Sponge Grunge

While flipping through my monthly issue of Nutrition Action from CSPI, I took note of their cover story "Safe at Home".  The article focused on keeping  your kitchen clean - including dish cloths, sponges, sinks, cutting boards, refrigerators, counter tops, freezers, microwaves, and dish washers. But the DIRTIEST thing in  your kitchen is probably your sponge. Microbiologist Manan Sharma was interviewed in the article and said sponges are so dirty  because "They come into contact with food residues that can build up in them and that provide nutrients for bacteria and other microorganisms to grow." The article also points out that sponges are left in damp areas causing them to be wet. This only encourages conditions for germs to multiply. "A safe kitchen is a dry kitchen."

So, what to do? Rinsing and squeezing a sponge under running water alone won't do much for you. Microwave a WET sponge for one minute, and you will rid yourself of the majority of germies. (Please don't put it in the microwave if it has metal.) An alternative to the microwave is your dishwasher. 

WikiHow has other great step by step instructions on cleaning sponges. But, if you want to avoid sponges all together, just keep a fresh dish cloth out at the beginning of the day and toss it in the hamper in the evening. Just remember not to use a sponge as your "final wipe" of a surface.