Do utensils need to be sterilized for kefir similar to making yogurt?
No, unlike canning or making yogurt, kefir does not require utensils to be thoroughly sterilized. Just use clean hands and utensils, preferably ones that are designated to just kefir related tasks. Expecially if you are culturing viili, make sure the utensils to do mingle – cross-contamination is very easy between these two cultures. There is no need to boil, use bleach, vinegar etc – a simple hand wash or dishwasher cycle will suffice. Kefir, by its nature, keeps itself sterilized and clean (inhibits foreign microorganisms quite well)- you will notice that even when leaving a utensil out with kefir on it, it will not mold for quite some time. This is why rinsing your grains is not needed (and actually can upset them a bit) and constantly changing to new jars is not necessary either (a jar change once a week or every 2 weeks is just as effective). Make sure lids and cloths are clean as well, and getting washed (if you use cloth lids or bags to hold the grains, wash and then iron it to
