After seeing this recent U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC estimate , we started thinking about kitchen safety tips to help keep our families safe from these all-too-common illnesses.
Where to start? Try cleaning sponges. Washing hands before cooking and eating are a good, commonsense way to start. Earlier this year, a Chicago Tribune article added that kitchen sponges are a major source of microbes, saying that when NSF International an independent public health organization swabbed various items in homes, the kitchen sponge was by far the germiest, harboring times more bacteria, mold, and yeast than a toothbrush holder!
How long you keep your sponge is fully dependent on use. If you use your sponge every day, you should keep it for only about a week if you never sterilize it. If you do sterilize your sponge regularly, it can typically last for two to three weeks.
This is because your sponge will still lose its scrubbing power over time, regardless of how clean it is. As you can see, there are many pros and cons to microwaving your kitchen sponge. The whole purpose of washing your dishes is to keep things clean and healthy.
Scrubbing your dishes with a bacteria-filled sponge defeats that purpose entirely. Overall, microwaving your sponge regularly will keep it sterilized, clean to use, and prolong its life. But, it is important to replace your sponge even with regular sterilization. Regardless of whether you follow this life hack or not, it is important to maintain a clean sponge and replace it regularly to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. Sterilizes sponges. Instead of tossing out your old sponge, microwave it.
It can kill illness-causing bacteria like E. The longer you microwave your sponge, the more bacteria and germs it will kill. Typically, 4 minutes is the most you should need to sterilize one sponge. Saves you money. What's on a sponge? Does microwaving a sponge work? How long should you use a sponge? What are other sponge-cleaning tips? Are there any effective alternatives to sponges?
The takeaway. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Kristen M. Moyer, MD. Want to Kill Dangerous Bacteria? Open Your Blinds Invite more natural sunlight into your house or office by opening blinds or pulling back curtains.
Do Aqueous Ozone Cleaners Work? Plus, 3 to Try. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Never microwave metal sponges or sponges containing metal. Check the packaging if you are not certain. A popular sponge scrubber is Scotch Brite by 3M, and their website states that cleaning can be done by running the sponge through a dishwasher — which can run at temperatures of degrees Fahrenheit.
Now you know that despite conflicting reports, you really should microwave your sponge. To keep it the cleanest it can be, the best rule is to microwave it after every use and to make sure that it reaches degrees Fahrenheit. Read your microwave instructions, and monitor your sponge while microwaving for safety.
And never take it out with bare fingers, it will most likely be at boiling temperature. Wait for it to cool, and use tongs for the removal. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content We may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. August 10, Leave a Reply Cancel reply Comment. Enter your name or username to comment. Enter your email address to comment.
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