Why is it not recommended to wash dishes in a sponge?

For every housewife, cleanliness and hygiene in the kitchen are very important. Among the cleaning tools used for washing dishes, sponges are one of the most commonly used items. However, recently experts have been drawing attention to the harmful aspects of using sponges and warning about their impact on our health.

Is it really safe to wash dishes with a sponge as we think? How should this tool be used to ensure hygiene in the kitchen? We will take a deeper look at these questions.

Using a sponge to wash dishes is dangerous for health, says Trond Myoretro, a researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Food Research. According to him, harmful bacteria inside the sponge spread to the surface of the dishes during washing. Even if your plate looks clean, it may harbor many bacteria. This is because sponges are rarely kept dry, are used daily, and various fungi and bacteria thrive in a moist environment. Therefore, it becomes a favorable habitat for the proliferation of dangerous compounds that can even lead to salmonellosis, writes Mirror.

"One sponge can harbor more bacteria than the entire human population on Earth, as the food particles left behind serve as a food source for bacteria," says Trond.

Keeping the sponge constantly clean does not significantly reduce the risk; the only way to maintain complete hygiene is to replace the sponge every day. However, this method is not cost-effective and is not environmentally friendly either.

So, what should be used to clean the dishes?

Scientists recommend using a special brush for washing dishes. Because it cleans food residues well, the bristles of the brush dry very quickly, and harmful bacteria are also eliminated. Additionally, most brushes have a handle, which prevents direct contact with harmful bacteria on the hands.

^{Photo: Alamy}
Moreover, from a hygienic point of view, a brush is the best choice for washing dishes.