What’s the Filthiest Thing in your Kitchen?

Did You Know: Your Kitchen Sponge Contains Up To 200,000 Types of Bacteria?!

Turns out the reason why these dish scrubbers were so filthy was because the cellulose sponges provide a perfect habitat for bacteria: the sponges are porous and easy for bacteria to cling to, there’s a constant food supply, and the moisture of the sponge keeps them alive. A damp sponge can nurture a population of bacteria for up to two weeks. On a dry surface, bacteria only live for a few hours.

While kitchen sponges are generally cleaning tools, they can also be disease carriers if neglected, experts said.

According to microbiologist Dr. Windell Rivera, sponges, typically used to clean plates and utensils, are moisture absorbent in nature, making them not only effective tools to wash dishes, but also prone to bacterial build-up.