Controlling sponge nasties

I often wonder what kind of nasties I'm spreading around my kitchen when I use a sponge repeatedly. I can't afford to use a new one every time I clean and it would be hugely wasteful even if I could afford it. I also don't want to use the disposable bleach wipes every time I clean, also hugely wasteful. I occasionally clean my counters with a 10% bleach solution, especially if I've been working with something like raw meat, but that still leaves the problem of the sponge and how to sanitize it.

Thankfully, our government has come to the rescue on that one. This is an excellent article from the USDA Agricultural Research Service on the most effective ways to clean sponges--Best Ways to Clean Kitchen Sponges. I don't use the dry cycle on my dishwasher, but I do have a microwave. Be sure the sponge is damp and zap it for one minute. That method was 99.99% effective in the ARS trials.

I found another interesting article on the different kinds of sponges on the Green Living Tips blog. I may try growing luffas just to see how well they hold up as kitchen sponges. I tried growing gourd vines as shade covers for my kennel and it worked really well, giving me a nice supply of gourds for crafting and good shade for my dogs in the hottest part of the year. The dogs were entertained by the lizards and other critters that inhabited the vines. The luffa may work equally well, assuming I can grow it in the mountains of New Mexico. Hmmm...need to do some searching on high altitude gardening.