It is a commonly used kitchen item, but it might be time to ditch this accessory if you want to keep your health in check.
Dr. Daniel Pompa, a Utah-based wellness expert, warns that the humble kitchen sponge is a magnet for harmful bacteria that can cause “gut problems and illnesses.”
Dotted with hundreds of little “nooks and crannies,” Dr. Pompa says the absorbent squares are nearly impossible to clean.
Even if you try to put them in the dishwasher to sterilize them, the food safety specialist says it won’t work as the germs are “protected” in these small holes.
The USDA also suggests microwaving kitchen sponges or boiling them to “reduce some of the bacterial load,” but Dr. Pompa isn’t convinced.
Dr. Daniel Pompa, a Utah-based wellness expert, warns that the humble kitchen sponge is a magnet for harmful bacteria.
Instead, he recommends changing them “every one or two days.”
But since the cost of buying new sponges increases quickly, he suggests investing in a silicone scrubber.
In an Instagram clip, which garnered more than 20,000 likes, the doctor says of these cleansing wipes: “They scrub better anyway, they don’t hold on to bacteria, and if you put them in the dishwasher, they kill them.” ‘
The video quickly attracted dozens of comments, with viewers sharing their own sponge cleaning methods and debating which is best.
One commenter said in response to Dr. Pompa’s advice: ‘Please stop the nonsense! People, you don’t need to throw away your dishwashing sponge.
‘Do this instead; After washing the dishes with the sponge, put them in a bowl/container with a mixture of water (boiling water is best), salt and vinegar.
“If you do this after washing the dishes, the sponge can last as long as you want.”
However, another commenter agreed with Dr. Pompa, writing: ‘I always thought these sponges were very gross.
In a 2017 study, German researchers found that a kitchen sponge contained a staggering 54 billion bacterial cells in an area of 1 square cm.
“We use a brush that goes in the dishwasher daily and cleans with antibacterial soap.”
In a 2017 study, German researchers found that a kitchen sponge contained a staggering 54 billion bacterial cells in an area of 1 square cm.
After analyzing DNA samples from 14 different sponges, the researchers found that they were dominated by a class of bacteria called gammaproteobacteria, which include a number of human pathogens, including bacteria that cause typhoid fever, plague, cholera and food poisoning. .
The study found that kitchen sponges, due to their porous nature and ability to soak in water, have “the ability to collect and spread bacteria with probable pathogenic potential.”
As a result, researchers demonstrated that kitchen environments harbor more microbes than toilets.
“This was mainly due to the contribution of kitchen sponges, which proved to be the largest reservoirs of active bacteria throughout the house,” they explained.
The researchers also said that ‘kitchen sponges not only act as a reservoir for microorganisms, but also as spreaders on household surfaces, which can lead to cross-contamination of hands and food, which is considered one of the main causes of outbreaks. of foodborne illnesses. ‘