Why are bacteria so fond of kitchen sponges? A surprising discovery by scientists

Researchers from Duke University in the United States have come to surprising conclusions. They found that bacteria thrived better on kitchen sponges than on specially designed tools. Why?

When washing dishes or cleaning the kitchen, we rather believe that we get rid of bacteria and pollution. It turns out, however, that they easily accumulate on the object that is used for the activities mentioned above.

Scientists from Duke University set out to investigate the suitability of sponges for home use as a microbiological medium. The results may surprise you. When it comes to microbial growth, the sponge does better than a professional petri dish, an object used in laboratories to grow and observe bacteria.

“Bacteria are like humans living during a pandemic”

In the journal Nature Chemical Biology, the Duke researchers revealed that to understand the usefulness of a sponge, you need to start by explaining the interaction between bacteria. Not all of them prefer the same conditions. Among other things, the amount of light that reaches them is of great importance.

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– Bacteria are like humans living during a pandemic – some find it difficult to be isolated while others thrive. We have shown that there is an intermediate degree of integration in the bacterial community that maximizes overall coexistence, explains Professor Lingchong You.

A kitchen sponge more effective than a Petri dish

The Duke team found that the sponges in their own way mimic a structure similar to that found in plant roots and gut microbiota. Most importantly, the three-dimensional structure of the sponge – designed for maximum water absorption – works perfectly in laboratory conditions.

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Scientists have created a special nutrient medium. Its indirect portioning turned out to be optimal for the growth of the habitat of bacteria. This has already been demonstrated by tests on traditional equipment, and tests carried out with a kitchen sponge proved to be an additional confirmation.

“As it turns out, the sponge is a very simple way to implement multi-tiered portioning to increase the overall microbial community,” You concluded.

Don’t use a sponge it’s a bag of bacteria

It turns out that scientists are very skeptical not only of kitchen sponges, but also of the sponges some of us choose to wash our bodies. The reason is exactly the same.

Dermatologist – dr Charles Puza – thinksthat you should not use a sponge to wash your body. This habit is bad and ineffective. The sponge does not fulfill its function, it does not wash the body, and even stains it. A sponge that is still wet is a great place for bacteria to grow. These can lead to many infections if, for example, we have minor wounds on the body. Therefore, the doctor recommends using your own hands for washing. Dr. Charles also takes a negative view of any hard sponges that can damage the skin.

1. A sponge is a bag of bacteria. Do not use it for washing – recommends a dermatologist

Read also:

1. How often to wash and change bedding? Advice from microbiologists
2. What can happen if you don’t change your underwear every day?
3. The doctor calls: we should wash only three parts of the body every day