I like to use PVA cloths instead of paper towels, both for wiping up moisture and for cleaning. However, I've recently been hearing about how germ-laden kitchen sponges are, that the typical ways of cleaning them (microwave, dishwasher, clothes washer) only kill off the less-resistant germs and actually can be worse, and that cleaning sponges should be discarded after a week or so.
How do PVA cloths/sponges compare to other materials in terms of germ-hosting, and should they also be discarded or downgraded to a dirtier cleaning job after a week or so of use, and ultimately discarded (even though they are much more durable than many products)?
Due to the material, and the way they dry to a rock hard state, these cloths will not grow mold, mildew and bacteria like traditional cloths and sponges do. You will want to replace eventually, and perhaps downgrade before that, but they are washable, and they should last way longer than traditional products in general.