chicken, I doubt anyone would get sick from a kitchen sponge or cloth. Think of the filth people lived in for most of human history. If anyone is sick, I change towels and cloths daily. Otherwise, things air dry between uses and I change every few days.
Just google: dirty sponge bacteria.
Rinse your sponge in hot, soapy water and wring well. Then immerse in hot, very soapy water and wring just a bit. Let it dry out with the soap in it. Change sponges bi-weekly. Costco sells them dirt cheap. Problem solved.
I run my sponges through the dishwasher probably 2x a week, right afterwards if I clean up after prepping meat.
The dish towels, probably one load a week, and that includes the dogs’ beds to make it a full load. I have a super sensitive sense of smell and I can’t deal with doggy odor, so the dogs are probably as clean as the humans (they take showers with me a few times a week).
Mail-most never makes it past the garage and it goes into the recycling bin. Husband’s mail goes on his bureau (he’s a stacker, big time, but that methodology works for him and it’s limited to his bedside table, his bureau, his side of the closet, and the man cave-I don’t touch any of those). My mail gets opened and sorted immediately.
The cat passed away last week and I have to say I am so happy not to be constantly cleaning the litter box. It’s the first time in my life I haven’t had a cat(s), and I don’t miss it. At all. I have a 7 lb chihuahua and he ticks all the cuddle boxes that the cats do, and bonus! he poops outside.
In between changes, I will throw sponges in the dishwasher or zap in the microwave for a minute to kill germs.
We have four slots in the front hall for each person’s mail. The mail goes there or into recycling. I have dishtowels, but also use paper towels and for wiping stuff up sponges. I don’t sterilize my sponges or put them in the dishwasher. Illness is very rare in the house, especially stomach bugs.
Wait, you wash the kitchen towels with the dog’s bed- that ok? My not so old clothes washer doesn’t run on anything I’d call sterilizing.
How about your dryer?
BB, in general, I separate the terrible from more personal items- eg the rags I cleaned the bathroom with. Not sure I’d even do the dog stuff with people bedding. Overly concerned?
family germs okay. outside germs bad.
That said the dog bed wouldn’t get washed with my dish towels. Not sure why exactly…just a gut (so to speak) instinct.
I don’t wash my cat items with other stuff for one reason: no matter how long the wash/dry cycle is, there is always leftover cat hair! So cat items get washed separately to minimize cat hair transfer. I separate my wash loads by the type of wash the items need (handwash, athletic wear, etc), then by colors if needed.
Not a mindless thread…never from you. Ok…my counters: two sets of knives…one from my daughter’s boyfriend (Use these all the time) the other in a butcher block. The latter a good knife from my dil and has a sharpener. Moving along: one has liquors (for cooking and the occasional swigs. Cooktop…impliments for cooking…pictures of orchids, some stuff for water (in the garden window. Breadbox…toaster…three serving pieces…toaster …kettle…coffee maker…recipe holder…wine.bottle openers…a television…and
@lookingforward my frontloading Samsung washer has a “sterilize” cycle that takes 2 1/2 hours and uses steam. I also add bleach. Nothing’s coming through that wash still alive and anything less than clean and fresh smelling.
The dryer also has a sterilize cycle. Samsung has totally figured out how to market to pathogenophobes like me. :>
I have my keurig, my 2 slice toaster and my can opener out. I also have ceramic canisters out and a lazy susan type holder for my serving utensils.
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Most important …two fire extinguishers…one for oil fires and one general. Out on the counter…if there is a fire…I don’t want to look for a fire extinguisher.
Counters? What counters? Can’t even SEE the counters here for all the stuff–appliances, food, mail, dirty dishes, etc. etc. Six of my kids are home right now (7th one coming to visit in a couple days!) My kitchen will always have that “lived-in” look. Even when it gets cleaned up, it is trashed again in a few hours. Not gonna fight it. Small appliances are all out–including coffee maker (not keurig. . .never understood those) coffee grinder, mixer, 4 slice toaster, bread machine, cotton candy maker. Appliance garage is where we keep our liquor.
All clutter out as much as possible!
I suppose it must seem silly to some, but I pull the cutting board out as needed, and then slot it back in its over the oven platter storage area once it is dry. Knives may spend hours out on the drying rack, but are often sheathed in their protective guards and then returned to drawer behind the prep area. Salt & pepper grinders go back on their shelf after use. Spices are on a graduated rack inside the cabinet. Toaster oven is the only appliance out, but the only other electric device I use is the blender, and much more rarely, the food processor.
The island holds a pile of paperwork clutter, resistant to my own pathetic efforts at removal, but I don’t do food prep at the island so I ignore it.
Person after my own heart, CT1417! Although substitute Nespresso maker for toaster oven. Now, if I could just think of a way to store my Nespresso maker … It is the full water reservoir that makes it seem like it has to be on the counter. I could empty the water reservoir but I consider that to be an ingenious feature … Always ready for cappucinos! (The frother is immediately washed and put away though).