Dirty Sponges!

I recently bought some new sponges made of recycled walnut shells (which I thought was pretty cool!) BUT i was also reading Organic housekeeping and they have a section in their about how unsanitary sponges are because of the amount of bacteria built up in them. They suggested rags as an alternative but I don't see myself washing dishes with rags...

thoughts anyone?

(I use the dishwasher the most often but sponges are needed as well!)

In terms of cleanliness of sponges in general...I think my housemates had the same sponge for months and months before I moved in.  The squishy side of it was kind of grey...yeah, a little gross...

I'd never thought about using rags before.  That would definitely encourage you to throw them in the washing machine I think.  Another option if you do like the sponge might be compostable sponges.  My mom was gifted some Twist sponges.  She got the ones made from loofah.  But I think their Naked Sponge #55 is compostable (of course they note you should use biodegradable soap if you're going to compost). 

At least maybe that way you can divert some of the waste from the landfill when your sponges need to be replaced.

Anyone else have ideas?

In Organic Housekeeping it says that dishwashing sponges doesn't clean them because the temperature inside isn't high enough. To clean them you must microwave on high power for 30-90 seconds based on your microwave's power and sponge size... only downside to that, is if the sponge is dry it may ignite the microwave :-/

We use dishclothes for handwashing dishes- they are the size of wash clothes, and work really well.  When there is something really stuck on a plate, I use steel wool (or the nylon version of steel wool) as that seems less able to breed bacteria, and when I used to have a dishwasher, I would occasionally push it over one of the spears on the top rack.

I've heard that before about microwaving sponges- as you alluded to, make them damp first! :)

why not just soak it in bleach or vinegar on occasion?

Well bleach for the obvious reasons (toxicity, etc.) and vinegar.. hmm.. im not sure if it would kill all the bacteria? (The method's not mentioned in the book)

vinegar may not kill all the bacteria, though maybe you could get a more concentrated vinegar, I dunno if they sell/make that or not. AFAIK vinegar is generally 5% acetic acid, I'd assume a 10% or higher concentration would be more effective at killing things.

Toxicity is a BS argument for bleach, IMO. All cleaners have to be toxic that's how they kill things. That's why washing stuff with luke warm water isn't effective, it's not toxic.  There are other, better reasons to not like bleach I'm sure. ;)

You could always boil your sponge.

in response to the last couple posts you are totally right about the toxicity of bleach being BS, and the enviromental impact of bleach is not as large as one would think because it breaks down to salt and oxygen/water entirely. Household bleach, used to whiten fabrics or remove mold from surfaces, is a 5% solution of a stabilized form of chlorine. Most of the chlorine that enters lakes, streams, or soil evaporates into the air or combines with other chemicals into more stable compounds. However do note that Chlorine-containing chemicals that seep through soil down into groundwater can remain unchanged for many years. 

The main reason to steer clear of bleach is the health impact. Especailly if you have any history of breathing problems or if those in your home do, because bleach vapors are especially caustic to the lungs. You should especially not mix bleach and vinegar, or bleach and any acid/amonia as it will release very dangerous chemcials in vapor form, again, to be especially avoided by those with any breathing problems.

here's a list of health concerns and reactions

Short-term, high-level exposures:

• Immediately or shortly after exposure to 30 ppm or more of chlorine gas, a person may have chest pain, vomiting, coughing, difficulty breathing, or excess fluid in their lungs. Exposure to 430 ppm in air for 30 minutes will cause death.
• The health effects of breathing air that has less than 30 ppm of chlorine are the same as listed below for inhaling liquid bleach vapors.
• Liquid chlorine bleach and its vapors (at levels of 3-6 ppm in air) are irritating to eyes. At levels of 15 ppm in air people experience nose and throat irritation. Touching liquid chlorine bleach can cause skin irritation. Drinking levels over 4 ppm can cause throat and stomach irritation, nausea and vomiting.

Long-term, low-level exposure (e.g. several years of exposure to chlorine):

Organ Systems: The main effects of exposure to chlorine gas include diseases of the lung and tooth corrosion. People with previous lung disease, smokers, and those with breathing problems are more sensitive to chlorine.

Cancer: There is no information currently available about whether chlorine causes cancer.

Reproductive Effects: No reproductive effects from chlorine exposure have been reported.

In general, chemicals affect the same organ systems in all people who are exposed.

A person's reaction depends on several things, including individual health, heredity, previous exposure to chemicals including medicines, and personal habits such as smoking or drinking.

It is also important to consider the length of exposure to the chemical; the amount of chemical exposure; and whether the chemical was inhaled, touched, or eaten. People with preexisting lung or heart disease may be particularly sensitive to the effects of chlorine.

 How might one define high or low level exposure to bleach?  I.e., where does breathing in vapors while you're cleaning fall on that scale?  I guess I also wonder about exposure to bleach during cleaning versus, say, swimming in a chlorinated pool where it's all over your body....