No household task is more rewarding than cleaning the kitchen. With the flick of a wrist the stove shines and the sink sparkles. You are the queen of all you survey.

Hold on, your highness. How clean is it? Wiping a surface with soap and water or a cleaning product may remove dirt, but it doesn't kill germs that can cause illness.

Clean - Remove visible debris by washing or scrubbing with soap (detergents) and water.

Sanitize - Reduce the number of bacteria. Sanitize food-related utensils and surfaces, including cutting boards.

Disinfect - Destroy even more potentially harmful bacteria and other microbes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates sanitizers and disinfectants and they have a statement to this effect on their labels.

Disinfecting with an EPA registered product such as Clorox® Clean-Up® Cleaner with Bleach has been shown to kill 99.9 percent of E. coli, Staphylococcus (staph) and Salmonella, plus other potentially harmful germs including viruses such as influenza (the "flu" virus), rhinovirus (one of the causes of the common cold) and rotavirus.

Antibacterial dishwashing liquids and hand soaps destroy or inhibit growth of bacteria on skin, but they are not formulated for killing viruses or other germs on hard surfaces.

Sanitizing and/or disinfecting hard, nonporous surfaces, especially in the kitchen, is a good way to reduce the risk of spreading germs by touch.

To reign over a safer, healthier kitchen, always use clean utensils, wash them before handling different foods and follow this routine:

Daily: Treat kitchen sink with 1 tablespoon Clorox® Regular-Bleach in 1 gallon of water. Pre-wash surface and wipe with bleach solution. Allow solution to contact surface for at least 5 minutes. Rinse well and air dry. Use Clorox® Anywhere® Hard Surface™ daily sanitizing spray on plastic cutting boards after each use.

About 3 times a week: Use Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes to quickly clean and disinfect kitchen faucets, countertops, appliances and their handles.

Weekly: Use Clorox® Disinfecting Floor and Surface Cleaner to clean and disinfect the kitchen floor. Wash machine-washable sponges and dishcloths in Clorox® Regular-Bleach and hot water.

About cutting boards

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers this advice:

"Use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or a non-porous material such as plastic and free of cracks and crevices. Avoid boards made of soft, porous materials. Wash cutting boards with hot water and soap, using a scrub brush. Then, sanitize them by washing in an automatic dishwasher or by rinsing with a solution of 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach to 1 quart of water.

"Always wash and sanitize cutting boards after using them for raw foods, such as seafood or chicken, and before using them for ready-to-eat foods. Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked, such as raw fish, and another only for ready-to-eat foods, such as bread, fresh fruit, and cooked fish."

Use products as directed.