Change dishwashing sponges more often

It doesn't matter whether it's dishcloths or scouring pads, at the latest when washing-up utensils start to smell, they should be replaced with new ones. When used several times a day, dishwashing sponges and the like remain usable for about a week. They are least likely to contaminate if they are thoroughly washed after use and hung up or stored in an airy place to dry quickly. If you want to use towels more than once, you should wash them in the washing machine at 60 °C with heavy-duty detergent. This is the only way to reduce the levels of bacteria and other microorganisms to such an extent that the utensils can then be used as cleaning rags, for example.

On the other hand, you should stay away from heating in the microwave: firstly, cloths or sponges can start to burn if they are heated for too long. Secondly, this only reduces the number of harmless microorganisms, as was determined for the first time in a scientific study by the Furtwangen University. The potential pathogens, on the other hand, survived the microwave heating better and were then able to multiply more vigorously and to a greater extent than the harmless microorganisms.

Ute Gomm, www.bzfe.de