Experts recommend that people stop using sponges to wash dishes and eating utensils, because these items accumulate billions of bacteria that directly threaten intestinal health.
Dish sponges can become one of the most bacteria-accumulating tools in the kitchen, depending on how they are used, stored, and how often they are replaced, according to The Washington Post. Studies show that sponges easily retain food residue. If left wet and warm for many hours, it will create a nest of bacteria that can spread to hands, dishes, kitchen surfaces, and many other surfaces.
Research by Duke University (USA) published in 2022 shows that the multi-sized pore structure inside cellulose foam creates the environment that stimulates the strongest growth of microorganisms. Actual culture results demonstrate that these hollow cavities nourish both single living species and bacterial populations, especially the intestinal bacteria E. coli.
Previously, microbiologist Markus Egert at Furtwangen University (Germany) discovered 362 species of microorganisms on used dishwashing pads. Bacterial density in some locations reached 54 billion individuals per cm², equivalent to the amount of bacteria in a human stool sample.
Professor Don Schaffner, Head of the Department of Food Science at Rutgers University (USA), warns that the habit of keeping wet sponges turns this item into a source of spreading E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria to hands, dishes and kitchen surfaces. These pathogens lead to skin infections and acute food poisoning. Experimental data in 2021 shows that sponges still hold a teaspoon of water after 24 hours, nurturing dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella or Campylobacter that cause gastroenteritis.
Illustration photo: Vchalup
To replace sponges, expert Jason Bolton from the University of Maine Agricultural Extension System (USA) recommends that housewives switch to specialized brushes, cloth towels or silicone wash pads. Dishwashing brushes made from plastic or bamboo wood have sparse bristles, limit food residue and dry completely after 4.5 hours. Users need to wash the brush every day with hot soapy water, turn the bristles upside down to drain water, or clean in the dishwasher. When the bristles of the brush become dirty or yellow, the family should replace it immediately to eliminate the harborage of pathogens.
For flat surfaces or non-stick pots and pans that easily scratch, families should choose cotton, linen or vegetable cellulose wipes. Cloth wipes allow for high-temperature cleaning and quick drying. Housewives need to prepare many towels to alternate every day. Absolutely do not roll damp towels after cleaning. Disposable paper towels also provide high disinfection efficiency but create a waste burden for the environment.
If you continue to use the sponge, the housewife must sterilize it every day using the dishwasher’s heat drying cycle, pouring boiling water above 71°C or soaking it and then microwaving it for one minute. However, these methods handle up to 60% of actual bacteria. The safest solution is still to remove the foam as soon as the material wears out, or invest in a waterproof silicone cleaning pad to protect the health of the whole family.