Keeping a kitchen clean can seem like an endless task when as soon as you get things straightened out, it seems like it’s time to mess everything up again. Rather than let dirt and dishes pile up, read our tips for a spotless kitchen, which include quick daily tasks that will save you time—and keep you and your family safe.

Invest In Kitchen Cabinet Organizers

Cabinet organizers are lifesavers. You can use them to save space where you store pots, pans and other kitchenware, and they are also excellent for keeping cleaning products and supplies. Sometimes half the battle in cleaning your kitchen is putting things away, or trying to find where they are. By investing in kitchen cabinet organizers you will have easy access to all your cleaning essentials and be able to sanitize inside cabinets more easily.

Take Out The Trash AND Clean The Can

The bag of garbage in your trash can may seem like one of the dirtiest things in your kitchen—but the can itself is not much better. Trash cans should be cleaned out weekly (scrubbed with dishwashing liquid and hosed down) but you can avoid breeding bacteria in between cleans by spraying the inside and outside of cans with a disinfectant spray every time you put in a new bag.

Kill Bacteria At Its Core

With all the soap that goes into kitchen sinks you wouldn’t think they were breeding grounds for bacteria, but you thought wrong. Salmonella and other germs can lurk in kitchen sinks long after you’ve washed raw meats and vegetables. To avoid spreading these germs to your family and home, kitchen sinks should be thoroughly cleaned after each use. To ensure proper cleaning, spray an EPA-registered disinfectant on the surface and allow it to sit for the full time recommended in the directions. (Note: Kitchen sinks should be washed daily, even when raw food is not in contact.)

Don’t Underestimate The Power Of A Toothbrush

You may have laughed at the obsessive notion of cleaning your kitchen with a toothbrush but for some surfaces it’s the perfect solution. To clean around kitchen sinks and in any narrow areas, spray disinfectant on surface (or directly on the bristles of the toothbrush) and scrub. To clean the toothbrush, soak in disinfectant solution after cleaning or run through the dishwasher.

Save Yourself From Sponges And Dishrags

Reusable sponges and dishrags are a great way to cut back on costs, and are typically more durable than paper towels, but the NSF found that three quarters of these kitchen-cleaning tools are carrying bacteria. The scarier part is that this bacteria is then spread when you wipe down kitchen sinks and counters, and can come in contact with your hands, silverware, and even food. The most effective way to kill the bacteria found in sponges and dishrags is to clean daily by running through the washer (use hot water) and dryer (high heat). If that’s too much of a hassle—dampen with water and microwave for two minutes.