Kitchen Patrol

What allergens are hiding in your kitchen? Mold could be lurking behind the stove or refrigerator, around the sink, inside the kitchen trash can, or on your dishrag; crumbs and food spills attract symptom-causing cockroaches; and cross-contamination of foods becomes more likely in a messy kitchen. Keep your kitchen neat and tidy and you'll help eliminate asthma and allergy symptoms.


Once a year, take everything out of your kitchen cabinets and wipe them clean. Throw away food stuffs that have expired or you know you'll never use.

Wipe the counters frequently, sanitize the chopping board between uses, clean up spills before they harden, and put away all foods used in preparation before sitting down to eat so that they don't spoil.

After each use, restore the kitchen to its previous state of order and cleanliness. Resist the temptation to use the kitchen as a multipurpose room or your bills and magazines will soon clutter your cooking area, making it more difficult to cook and clean.

Before going to bed at night, do a quick check. Food should be safely stored away; dishes washed, dried, and put away. The counters should be wiped down, the trash taken out, and once a week, pour baking soda and vinegar or a mild bleach solution (3/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water) into the drain followed by a rinsing with hot water to keep drains clear.

Launder your sponge or washrag after each use. This doesn't mean jumping up and washing them right away; collect used ones in the laundry room and wash them together once or twice a week. Never use the same rag you wash dishes with to wipe up a spill on the floor.

Finally, beware of harsh kitchen cleaners. They may make your oven sparkle or bleach your countertop clean, but their strong odor can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. Try these natural, homemade cleaners:

Mild All-Purpose Cleaner
Mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda with a quart of warm water. Wipe with a soft cloth or sponge dipped in the solution. Rinse with clear water. This is good for wiping out the refrigerator and the oven (when the latter in not heavily soiled with baked-on food), as it both cleans light soil and deodorizes. It will not remove heavier dirt.
Lime and Mineral Deposit Remover
Because lime and mineral deposits are made of calcium and other salts that dissolve in acid, they will soften with a white-vinegar poultice. Soak a rag or paper towel in white vinegar and leave it around the faucet or other trouble spots for about an hour. The deposits should then be soft enough to remove.

Excerpts reprinted from an interview with Cheryl Mendelson, author of Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House (Allergy & Asthma Health magazine, Fall 2000).