Everything That You Should Know About Kitchen Sponges

When it comes to cleaning your home, Corpus Christi moving companies want to make sure that you include the least expected, yet dirtiest item…your kitchen sponge.

The truth is, your kitchen sponge is dirtier than your toilet and is the number one source of germs in the entire house; holding 200,000 times more germs than your toilet seat.

Your kitchen sponge can house up to 10 million germs per square inch, and when bacteria multiplies by the millions within just 24 hours, you do not want to be stingy when it comes to replacing your kitchen sponge.

How to Keep Your Kitchen Sponge Clean:

- Ideally, you should replace your kitchen sponge once a week. That may seem like a lot but your kitchen sponge can be entirely consumed with harmful bacteria in as little as two to three uses. Your kitchen sponge can house up to 10 million germs per square inch, and when bacteria multiplies by the millions within just 24 hours, you do not want to be stingy when it comes to replacing your kitchen sponge.

- In addition to replacing your kitchen sponge every week, you want to store it in a dry place. Most people will wash their dishes and then lay the sponge on the counter near the faucet; leaving the sponge to sit in its own water and not allowing for it to drain and dry.

- A common practice in cleaning kitchen sponges is to wet it, ring it out, and then pop it in the microwave for two minutes. Microwaving your sponge will allow for it to dry and kill the majority of bacteria that could be lurking in its crevices.

- Just about every local grocery store will have a kitchen sponge rack, complete with holes in it so that your kitchen sponge can hang on the side of your sink and drain. However, this alone will not prevent millions of germs from harvesting, so you should still microwave it after every use.

- Don’t forget about that wonderful invention in your kitchen…it’s called a dishwasher. Dishwashers are more efficient than washing dishes by hand. They also have the added bonus of killing the germs on plates and utensils with their steam cycle. Kitchen sponges, if not replaced every single day, only take germs and wipe them around on your kitchenware.

The Improper Way to Use Your Kitchen Sponge:

- You should never use your kitchen sponge to wipe up meat juices: meat juices harvest foodborne pathogens that you do not want building up on your kitchen sponge. If you need to clean up a mess from meat, use paper towels and disinfectant spray. It is also important that you do not forget this rule for cutting boards as well.

- You should never use your kitchen sponge to clean your counter-tops: Again, you never know what is lurking on your counter-tops that you have not cleaned, so the proper way to clean your counters are with paper towels and kitchen spray. For a homemade counter cleaner, use white vinegar in a spray bottle.

- You should never use your kitchen sponge as a replacement for dishcloths: dishcloths are what you should ideally use to clean small spills on your counter-tops; however, not for meat or egg white spills from morning breakfast prep. Your dishcloths can be just as dirty as your kitchen sponge so be careful what you use it on, but don’t forget to use it as opposed to the kitchen sponge. Dish rags can easily be washed for continuous use, saving you money.

Let All My Sons help keep your home clean by following our simple ways to keeping your family safe from harmful kitchen sponge bacteria. Keep your belongings safe as well, by letting our family move yours. If you are moving to or from Corpus Christi, call All My Sons for the best moving experience...period!