The way a lamp has darkness lurking right at its base, our kitchen has sponges. It is the very element that swore to protect our health can potentially harbor nasty and dirty little secrets that can shake the very base of our health. Do you know what those hidden secret elements are? 

Bacteria. In 2017 some German researchers found that there could be around 54 billion bacteria within every cubic centimeter of a sponge. This result came out after they have tested 14 different sponges. Among the bacteria there were some harmless ones, and also some seriously harmful ones like E. Coli, Salmonella, etc. 

So, the question - how often should you change your kitchen sponge - is a very legit one.

Thoroughly cleaning

A statement by the USDA or United States Department of Agriculture instructs that the efficient way of killing bacteria hidden in sponges is to put them through a dishwasher or a microwave. This way almost a hundred percent of the bacteria can be destroyed. 

While using the microwave, the sponge must be wet in water and keep it standing on the sink or table for a minute. Dry sponge will create fire, so it has to be properly wetted. Another way to clean a used sponge is to put it in the topmost rack of a dishwasher, then turn on the drying cycle of the dishwasher. 

The washing machine should be at 60 degree celsius while cleaning. Use a washing solution which must contain powerful detergent, and a beach element. The combination of high heat, powerful cleaning chemical, machinery, and time will be able to clean your sponge properly.

Storage

Store it after cleaning and then drying. If your sponge is wet, it will catch bacteria in it. By drying it in the microwave you can greatly reduce the chances of bacteria infestation.

Finding an alternative to Sponge

We take the longevity of our sponges for granted. In the kitchen we always have our soap and sponge ready. We quickly come into the kitchen and do the cleaning and leave the sponge. We believe you have never asked yourself, how often should you change your kitchen sponge. 

We hardly look at the sponge and its condition when we clean out cutleries or dishes. There can be grime and grease all over it from the previous cleaning session. What have we done to make the sponge clean and nice for later use? Just think. We clean our clothes in a washing machine  so that we can wear clean clothes that smell nice. Then, what has the sponge done wrong that we do not even clean the sponge? 

We clean our plates and dishes with it, and we eat on those same dishes! At least for the safety of our health, we can just take some caution and give the sponge a proper cleaning! It could become a den for germs like E. Coli, Salmonella, or for even bigger threats like SARS-CoV-2. 

In the kitchen, nowadays, sponge is not the only cleaning tool. There are many other options. For instance, there is a tool from sqwishful.com, and the tool is a hundred percent plant based, and renewable. As the tool is biodegradable, the carbon footprint can be reduced by compressing after you dispose of it. 

Dish cloth is also an alternative to sponges. Many experts started advising dish washing cloth after seeing the German research. Dish cloth is economical, sanitary, and environment friendly. It is a far better option than a sponge.

The best time to change your sponge

You cannot prevent germs from forcibly invading your sponge territory. Within a week or so, it will become a huge colony of nasty germs and bacteria. It is just too hard to eradicate them with normal methods. 

So, the best way to deal with germs is by getting rid of the sponge all together. After every two week or so, change your kitchen dish cleaning sponge. When your sponge starts to look greasy and starts giving out a sour smell, you must understand that the sponge has to go!

We hope that the article has answered the question how often should you change your kitchen sponge. Clean properly, eat healthy, and live longer!