How long microwave sponge

If you use dishcloths Michigan State University Extension recommends that you use a clean dishcloth each day. When dishcloths or sponges smell bad it is because of all the bacteria in them. Keeping your dishcloth or sponge as clean as possible helps to keep your kitchen clean and in the long run, also helps to keep you and your family healthy. This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. Sanitizing kitchen sponges. Another way to clean and sanitize your sponges is to use your dishwasher, but once again there are some rules to follow: 1 Use the hottest and longest cycle on your dishwasher 2 Use the dry cycle According to the United State Department of Agriculture USDA microwaving sponges kills A third way to sanitize your sponges: 1 Use a solution of one-quarter to one-half of a teaspoon of concentrated bleach 8.

Did you find this article useful? Please tell us why Submit. To make matters worse, shortly after the study was published, the NY Times and PBS , both reputable news sources, each wrote articles based on this new study which seemed to confirm the results; microwaves were not sufficient at killing bacteria. However, in September , NPR helped dissect the study by looking at the testing parameters.

They concluded that there was a lot of misleading information. It was because anti-bacterial soaps were being used to clean the sponges they used for their tests, not boiling or microwaving. Both boiling for 5 minutes and microwaving for one minute at full power were shown to kill the bacteria that causes people to get sick. NPR concluded that the concern over microwaves not killing bacteria was basically groundless.

In fact, both the USDA study and the study on methods of disinfection of kitchen sponges -a publication which was actually cited in the article — showed that microwaving sponges killed bacteria. The USDA stated that Possibly in response to the results of this scientific debate, in May , two of the scientists that published the report in published a new study specifically analyzing microwave-treated household sponges.

In the current study, the scientists explained their thesis more clearly and confirmed that microwaving was shown to effectively reduce bacteria. However, they did not completely recant their original statement that bacteria were prevalent in kitchen sponges.

Instead, they explained that heating sponges to kill bacteria could select other bacteria or organisms — not necessarily dangerous — which could thrive in the new environment. Their conclusion was that more studies needed to be done to assess whether these will be a problem for domestic health. In July , the American Society for Microbiology published a report showing that Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus or Staph could last for up to two weeks on dry sponges and towels!

So microwaving your kitchen sponges is a good way to regularly get rid of those germs and bacteria. Even one of the most dangerous bacteria that you can get from food — E. This fact is corroborated by the ServSafe industry standard for food safety preparation and holding temperatures. To kill most food-related bacteria, the sponge needs to reach at least degrees Fahrenheit. No one likes the idea of cleaning dishes with a germy sponge, which is why we all know we should be cleaning ours on the regular.

But which method is best? The Good Housekeeping Institute worked with EMSL Analytical testing lab in Westmont, New Jersey to find out if using the dishwasher, microwave, washing machine, bleach, or vinegar removed the most bacteria — and bleach won. In testing, the bleach solution killed But no matter how diligent you are about cleaning, your kitchen sponges won't last forever.

Clean them weekly, and toss shabby ones every two to three weeks, depending on use. Even though bleach is the most effective bacteria killer, in a bind, these methods are your next best option. They're listed in order from most to least effective, so choose wisely.