As it is named the heart and soul of your home, the kitchen needs constant cleaning attention. There is no other way around it, as that is where you prepare your food and thus the general hygiene demands are higher.

However, even when you wish the best for your kitchen, you can make some mistakes that are a setback to your best intentions for this room. It is essential to recognise these and try to prevent them the next time you get to cleaning:

You skip cleaning knobs and handles – it is only normal to focus your attention on kitchen surfaces as these take the most of the space in the room. However, you must not forget to wipe all knobs and handles. Since these are areas you frequently touch without washing your hands, it is important to clean and disinfect them properly. Wipe them with an antibacterial solution to limit the transfer of bacteria. Don’t forget about microwave buttons and small appliance handles.

You are struggling with bottles and jars – cleaning various bottles and jars could be a real pain when all you have got is a sponge. However, there is an easy way to tackle the job with rice. Put a small amount of rice in the bottle/jar, add some washing up liquid and fill with warm water. Place the lid and shake it well. Rice serves as an abrasive, getting to all the places your sponge fails to.

You skip cleaning the cooker hood – ‘out of sight, out of mind’ applies in full force when it comes to cleaning the oven hood. Even if you are no cooking enthusiast, dust will accumulate there. Keep in mind that this item sucks up the excess grease from the cooking vapours. Over time it becomes clogged. Check with your manufacturer on how to best address this item.

You don’t clean chopping boards – wooden boards quickly become a host to countless germs and bacteria. Simple washing won’t do, as food residue tends to seep into the wood grain and thus contribute to bacteria growth. You can use salt over the board and sanitise them by rubbing half a lemon.

You don’t wear gloves – using various chemicals around the kitchen, whether it be for cleaning the room or washing the dishes takes a toll on your hands. Avoid skin problems by simply wearing gloves. It takes but a second to don them. You can use multi-use gloves, so you don’t need to worry about constant expenses.

You overload the dishwasher – don’t think that overloading the dishwasher is a smart thing to do, even if it feels like it is saving you some time. That way dishes will not come out as clean as you’d like them. Alternate placing spoons with handles up and down for thorough cleaning.

You use a single sponge for all tasks – bacteria from surfaces tend to cling onto the sponge you use to clean. That is why you should keep several sponges around to avoid cross-contamination.

Now that you know how to address the cleanliness of your kitchen get to it. Avoiding the outlined mistakes will make the job easier for you.