If you sponge smells bad it's time to change it!

I always try to serve my food on brand new kitchen sponges. Ok, sarcasm aside, I think more pertinent to health would be a study on the bacterial concentrations on dishes that are washed with said sponges then dried. Perhaps there is wisdom in why we use non-porous materials to hold food?

Maybe it’s helpful in strengthening your immune... Let the immune system work a bit...

How about a study on how to minimize said bacteria?

We rinse our sponge out daily with a mild bleach solution. Done so for 50 years.

Why didn't the microwave kill the bacteria?!

Tman47 maybe it's time to purchase a new sponge after 50 years !

I use natural sponges from sonomaWilliams stores. I rinse out, then microwave for 50 sec., then let dry overnight. Refreshes, kills bacteria, to reuse.

I should be dead by now.

It is easy to disinfect household sponges on a daily basis.
1. Wet the sponge thoroughly. A drop or two of liquid dishwashing detergent may be added, if you wish. A splash of hydrogen peroxide will also help remove stains and odors. 2. Place sponge in a microwaveable container, covered loosely with a lid (not sealed shut). 3. Microwave the sponge at high, until the water in the sponge has boiled for at least 3 minutes.
That's all there is to it.