As of: April 3, 2024, 7:46 p.m
By: Christoph Gschoßmann
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Bacteria collect by the billions on kitchen sponges. A study provides information about the dangers. A new sponge is often overdue.
Frankfurt – How long has your current kitchen sponge been in use? Longer than a week? Longer than a month? Then the number of bacteria on the sponge will almost certainly be in the billions. A study into the microbiological life in dishwashing sponges could lead to you changing sponges much more frequently in the future.
According to the results of the study by Furtwangen University, from a microbial perspective, sponges are among the “most densely populated everyday items” in the household. A total of 54 billion bacteria per cubic centimeter live on the kitchen utensils. But it's not just the sheer number of bacteria that is worrying: they include pathogens such as Salmonella or Campylobacter bacteria, which can pose a health risk. The researchers come to the clear conclusion that the sponges are “actually not hygienically useful cleaning utensils”. There was also a recent study that examined the question of whether underwear should be thrown away after a year because of bacteria.
“Potentially pathogenic” bacteria from risk group 2 can be found in kitchen sponges
362 different species of bacteria were found in the sponges. These multiply primarily on the foam, whose pores offer a huge surface area for the bacterial strains. Around half of the 362 species belong to the so-called risk group 2, which makes them “potentially pathogenic”. After all, fecal bacteria and diarrhea pathogens were only detected in small quantities. The study by Furtwangen University and Justus Liebig University Giessen appeared in the journal “Archives of Microbiology”.
A dishwashing sponge: How many bacteria and viruses are in it? © Becker&Bredel/Imago
Change kitchen sponges at least once a week
So should you throw away all of your dishwashing sponges and avoid them altogether in the future? Not necessarily, but according to a previous study by the University of Furtwangen, the sponges and cloths should be changed regularly.
But how often should a new sponge be used? According to the experts, dishwashing sponges and rags should be replaced at least once a week. But do the sponges have to go in the trash or can they be washed and cleaned again?
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Clean kitchen sponges with hot water: There are various methods, but none of them work
In the case of useful kitchen utensils, one thing is clear: the sponges belong in the trash. There are various tips and instructions circulating on the Internet on how to clean the sponges. The dishwasher, washing machine and microwave are all mentioned as options for cleaning the utensils. After all, high temperatures have an effect here. But the scientists advise against this.
The number of bacteria only decreases for a short time. In addition, according to the study, the stronger bacteria would still survive. Reusing - generally a praiseworthy process for the environment - is definitely the wrong approach here, for the sake of health.
Researchers didn't just find bacteria in the kitchen sponges
But bacteria alone do not account for all the dangers that lie dormant in kitchen sponges. “But there are a whole range of other microorganisms, such as archaea, fungi, protozoa, algae and of course viruses. Until now, hardly anything was known about their occurrence in the 'Küchenschwam Germ Hotel',” explains study leader Markus Egert. The refrigerator is also considered a germ killer - but with a few tips it can be cleaned again.
Five used dishwashing sponges were examined in the study. Almost all of the microorganisms in the sponges, a full 98 percent, were bacteria. The second most common (1.6 percent) were sequences of eukaryotic organisms, i.e. organisms with a real cell nucleus. The researchers found genes from fungi, algae and single-celled animals such as amoebas.
And how dangerous are the microorganisms that are not bacteria for humans? Fortunately, according to the research team, there is no need to worry about this. Egert says: “From a hygiene perspective, our study gives the all-clear. It does not appear that the non-bacterial microbiota of a kitchen sponge poses any particular health risks.” The new study shows that bacteria are the main problem in dishwashing sponges. There's only one way to get rid of them - it's urgent to throw them in the trash after a week at the most.
(cgsc)