Expert recommendations on how often you need to change your dishwashing sponge

Scrubbers or sponges are one of the most important household tools in the kitchen. During the washing process, traces of food and dirt remain on them, which become a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogens.

To ensure that the cleaning efficiency does not decrease as the sponge is used, it is necessary to properly care for it and change it long before it is completely worn out. We'll tell you in this article how often you need to change your dishwashing sponge.

How often should the product be updated?

It is necessary to renew kitchen sponges not as they become dirty, but once in a specified period. Fat particles that accumulate in the porous structure have little effect on the color of the material, so even a visually clean sponge can be replaced.

Tool life depends on several factors:

• material;
• surface structure (size of pores, mesh holes);
• presence of antibacterial impregnation;
• compliance with care and storage rules.

Material dependency

Foam rubber, or polyurethane foam, is the most popular and inexpensive material for sponges. Its fine-porous structure ensures uniform distribution of the detergent throughout the entire volume.

Traces of soap and grease cannot be completely removed from the cells, so even with proper care It is recommended to change foam sponges weekly.

The need for frequent replacement is compensated by the fact that a small amount of gel is enough to form a thick foam.

Cellulose and bamboo sponges also cannot be used for a long time. Microbiologists who have studied pathogenic flora on kitchen sponges claim that the natural composition does not provide an antiseptic effect.

The only advantage of cellulose over foam rubber is that its fibrous structure retains less food debris than a porous one. Despite the promises of marketers, in the absence of regular disinfection, you can use bamboo and cellulose washcloths for no longer than 1-2 weeks.

Microfiber with antibacterial impregnation can serve as an economical replacement for foam rubber. Napkins made from this fiber can be washed at high temperatures, eliminating the risk of spreading bacteria.

Other types of washcloths need to be updated at the following intervals:

• abrasive (hard) – once a month;
• metal - once every 2-3 months or as deformation occurs;
• plastic scrapers for delicate surfaces - as they wear out.

The video will tell you how often you need to change your kitchen sponge:

What happens if you use a washcloth longer than recommended?

Residues of fat and water that accumulate on a dish sponge promote the growth of bacteria, fungi and protozoa. Microbiologists say that Pathogens of danger groups III-IV can live inside sponges.

Bacteria form complex conglomerates inside the sponge cells - biofilms. They are surrounded by polymer mucus, which makes it difficult to remove germs during washing and cold washing. Conglomerates can be formed by one or several types of microorganisms.

Rules of care

To prevent the dish sponge from becoming a breeding ground for pathogenic flora, care rules must be followed:

1. After washing is completed, remove any remaining food from the surface of the material.
2. Apply a few drops of dish soap to the sponge, wash and rinse thoroughly in warm or hot water. This will eliminate most of the fat.
3. Rinse the washcloth under running water to remove any remaining foam.
4. Wring out a clean sponge several times and place in a dry, ventilated place. If it is stored in an organizer or closed utensil holder, do not put it away until it is completely dry.

What to treat to increase service life?

Pathogenic microorganisms can be destroyed by hot treatment or chemical means. Some housewives pour boiling water over a cleaned washcloth, but this effect is too short-lived for complete disinfection.

Bleach

Oxygen and chlorine bleaches damage the cell membranes of microbes. For disinfection it is necessary:

• clean and rinse the kitchen sponge;
• pour 450 ml of hot water and 50 ml of bleach into a small container;
• soak the washcloth, squeezing it slightly so that the solution is distributed throughout the entire volume of the material, the exposure time can be from 10 to 30 minutes;
• After the procedure, rinse the sponge thoroughly under running water.

Disinfection should be carried out 2 times a week.

Disinfectants

The bleach soak method is the easiest and safest, but does not always provide complete disinfection. Treatment with special reagents prevents the formation of biofilms and destroys not only mature microorganisms, but also their spores.

When working with bleaches and disinfectants, you must use rubber gloves.. It is recommended to use professional products only for processing expensive sponges and wipes. Standard foam products should be replaced.

Microwave

A microwave oven allows you to heat the water inside the material to a temperature at which it is impossible for pathogenic colonies to survive.

To process the sponge you need:

1. Clean the material from food residues and rinse under running warm water.
2. Moisten thoroughly and place in the microwave. If the material is too dry, it may catch fire or melt.
3. To reduce the risk of overheating, you can process the washcloth in a container of water or place a cup with 60-100 ml of liquid next to it.
4. Turn on the microwave for 1.5-2 minutes at high power.
5. Quickly remove the sponge, wait for it to dry completely and rinse again with the gel under running water.

This method is not suitable for washcloths that contain metal and plastic particles.

If there is no microwave, sponges are disinfected using a washing machine. To do this, you need to select a program with a temperature above 60C and without spinning. They can be washed together with other household textiles (kitchen towels, oven mitts, etc.).

Hot processing accelerates wear and deformation of polyurethane, so housewives are not tempted to use a washcloth for a long time.

Storage space

Pathogens multiply actively in a humid environment, so you need to place dish sponges as far as possible from the sink. The storage area must be dry and open.

To compactly arrange washing tools, you can sew loops onto them and hang them on removable metal hooks.

Additional Tips

To make cleaning as effective as possible, we recommend:

• for soaking in disinfectant or bleach, have a separate container, the volume of which corresponds to the size of the batch of washcloths;
• after microwave processing, wash the oven walls with a weak detergent solution;
• When washing, place sponges in a bag with a fine mesh so that pieces of material that come off do not clog the tank and drain filter;
• Wipe cutting boards for meat and fish with paper towels and then wash them with a separate washcloth, which is disinfected after each wash.

Conclusion

Standard dish sponges need to be changed at least once every 7-10 days. Abrasive, metal and other products that are used infrequently are recommended to be thoroughly disinfected.