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Fun fact: Kitchen sinks can have over 17,000 bacteria per square inch, and tap handles can have 13,000. Yes, you read correctly—per square inch! However much or little you cook and work with food, the kitchen sink quickly becomes a high-traffic hot zone in most homes. We utilize it to wash our hands, clean and prepare food, stack and wash dirty dishes and utensils covered in food particles, clean pots and pans, thaw frozen foods, work with raw meat and fish, and the list goes on.
A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen! Few things feel better than clearing out a big sink full of dirty dishes, wiping it down, and starting anew from sparkly fresh scratch. But do you ever take a moment to glance down at the center of the sink, where everything you just washed away strains and drains out of sight? Sure, your sink may be sparkling and shiny, but when was the last time you gave that kitchen sink strainer a good scrub?
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Why Cleaning Your Kitchen Sink Strainer Is Important
With any of the examples above, all of that residual food, soap, and bacteria has to make its way down the drain. However, it’s important to always have a sink strainer, stopper, or basket in place to catch particles that could cause plumbing issues later. Let’s touch on some of the reasons why cleaning this simple kitchen tool is critical for maintaining a truly clean, safe, and sanitary kitchen.
- Foodborne-illness. Food residue left in the strainer over time can cultivate bacteria, yeast, and mold. This can pose a major risk for foodborne-illness causing bacteria to stick around. This is especially true if you haven’t properly cleaned your kitchen area after working with raw meats or fish, which can spread Salmonella and E-coli.
- Unpleasant odors. In addition to becoming a health hazard, that food residue can cause some pretty unpleasant odors to linger if the strainer goes unsoaked and unscrubbed. If you’ve cleaned your sink and still smell something off in your kitchen you can’t seem to pinpoint, there’s a strong chance the sink drain may be the culprit.
- Improve drainage. Taking proper care of the kitchen sink strainer, which keeps food from going down your drain, will also help prevent clogging your pipes and damaging your overall plumbing system. If your drain continues to clog even while using a strainer, it may be time to get it checked out or get a replacement.
- Long-term home maintenance. Home repairs are inevitable, and whether you own or rent, no one wants to deal with the headache or financial burden of getting things fixed. While this is inevitable, because life happens, taking little steps on a regular basis to protect your sink, pipes, drains, and the overall air quality of your home will be worth it later on. Here’s a 15-minute clean kitchen checklist!
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How Often Should You Clean Your Kitchen Sink Strainer?
Over the course of the week, all types of residue will build up inside a sink strainer. Some, like bits of food, we can see. Others, such as bacteria and yeast, we can’t. It’s important to clean your strainer or stopper weekly to maintain quality and cleanliness. Then, treat it to a deep clean on a monthly basis. Here are some of the easiest methods for giving your sink strainer a proper scrub, so it can show up to work tomorrow good as new.
Methods For Cleaning Your Kitchen Sink Strainer
- Handwash. On a weekly basis, use a sponge to wash the strainer in warm, soapy water.
- Dishwasher. Put your strainer in the dishwasher, which will get down to the nitty gritty. The water is hot, the pressure is high, and it gives the strainer ample time for cleaning. If you opt for the dishwasher, remove any food particles from the strainer first. They can get stuck in the appliance and cause further plumbing or drainage issues.
- Baking soda and vinegar soak. Add 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup white vinegar to a bowl, and fill it with hot water. Submerge the strainer in the bowl and allow it to sit and soak for 30 minutes. Use this solution on a monthly basis to give the strainer a deep clean. Residue will fall off, odors will dissipate, and harmful germs will be removed. Guess what else is a hot zone in your kitchen? Find out here.
- Overnight soak. If the strainer is very dirty and you’re not prepared to buy a replacement quite yet, soak it overnight in a bowl with the baking soda and vinegar soak above, and then scrub it the next day with a sponge and warm water.
When Should You Replace Your Kitchen Sink Strainer?
If you clean your kitchen sink strainer regularly, it should be replaced at least once per year. However, if it shows signs of significant wear and tear sooner, such as rust, holes, stubborn or moldy debris, or carries an unpleasant odor, it would be best to change it sooner, for the sake of everyone’s health, wallet, and appetite!
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