Kitchen sponges should be binned after a week as they're 'dirtier than toilet waste', reveal scientists
12 June 2020, 13:24
A lot of us are guilty of re-using the sponge for far too long... here's why you should do it!
Kitchen sponges aren't exactly expensive, they'll set you back only 50p a pack but for some reason we do re-use them over and over again for far too long.
An expert has revealed that you should definitely be throwing out your sponges after a week to ensure things stay hygienic.
A study was conducted in Germany, and it found a well-used washing-up sponge could house five trillion germs.
The disgusting figure means the cleaning item can be even dirtier than toilet waste!! Not ideal.
It's also bad news for those who reckon cleaning their sponges gives them a new lease of life.
Apparently boiling or microwaving them has no impact at all on the tonne of bacteria inside the sponge - and it might even inflame the situation.
Professor Markus Egert, of Furtwangen University, led the study and said: "Kitchen sponges are hotspots of microbial life, because they have a very large surface area, are usually wet and stored in a warm kitchen environment."
According to the scientists, kids and older people are more prone to getting ill through the germs in the sponges.
There's no excuse really not to replace them though, don't be lazy!
