A whopping 1.2 billion dangerous germs have been found in a single kitchen sponge. Our producers and University of Arizona microbiologists tested a kitchen dishcloth used only one day and discovered enough germs to make you sick. The dishcloth grew fecal E. coli and fecal streptococcus bacteria. If I ever come back as a bacteria in my next life, that's where I want to live. Gerba says the antibacterial sponges that became available a few years ago do work.
Pathogens can survive for days on kitchen countertops.
Gerba points out the kitchen sink is often the most germ-ridden spot in the home. We find more fecal bacteria in the kitchen sink than we do in the toilet. Most people don't realize where you find most of the germs that could make you ill are really in the sink area because it is wet, moist, and you are always bringing food in here that's contaminated. Cutting boards can transmit food poisoning if they aren't cleaned and disinfected properly. Gerba suggests using separate cutting boards for meats and produce.