Best Way To Kill Kitchen Sponge Germs?

Apr 25, 2014: Even though we wash our kitchen sponge regularly, it starts smelling after some time and then starts looking dirty. Perhaps it's full of bacteria. Studies have shown that an average kitchen sponge is a breeding ground for bacteria. It can contain up to a million more germs than a toilet seat!

And if we are not careful while using the kitchen sponge, these germs can make their way into our dishes and drinking glasses, the sink and cutting board, countertops and more. Fortunately, there is an easy way to decontaminate a sponge. Every 3 to 4 days we can do the following:

• Rinse the sponge completely and do not allow it to dry
• Microwave it for 60 to 120 seconds. This will kill most of the germs.
• Remove and allow it to cool. Do not squeeze the sponge while hot. It might cause burns in your hands.

However, there is a caveat to this method of cleaning a sponge. Once, when we heated a kitchen sponge, our microwave was filled with a foul odor pertaining to mold, spores and bacteria. Slowly the smell permeated the entire kitchen and house. It took more than half an hour of fresh air to get the odor out of our house. After that we had to clean the microwave carefully to be on the safe side. We didn't want our food to smell of molds and spores when we heated it in the microwave!

This wiki article on "How to Clean a Sponge" provides step by step instructions on several ways to remove germs, yeasts and spores from a kitchen sponge. If the sponge is in bad shape, get a new one :). If you have faced this problem and found a solution, kindly leave a comment about it.

Image Source(s): iStockPhoto

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