Have you ever wondered if there’s really anything you can do to ensure that your kitchen sponge is germ-free when you glance at it? Some choose to place their sponges in the microwave in the hopes that it will kill any germs, but we wanted to know if it was truly effective.
I’ve investigated the research and weighed in on the results alongside the studies. Here are some things to be aware of.
Does microwaving sponges really work?
Based on present data, it is unclear whether microwaving sponges are useful. According to a study, microwaving and boiling can considerably reduce the bacterial load of sponges, but this does not mean we should all do it (1).
“Results were contradictory,” according to the authors of the study, “for example showing effectiveness in the laboratory but not in used kitchen sponges, and no method alone seemed to be able to achieve a general bacterial reduction of more than about 60%.”
This isn’t ideal, they claim, because resistant bacteria that survive the sanitation process might quickly recolonize potentially promoting more hazardous bacteria in the sponges.
In another study, researchers found that microwaving sponges appear to change the composition and metabolic properties of microbial communities, but further research is needed to know whether these changes are beneficial or harmful to our health (2).
For starters, always clean your sponge in hot, soapy water. It will help to reduce bacteria. Some cultures, like Sweden, New Zealand, and Japan, avoid sponges altogether. Instead, they use a dishcloth that does not sour and can be thoroughly rinsed.
To Wrap Things Up
If you’re concerned that your sponge has germs, your best approach may be to discard it—especially if you don’t have a dishwasher to verify that your dishes are completely sterilized. Perhaps you will decide to replace all your sponges with dishcloths that are easier to wash. In any case, the main point is that if your sponge is becoming dirty, it is probably no longer worth keeping.
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