If you are like most people, you wipe down your counters and appliances regularly with a dishcloth or sponge. While you might assume that using soapy water or a cleaning solution with your sponge or dishcloth would be enough to keep bacteria and germs away, this isn’t the case. A considerable number of illness-causing germs can thrive in these cleaning supplies.
Each time you use them, the germs living on them will spread across the surface. While the counter and other surfaces may look clean, they may have more germs on them then before you wiped them down. How do you clean and disinfect sponges and dishcloths properly?
Why Kitchen Sponges and Dishcloths Are Hotspots for Bacteria
Sponges are made of porous cellulous. Bacteria, yeast, mold and other germs can become trapped in these spaces as well as in fabric fibers on your dishcloths.
These cleaning supplies remain damp, allowing germs to thrive. When you clean with them, you are spreading those germs onto your hands and all surfaces that they touch.
How Often Should You Clean or Replace Them?
Your dishcloths and sponges should be cleaned daily. While you want to get the most life out of your sponge, sponges have a limited life. Even when you clean them often, they should be replaced every one or two weeks.
If you notice an unusual smell coming from the sponge, it’s past time to replace it. If the sponge comes in contact with raw meat, fish or eggs, it should be thoroughly sanitized before using it again.
How to Clean Kitchen Sponges
Dunking your kitchen sponges and dishcloths in warm, soapy water isn’t enough to kill all of the lingering germs. However, there are several effective cleaning methods that eradicate germs and allow you to get more life out of your cleaning supplies.
Microwave Method
As long as you aren’t using a sponge that has metal on it, you can typically sanitize it in the microwave. First, saturate the item in water. Then, put it on a microwave-safe dish for a minute.
The dishcloth or sponge will be very hot, so allow it to cool before touching it. To minimize the growth of new germs, squeeze out as much water as you can and let the sponge or cloth air dry.
Dishwasher Method
While the water from the tap isn’t hot enough to sanitize your cleaning supplies, the dishwasher water and steam will do the trick. Place the sponge on the top rack. Use the longest and hottest setting available. If your dishwasher has an additional drying or heat function, use that as well.
Bleach Solution Soak
Bleach is a strong disinfectant, and it will kill everything from mold and bacteria to yeast and others. To sanitize your sponges, soak them in a large pot of bleach and water for roughly 10 minutes.
Rinse them thoroughly after soaking them, and squeeze out excess water.
Vinegar or Hydrogen Peroxide Soak (Natural Alternatives)
While bleach is among the strongest sanitizing solutions used around the house, some people don’t want to introduce such a harsh chemical into their home. Both distilled white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are natural, germ-killing alternatives.
Immerse your sponge in your choice of alternatives for at least 10 minutes. Then, rinse thoroughly, and squeeze as much water as possible out of them.
How to Clean Dishcloths
With the exception of the microwave method that works on both dishcloths and sponges, other cleaning methods are needed for dishcloths. Consider using one of these methods on a daily basis.
Machine Washing
The easiest way to clean dirty kitchen dishcloths is in the washing machine. Fill the basin with the hottest water setting available. Add a cup of bleach along with the same amount of detergent that you normally use.
You can substitute a cup of vinegar if you prefer. Because it’s recommended to wash your dishcloths after a day’s use, it’s helpful to have a reasonable supply of clean cloths on hand.
Boiling Method
If you want to avoid using bleach or vinegar, you can place your dirty dishcloths in a large pot of boiling water. Ensure that they are fully immersed. After 10 minutes, remove the pot from the stove. Let the water cool before removing the cloth and wringing out the water.
Sun-Drying or Machine Drying
UV rays and heat are excellent for killing germs and sanitizing materials. You can toss your dirty dishcloths on a patio chair or deck railing for several hours on a sunny afternoon.
If you prefer to kill germs with heat, run them through the hottest and longest cycle in the dryer.
Tips to Keep Your Sponge and Dishcloth Cleaner for Longer
When you’re dealing with potentially germ-laden food, such as raw meat and eggs, use a paper towel and germ-killing spray to remove the bulk of the mess. You can then follow this up with the dishcloth or sponge. In addition, ensure that your sponge or dishcloth is cleaned and sanitized daily so the germs don’t build up.
When cleaning your home, the last thing that you want to do is inadvertently make it dirtier than when you started cleaning. At Tidyhere, we follow all of the best practices for cleaning and sanitizing our customers’ homes.
At the same time, we use green cleaning products so that our customers can enjoy a healthy living space. Contact the Tidyhere team today for cleaning service in Boston, MA.
