Why sponges don’t work

Why sponges don’t work

Originally this ancient plant-like animal would be what the divers would go get for us to use for bathing, scrubbing and more. However, now most sponges you can find in stores are made artificially. They are usually created from a mixture of cellulose, sodium sulfate, hemp fiber, foam or even plastic polymers. This makes them apparently less costly and more durable than the natural sea sponges. Cellulose is a material absorbing the water so that’s why it is number one component of a sponge these days. The sponges can hold water really well, but water is not the only thing they can hold. Bacteria and fungus can also grow within a sponge very rapidly, including the E Coli deadly bacteria.

So, these sponges you use might after all not be your best cleaning tool. If you have not done so in a while, first of all, think about going around your house, gather your sponges and disinfect them. You should simply soak them in a solution beach (1/4 cup and water ¾ cup), to help with the sanitization. Now, here is a fresh start, at least your sponges are clean now.

Make sure your sponges do not contain any foreign fragments when you use them, like metal for example. Also, make sure they are breaking down or decomposing in your dishes you are trying to wash diligently. In addition, avoid using the sponges to soak up meat juices, as you will load up your sponge with very potentially harmful bacteria. You really should not use the sponges on the countertops, that’s not where they are working their best. By wiping your counters with a sponge, you can only do one thing well: spread any bacteria they contain and cross-contaminate that area.

However, to be fair, sponges do not contain much more bacteria than cloths or scrub brushes do. If your cleaning tool is left unattended and unmaintained, it will definitely eventually develop multiple bacteria. You should replace your sponges approximately every month and between replacements, make sure you do wash them and sterilize them appropriately.

Categorised in: blog

This post was written by joe