Dishwashing sponges are in almost every kitchen - cheap, convenient and easy to use - they have become an indispensable attribute of every housewife, but if used incorrectly, they can harm your health.
This is reported by the Dr. Evin website.
When cleaning the sink, people do not always pay attention to the sponges. But this is a real paradise for pathogenic bacteria. Food particles remain on the sponges when they come into contact with dirty dishes and the surface of the sink. A nutritious environment, high humidity and heat are just what bacteria need to multiply quickly. That's why the surface of dishwashing sponges is teeming with bacteria: microbiologists count more than 21.5 thousand microorganisms per 1 square centimeter.
Bacteria cannot be eliminated by simply washing the sponge with soap and water. Therefore, the products must also be treated: first, they must be kept in a vinegar solution and then put in the microwave oven for one minute. And of course, they should be changed more often.
Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, Escherichia coli and pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus have been found in various experiments. All these pathogens, entering the human body, can provoke infections - intestinal disorders, skin lesions, respiratory disorders, etc.
For example, Scientific Reports published the data of a thorough study of the composition of the flora inside dish sponges. The results are astonishing: up to 360 different bacterial species were identified per square centimeter, and their total number was up to 45 billion!
Regular cleaning of sponges reduces these rates, changes the structure of the bacterial community to a safer one, but does not completely make the sponge sterile. Therefore, the correct thing to do is to replace these products frequently, otherwise the risk of disease remains very high.
Thus, campylobacter usually lives in raw meat, and when it gets on dishes and kitchen sponges, it survives perfectly for at least a day. When the bacterium enters the body in 2-4 days there are cramps and pain in the abdomen, diarrhea and nausea with vomiting, fever rises. Campylobacteriosis is especially dangerous for children and people with immune system problems.
In the course of research, microbiologists have found out that salmonellae can survive on dishwashing sponges for up to 7 days. And those products that take a long time to dry are much more dangerous. If the sponge is not wrung out and dried, salmonellae multiply rapidly, their concentrations become extremely high. Therefore, be sure to wring and dry sponges after washing.
Often a sponge is used for other purposes: it can be used to wipe meat liquid, spilled milk or even garbage cans from the floor or countertop, or to clean the stove from burnt soup. Without hesitation, many people do this with a sponge. It is also used to clean vegetables and fruits from dirt, wash hands after various works. This is not the way to do it.
It is not uncommon to use a sponge until it becomes a shapeless lump - for weeks or months. Signs that it is time to replace the sponge: it has dirt on it, burnt food particles on the hard side, it is deformed. To keep your sponges safe, we recommend
- rinse thoroughly, wring out the sponge well after washing dishes;
- Each time you wash, carefully remove debris and food residue from the sponge, and if it does not clean, throw it away;
- Store products in a separate, dry container, not left in a sink where there is water;
- Change the sponge once a week or more often if it is very worn;
- throw the sponge away immediately if it smells.
It is also important not to use sponges to wipe down countertops, to remove liquid from under meat. There are paper towels or special napkins for this purpose.
It is also recommended to read the material entitled "Names the place where you can't keep birth control pills“.
