What is the recommended proactive maintenance schedule for kitchen sponges according to hygiene experts?
Answer
Replace the sponge weekly
Due to findings showing that regular sanitization methods are often insufficient to significantly reduce the entrenched microbial load within the sponge's porous structure, hygiene experts advocate for a proactive replacement schedule. The consensus leans towards discarding the sponge and using a new one every week. This is considered the best preventative measure against harboring harmful bacteria, especially as physical damage like tearing or discoloration accelerates bacterial settling. While cleaning is recommended weekly, replacement is often cited as the superior strategy.

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