The kitchen is the true heart of the home.

The stove is hot, often humid, and also contains food on a regular basis – in other words, this is germ heaven.

Generally, it is a good idea to wash the kitchen floor between two and four times per week. If you have small children, a daily wash could be necessary.

Grooves in cutting boards are ideal breeding grounds for all sorts of different bacteria, such as Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni and Clostridium perfringens.

The air in the kitchen could be problematic, as this is the place where cooking is done. Good ventilation is needed to keep the air clean.

Dust, which contains germs, fungi and house mites, tends to gather in and on cupboards. Germs commonly found in dust include the bacteria that may cause colds and flu.