Cold and flu season is well underway and it's important to do everything you can to prevent spreading germs in the home. Remind everyone in the family to wash their hands often and to cover their mouths when they cough. Be extra careful about cleaning the germ zones in the home as well. The cleaning experts at MOLLY MAID recommend regular cleaning and sanitizing to prevent bacteria growth.

1. Sink

• Did you know that the bathroom and kitchen sinks can contain more bacteria than the toilet bowl? Wipe them down regularly with disinfectant. If you have a stainless steel sink, cut a lemon in half, put baking soda on the lemon halve, rub down sink area and rinse. The lemon will act as a disinfectant while leaving a citrusy scent. Always dry the sink after cleaning for best results.
• To clean taps and handles, soak paper towel in white vinegar and use it to wipe down the taps.

2. Dishes

• Keeping the dishwasher sanitized helps to keep dishes safe and clean too. Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp microfibre and use it to wipe around your dishwasher. The experts at MOLLY MAID recommend that you run an empty cycle every once in a while to ensure the cleanliness.
• Never leave your dishes sitting out; always clean it as you use them. Mould and bacteria can grow and multiply, especially if you are stacking them in your sink.

3. Kitchen Counters

• Wipe down your kitchen surfaces after every use. This is important because your utensils and hands come in contact with your countertops several times throughout the day. 

Are you planning a delicious Valentine's Day dinner with your special someone?  Make sure you know how to wrap up the leftovers!  

Storing food properly prevents food contamination and helps to preserve the food quality and taste. The experts at MOLLY MAID recommend these do's and don'ts:

Do:

• Do put the food in an air-tight container. The rule of thumb is to eat leftovers within two days.
• Do let warm leftovers cool down for at least 90 minutes before you package them up and put them into the fridge. If food is still hot when it is placed in the fridge, it can heat the temperature of the fridge and that can increase bacteria.
• Do store meat in a container at the bottom of your fridge so that it can't leak onto other food.
• Do freeze meat and fish before the use-by date.
• When defrosting meat, do keep it in a plastic bag placed in a bowl - in order to prevent leakage.
• Do clean the fridge regularly in order to keep it hygienic and prevent bacteria growth and to maintain its condition.

Don't:

• Don't store food in an opened can because metal from the can may transfer into the actual food. Instead, empty the contents of the can into an air tight container or a bowl, cover it and place in the fridge.
• Don't refreeze meat or seafood once it has been thawed.
• Don't keep food in the freezer indefinitely. Date packages if possible so you always know what's in the freezer (and fridge) and try to plan meals accordingly.
• Don't reheat food more than once. Once defrosted and heated, eat food immediately and only defrost as much as you can eat. The more times you reheat food, the higher the risk of food poisoning. 

Most households put the dishwasher to good use but often a film builds up on the inside. Part of your fall clean in the kitchen should include giving the dishwasher a good clean, and there's an easy way to get rid of the film. Here's how:

1. Fill the dishwasher with dirty dishes.
2. Place a bowl with 2 cups of white vinegar on the bottom rack of the dishwasher.
3. Fill the dispenser with dishwashing detergent as you normally would.
4. Run the dishwasher through its normal wash cycle.

The vinegar will clean the inside of the dishwasher - it's as simple as that!

Making sure that the products you use and the foods you eat are safe can be a challenge.  The professional cleaning experts at MOLLY MAID recommend these guidelines:

Dishcloth

• Expiry Date: 1 day
• Bacteria use damp dishcloths as a breeding ground so you should change your dishcloth every day.  Microfibre clothes are a great alternative to a traditional dish cloth. Click here to find out why.

Cutting Board

• Expiry Date: As soon as deep grooves or cracks develop
• When deep cracks or grooves develop it is difficult to properly clean and sanitize your cutting boards, and that can allow a build-up of food particles and bacteria.

Leftovers

• Expiry Date: 2- 4 days
• Leftovers shouldn't sit in your fridge any longer than a few days. They need to be kept at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius or colder.

• Mustard Expiry Date: 1 year
• Ketchup Expiry Date: 6 months
• Mayo Expiry Date: 2 months
• Remember, the law only requires expiry dates on products with a shelf life of 90 days or less, so not all products will be marked with a 'best before' date.

The general - and safe - rule of thumb is: "When in doubt, throw it out".  The above mentioned guidelines are recommendations only.  Refer to the manufacturer's guidelines for exact dates of individual products purchased.

Struggling to find your favourite recipe?

Keep your favourite recipes in a file organized into sections, suggest the house cleaning experts at MOLLY MAID.

The system may sound ridiculously simple, but it will save you hours of searching when you're looking for that all-time favourite cake recipe or need inspiration for a midweek meal menu.

Think about how recipe books present recipes in different sections. For example: appetizers, soups, salads, side dishes, main courses, desserts, brunch, parties.

This idea also works brilliantly for recording dinners you have already served at previous dinner parties. Record the menu, the guest list and comments... so you avoid serving the same meal to the same people twice but you also keep track of recipes and dishes that your family and friends loved!