Toss this bacteria-laden home staple IMMEDIATELY?
January is a great time of year to organize… clean… and toss old household items.
And if you’re using this time to do a little “out with the old, in with the new” …
Then today I’m going to give you a good place to start.
Because this home staple could be laden with BACTERIA… and should be tossed in the trash!
And you don’t have to be a clean-freak to be horrified at this one…
Your kitchen sponge probably looks clean…
But looks can be deceiving!
According to a study out of Duke University, the average kitchen sponge is littered with MORE bacterial species than a Petri dish.
YUCK!
But this has nothing to do with how dirty your kitchen is…
It’s due to the design of the typical sponge.
Most sponges are packed with countless crevices where germs can hide, allowing different types of bacteria to grow and MULTIPLY.
These hard-to-reach areas of the sponge also allow for some bacteria to live ‘alone’ and make themselves nice and cozy.
The study referred to the varied ‘living conditions’ for bacteria as multilevel portioning.
In other words, the sponge is like a dream home for germs and bacteria!
But here’s the deal…
There’s no reason to completely stop using a sponge. You’ll just need to take some simple steps to eradicate the bacteria and keep them from multiplying (and ending up on your dishes!).
It’s always a good practice to replace your sponge on a regular basis. But depending on how often you use it, you’ll need to do more.
My go-to practice is to run it through the dishwasher—preferably on a sanitize cycle (if your dishwasher has one).
The heat and jets from your dishwasher will thoroughly kill the bacteria living in your sponge, without you having to lay a finger on it.
After a cycle in the dishwasher, just be sure to squeeze out any excess water sitting in the sponge.
To a bacteria-free home,
Cory Templeman
Senior Editor, eAlert
Sources:
Solis-Moreira, Jocelyn. “Scientists uncover filthy truth: Your kitchen sponge holds more bacteria than a lab Petri dish!” https://studyfinds.org/kitchen-sponges-more-bacteria/
