Few people realize that washing dishes by hand can be very unhygienic. Dish sponges are to blame for everything. Although they are essential for cleaning, over time they become a breeding ground for bacteria. How often should we replace them? Find out when to replace your dishwashing sponge?
When the most polluted object in the house is said, many people immediately think of a toilet or other piece of bathroom equipment. However, few people know that far more bacteria are found in a dishwashing sponge. All this because we forget about the regular replacement and disinfection of this object. How often should we do this?
When to replace the dish sponge? Many forget it
Sponges for dishes they are essential equipment for every household, as they are used for both cleaning and washing dishes. Even if you have a dishwasher, not all dishes can be put in it and then have to be washed by hand.
We often forget to change it regularly, which results in the multiplication of health-threatening microorganisms.
Scientist Trond Møretrø from the Norwegian Institute for Food Research (Nofima) in his research published in the journal Journal of Applied Microbiology stated that:
“There can be more bacteria in such a sponge than in humans on Earth.”
According to experts, there are up to 82 billion bacteria and 362 types of microbes in the mat. For this reason, it is recommended to use one sponge for a maximum of one week. If you use it very often, it is worth changing it after only three days.
How to disinfect a dish sponge? Do it regularly
The sponges are soaked every day into warm water and then left to dry for several hours, so it’s no surprise that they create an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. If you don’t want to replace them every few days to save money, it’s worth at least disinfecting them regularly. How to do it?
- Simply pour hot water and a little vinegar or lemon juice into a bowl.
- Immerse a sponge in such a mixture and let it act for 5 minutes.
- Then squeeze out the sponge and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
High temperature combined with acidity will kill most microorganisms.
Sponge for washing dishes you can also wash it in the dishwasher. Place it in the cutlery basket and it will be almost as good as new after the program is finished. Remember to never use the same dishwasher for different activities. This means that one should be used for washing dishes and the other only for cleaning other surfaces.
What do the colors of the dish sponge mean? This detail is very important. Hence the scratches on the cups
