washing up - best implement?

JuliusCaesar

Any bacteriologists out there to settle a domestic argument?

What better for washing up: a sponge? or a dishcloth?

I maintain it's a sponge, which is easy to rinse out and dries quickly.
The other maintains it's a dishcloth - one of those white raggy ones with a edge sewn in coloured thread. I think they just end up in a stinky heap.

I know this isn't life-threatening! And I've probably eaten off dishes cleaned with said stinky rags (unknowingly) and felt none the worse for it.

ZYX

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Any bacteriologists out there to settle a domestic argument?

What better for washing up: a sponge? or a dishcloth?

A dishwasher.

Chunky Monkey

I'm no bacteriologist but I always rewash dishes cleaned with dishcloths cos they smell really bad Much prefer sponges with a scouring pad attached for the reason you said.

(I've replied cos this is something that has genuinely annoyed me the last while )

PhysiologyRocks

On one hand I agree with Chunky Monkey. Dishcloths are pretty disgusting.

That said, I would imagine sponges harbour many a bacterium in all those moist warm spongey holes.

I really don't know...

sillymoo

I seem to remember Fairy having a big marketing campaign out when they first released their first antibac washing up liquid. I think they said put some onto the damp sponge when finished so bacteria wont grow on it until the next time????

http://www.fairy-dish.com/products/antibac-naturals.aspx

Chunky Monkey

sillymoo wrote: »

I seem to remember Fairy having a big marketing campaign out when they first released their first antibac washing up liquid. I think they said put some onto the damp sponge when finished so bacteria wont grow on it until the next time????

http://www.fairy-dish.com/products/antibac-naturals.aspx

That's my fav washing up liquid, they aren't lying when they say it lasts a very long time

sillymoo

So true! When its on offer i always stock up. However with this current economic climate im having to report to eating goody rice from lidl for every meal and using lidl washing liquid to clean the bowel and spoon after

cuckoo

I use one of those plastic brushes with a long handle - give it a quick rinse under the hot tap at the end and leave it on the side of the sink to dry.

The plastic isn't porous, so there's nowhere for water to collect and ickiness to grow.

Carsinian Thau

cuckoo wrote: »

I use one of those plastic brushes with a long handle - give it a quick rinse under the hot tap at the end and leave it on the side of the sink to dry.

The plastic isn't porous, so there's nowhere for water to collect and ickiness to grow.

I'd do the same really but only for tough messes.

For normal washing I just run them under the hot tap and angle the plate so that the water just pushes the stuff off.

Latchy

Disposible sponge scourers are quite good to .As long as you use seperate ones for cutlery , pots / pans and general cleaning ,ie cookers ,surface tops .

Kevster

I'm a microbiologist and I'd say that the sponge is worse because it'd retain microorganisms longer than a [thinner] cloth. You might think that a sponge is easier to clean, but it's not. Ideally, you should wash or even throw out these things regularly if you're a health-freak

....BUT, remember that we need to be exposed to bacteria to keep our immune systems in working order! It's been proven that people living on farms have stronger immune systems than those in cities/towns.

Latchy

Kevster wrote: »

I'm a microbiologist and I'd say that the sponge is worse because it'd retain microorganisms longer than a [thinner] cloth. You might think that a sponge is easier to clean, but it's not. Ideally, you should wash or even throw out these things regularly if you're a health-freak

Which is why they are disposable .I only use one 3,4 times before throwing away .The plastic brush handle one is also handy

....BUT, remember that we need to be exposed to bacteria to keep our immune systems in working order! It's been proven that people living on farms have stronger immune systems than those in cities/towns.

True ,we need some bacteria otherwise we would die .

foxinsox

sillymoo wrote: »

So true! When its on offer i always stock up. However with this current economic climate im having to report to eating goody rice from lidl for every meal and using lidl washing liquid to clean the bowel and spoon after

^^ I giggled... swear!

I am NOT a doctor but I would imagine any sort of washing up liquid either Lidl/Fairy probably wouldn't be the best for cleaning bowels either with a sponge/cloth or brush !

back on topic.... I use the dishwasher! and if I absolutley have to wash dishes by hand I use a brush much more hygenic in my opinion.