How Clean is Your Kitchen Sponge?

May 9, 2022 by Chef David

By S. Levin

Cleanliness is an obsession. For many, it begins with the fanatical cleaning before Passover.  Others realize the invisible but ever-present bacteria living in their kitchen. Consider your kitchen sponge, which is used to wash dishes, wipe off the counters, and clean utensils used with raw meat and eggs. It may not be as sanitary as you’d like to think. Sponges are moist and porous, providing an ideal environment for bacteria growth. COVID has helped create micro-organism mania, and Skura Style Sponges offer a solution.

Kitchen Conundrum – Looking Clean is not Enough

Keeping your kitchen clean can be a challenge, just because it looks clean does not mean it is bacteria-free.

I recommend cleaning kitchen surfaces both before and after food preparation with a disposable wipe, paper towel, or a washable kitchen towel, not with a sponge. While a sponge removes visible dirt, it may collect and spread bacteria. When cleaning counters use disinfectants, they are designed to reduce bacteria, as opposed to dish detergent which is made to dissolve grease. Before handling food always wash your hands with hot soapy water, ideally, for at least 20 seconds.

Sponge Etiquette

If you use a sponge, wring it out after each use, and let it dry completely to prevent the growth of mildew. Some experts recommend running your sponge through the dishwasher daily, others suggest getting a new sponge every two weeks, or when it starts to smell. Microwaving your sponge to kill the bacteria has not been proven effective, in fact, using too little heat or too short a time can create conditions that actually increase bacteria.

When your sponge begins to smell, it’s an indication that the food caught inside is decomposing. Trapped food can begin to decompose in about 5 days. This sour odor is a sign that you need a new sponge.  Masking the odor does not correct the issue.

Redesigned Sponge

Skura sponges are designed with three distinct layers. The top layer fades to indicate when it is time to change sponges. They coined the phrase fade-to-change technology. The middle layer is made from a plush polyurethane foam that dries quickly, making it less attractive to bacteria, and contains fewer nooks and crannies to trap food. The bottom layer is infused with an antimicrobial agent that is odor resistant. Antimicrobial protection on the sponge inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew. It does not disinfect surfaces.

The sponge has a good squeegee-like feel, the polyurethane foam gives it depth which makes it easy to hold, it bounces back into shape after each use and washes clean. Most importantly, it is safe for all my pots!  The sponge works, it’s great for getting off stuck-on food without scratching.

Each package of Skura Style sponges has four distinct colors, grey, blue, green, and orange which is a good fit for a kosher kitchen, which uses three different sponges, dairy, fleshing, and parve.

Their Story

Co-Founders Alison Matz and Linda Sawyer became best friends after going head-to-head in the second-grade spelling bee (Alison was the winner). The two remained in contact, raising families. They embraced their obsession for true cleanliness by creating Skura, which is Swedish for “scour” and “scrub”.  They worked with a Swedish product designer to reimagine the sponge.  Then they leveraged their business know-how from careers in advertising and media to build a brand, which rethinks the kitchen, or as they say, ‘makes it the happiest part of the home, so every square inch of it should bring a smile to your face.’

Clever and Creative

The Skura sponges are well made and attractive. Their marketing hits home, sharing a relatable message  ‘The average sponge is gross. It smells. It’s dumb.’ This is so true, with all we know about bacteria and cleanliness, it’s a shame that the sponge has remained basically unchanged. Until now.

Skura designed a sponge that cleans without scratching and discourages bacteria growth. Sponges should not last forever, but this one lasts longer and tells you when it should be replaced.  In testing the Skura sponge, I realized that using it to scrub vegetables wore off the color faster than intended, but it was a good visual queue that it was time for a new sponge.

Skura also makes TA-DA a double-sided 100% cotton highly absorbent dish towel, WIPE ENVY a reusable microfiber cloth, and VERY SKRUBBY a heavy-duty scouring pad. The cute names are an indication of the power of marketing and the ability to breathe new life into kitchen cleaning. Skura products can be purchased online.

Clean with Confidence

Cleaning up the kitchen and washing dishes will never be as much fun as cooking, but it should not be a guessing game to know whether you are cleaning or spreading bacteria. A kitchen sponge should be able to do its job and look good too. Skura Style adds some reassurance, letting me manage and maintain my cooking area, and feel confident that it is as clean as it looks.