Michigan, This Kitchen Item Is Nastier Than Your Bathroom

Some items look nasty and others simply are. Your bathroom is usually the front-runner for the nastiest place in the house, even if you clean it regularly - as you should.

For the everyday Michigander, the kitchen can get fairly gross too, even despite your best efforts. Every time you handle raw meat in your kitchen, you're increasing the risk of spreading nasty bacteria all over your sink, counter and appliances.

Still, we can mindlessly put our dishes in the dishwasher and wipe down the counters and sink with some kitchen cleaner and forget about it all until the next day. But one item in particular could be getting nastier and nastier without you realizing it.

Believe it or not, it's your cutting board. If you think about it, no matter what style of board you use, it gets scarred and can harbor bacteria deep in those crevices which you nor your dishwasher may be able to clean well enough. Some believe it can lead to a cutting board being even nastier than the toilet.

Okay, but how legit is that claim? After all, no one is taking their cutting board into the bathroom and we're talking about completely different types of bacteria.

As Cheapism points out, the entire issue isn't so cut and dry.

Yes, you should clean your cutting board and the area around where it was used quickly, using white vinegar or lemon juice to disinfect if preferred. That can cut down on the bacteria it can harbor.

Whether or not you use a wooden or plastic board is largely irrelevant. Wooden boards can trap bacteria more easily but plastic boards can be problematic when it comes to microplastics and such. Pick your poison, I guess.

While your cutting board is likely to hold onto bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, it's not nearly as disgusting as the bacteria actually hanging out in your toilet. Nasty nonetheless? Yes, obviously.

Like most items in your kitchen, Michiganders, your cutting board will be effective and safe to use so long as you make the proper effort to take care of it.

Gallery Credit: Janna

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow