Don't keep using germ-ridden kitchen sponges to "wash" your dishes--rid them of bad bacteria every 3 to 5 days using cleaning methods proven effective by researchers at the USDA's Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland. Of the four disinfection methods tested, two made the grade:
Wash this way
Microwave the sponge for 1 minute, which kills virtually all bacteria, yeast, and mold. Just make sure it's wet first!
Run the sponge through a complete wash-and-dry dishwasher cycle; it's nearly as effective as microwaving.
...Not this way
Soaking a sponge in lemon juice for 1 minute had practically no effect on bacteria, yeast, or mold.
Soaking it in a bleach solution killed more bacteria than did lemon juice, but not all--and it had next to no effect on yeast or mold.
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