Ordinary Sponges Can Turn Into Havens For Bacteria

You may keep a squeaky clean kitchen and still have a breeding ground for germs and potential illness.

Ordinary sponges and dishcloths are prime culprits when it comes to growing and spreading illness-causing bacteria, says Charles P. Gerba, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

A study of 200 sponges collected from homes in one Southern city showed that one in five contained either staphylococcus or salmonella, the two leading causes of food-borne illness in the United States.

“The kitchen is the most germ-laden room in the house,” Gerba said. “Bacteria grow in sponges overnight. We found so much bacteria we thought people were washing their dogs in the sink. Maybe they are.”

In Miami, Gerba asked students from Florida International University to knock on the doors of 200 homes and offer to trade a package of four new antibacterial sponges in exchange for any used sponge in the kitchen. They collected enough icky sponges to fill a clear plastic suitcase Gerba carried with him while giving interviews around the country.

Ironically, Gerba said, it’s the sparkling-clean kitchen that may have the most bacteria.

“This is because of cross-contamination,” he said. “People wipe down one area then wipe another with the same sponge. If they are wiping up raw meat blood, then use the same sponge to wipe something else, they can spread the fecal coliform bacteria that is found on meat and poultry.”

Here are some tips from Gerba for a healthier, cleaner kitchen:

Always wash your hands before you start cooking, immediately after handling raw meat, after you finish cooking, and before you wipe counters. Using an antimicrobial soap and drying hands thoroughly with paper towels increases the protective power of hand washing.

Designate separate food-preparation areas - one for uncooked meat, another for produce and other foods that will not be cooked, and another for slicing meat after it is cooked. Each area should have its own cutting board and a separate set of utensils.

Raw meat is the largest single source of germs and bacteria in the kitchen. Although proper cooking will kill most harmful bacteria, using a common preparation area can spread bacteria to other foods, cooked or uncooked.

Use plastic cutting boards; wash them with hot soapy water immediately after each use or clean them in the dishwasher. Toss out any cutting board that has developed hard-to-clean grooves.

Cook food thoroughly and eat it as soon as possible after preparation. Some researchers believe nearly all food poisoning could be prevented by always eating foods within 90 minutes of preparation.

Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible and always reheat thoroughly before eating. The notion of letting foods “cool” before refrigerating is a holdover from the days of ice chests, when hot leftovers would cause the ice to melt more quickly.

Buy antibacterial sponges. Ordinary sponges have 450 times the number of germs as antibacterial ones. If using an ordinary sponge or dishcloth, disinfect it regularly in a mixture of bleach and water and wash it in the dishwasher every day.

Rinse dishes thoroughly after washing and allow them to air dry whenever possible. If drying dishes with a towel, be sure that the towel dries completely between uses and launder it frequently. A damp dish towel can grow and spread germs just like a dishcloth or ordinary sponge.

Designate separate sponges for different cleaning tasks - one for doing dishes, one for wiping counters, one for kitchen floors, one for cleaning the bathroom, etc. Designating a sponge for each job will help reduce the risk of spreading germs. Assigning a particular sponge color to each job is an easy way to avoid confusion.