Sponges May Absorb More Than You Think

Kitchen sponges are used to getting down and dirty, but did you know they’re actually picking up lots of bacteria in the process? Recently, a University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) researcher tested 50 sponges, each used for three weeks in different households, and discovered that all of them showed high levels of bacteria. Likely culprits include contaminated tap water, vegetables and other raw foods grown in soil, household pets, and dirty hands. To chase germs away, wash your hands before touching sponges. After use. rinse them with soap and let them dry. or just toss them in the dishwasher. If you’re still concerned, give dry sponges a 30-second zap in the microwave to disinfect them (wet sponges need 60 minutes). Also, use paper towels instead of sponges to clean surfaces that raw meat and poultry have touched.