Keep your sponge clean

Dr. Langsrud says that you should wash your sponge after each use, which doesn’t quite jibe with Dr. Egert’s study. But Dr. Egert doesn’t think his donors gave their sponges a correct washing. With some effort, you can disinfect your sponges and get rid of most of their bacteria, although this may not be practical for many of us.

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According to the NSF study, 32 percent of all counter-tops, 45 percent of sinks, and 77 percent of sponges tested positive for coliform bacteria, which can cause food poisoning. Testing also found staph germs, an indicator for the so-called super-bug known as MRSA, on 14 percent of refrigerator handles and 18 percent of sponges.

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Best Breeding Environment for Germs

Warm and moist environments tend to be a breeding ground for germs. NSF’s analysis revealed that sponges and coffee reservoirs, which may not be cleaned as frequently as they should be, were in the top 10 germiest places in the home. In contrast, smooth, cold surfaces tend to harbor fewer germs. For example, NSF’s analysis showed that keys, money, computer keyboards and game controllers did not tend to harbor many germs.

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