Kitchen Sponges Can Have More Bacteria Than Lab Petri Dishes, Researchers Say

BOSTON (CBS) -- Believe it or not, your kitchen sponge can make your dishes even dirtier.

Researchers say a kitchen sponge can harbor more bacteria than a laboratory petri dish.

Eww...but important to know about.

Researchers at Duke University conducted a series of experiments and found that a kitchen sponge is a better incubator for a variety of bacteria than a petri dish designed to grow bacteria. Not only can sponges trap leftovers, allowing germs to thrive, but the structure of a sponge itself promotes bacterial growth.

They compared it to people living through a pandemic. Some people hate feeling isolated while others love it. Same with bacteria.

And because sponges have lots of nooks and crannies, they allow all types of bacteria to live their best lives, the loners as well as those that like to socialize. So instead of using a traditional kitchen sponge, you might be better off with a scrub brush.