Cleaners say knife blocks are the dirtiest thing in your kitchen and you should get rid of yours right now – plus what to use instead

A general interior view of a newly fitted sage green, grey shaker style kitchen with stainless steel handles, extractor fan hood, splash back, oven, knife block, food mixer, potted plant, recessed ceiling spot lights and marble effect worktop within a home.

There are so many ways to store knives in a kitchen, that we usually opt for the most convenient or most aesthetic option without much second thought. However, professional cleaners are now warning that having a knife block could be sabotaging your health.

It turns out that no matter how well you clean a kitchen or maintain your knives, using a knife block significantly increases your exposure to bacteria, risking illness with every use.