These 7 Tips Will Keep Your Kitchen Clean and Germ-Free During the Thanksgiving Rush

You'll make your life much easier if you start off with a sparkling-clean kitchen. Clean the kitchen sink with Clorox® Regular Bleach with CLOROMAX® to make sure no lingering germs from dinners past can contaminate your food — especially if you plan on rinsing off the turkey. Then, use Clorox® Clean-Up® Cleaner + Bleach on all of the countertops. When used as directed on nonporous surfaces, it kills 99 percent of viruses and bacteria.

Gotta make room for those leftovers! Get rid of anything you don't absolutely need, like that doggie bag from dinner on Tuesday or a tub of yogurt with only a few spoonfuls left. While you're at it, wipe down all the shelves and drawers so you're starting with a nice clean slate.

Once you start cooking, hand washing becomes extremely important. You'll want to clean your hands every time you handle raw meat and anytime you switch between dishes. Use hot water and plenty of soap, then really scrub for a full 20 seconds. Yes, even if the timer is beeping at you to take the green bean casserole out of the oven.

Disposable gloves can also be a cook's best friend, especially for working with the turkey or chopping anything spicy. Just make sure to put on a fresh pair every time you handle meat to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.

The turkey is the biggest food safety risk on Thanksgiving Day: Not only is it tough to cook such a big piece of meat properly, but the raw bird can also contaminate pretty much anything in the kitchen. Once you get it in the oven, wipe down every surface the turkey might have touched and throw all the cutting boards and utensils you used in the dishwasher.

The best home cooks clean as they go — not only does it make things easier on you when you're done preparing the meal, but keeping your workspace clean also makes cooking easier. Wipe up small spills with a wet paper towel, and stack dirty tools in the sink to give yourself room to work.

Once everyone has stuffed themselves with mashed potatoes and gravy, get back into the kitchen to put leftovers in the fridge. Tempting as it is to go lie on the couch and deal with cleanup later, waiting to pack away leftovers can lead to some dangerous conditions. Leaving food at room temperature for more than an hour or two invites in the bacteria that cause food-borne illness. Get them in the fridge first, then veg out on the couch in peace.