Avoiding kitchen sponge grunge

Problem: Kitchen sponges can be — and often are — mean little transporters of bacteria.

Safe solution: For washing dishes or cleaning kitchen countertops, toss the sponges and instead pick up a clean dishcloth for each use.

Microbiologists at the University of Arizona at Tucson tested sponges and dish rags from 1,000 kitchens in five American U.S. cities and found dangerous bacteria — including E. coli, salmonella, pseudomonas and staphylococcus — on at least two-thirds of those tested.

Note: Washing sponges with hot water and detergent doesn't kill bacteria nor does throwing them in the dishwasher because you often can't get them hot enough.

Source: From the book "Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Nontoxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

Compiled by Colleen McBrinn, digs editor.

Green Tips is a weekly feature in digs on environmentally friendly ways of living.