MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

A few people have said, well one straight to me that to really see a lot under the microscope I should look at the kitchen sink dish washing scrub pad.

Basically proclaiming the extremity of how we use it for hygiene it is in fact really covered with germs.

Well mine I never let get bad with soilly deposits and I use it for at least 3 weeks I guess.

What I do is run the real hot water over it for about 10 seconds and figure BAM no more bacteria on it now.

Any further thoughts on any portion of the topic?

Maybe not really a topic or maybe is.

-Dennis

Hello Dennis,

just put your scrub under some microscope and you will lose any believe in hygiene.

Just to say there's a difference between bacteria. generally, and 'germs'. Bacteria are ubiquitous and the vast majority are not pathogenic. Indeed, our own gut flora are essential to our health though need to have the right balance via a healthy diet. I use one of those yellow and green sponges to do my dishes. I change it with a fresh one regularly - about once a year or so! I do somewhat pasteurise it with hot water on each use though.

Louise

Louise,

That is what I think. I run very hot water on it before each use and that about takes care of it.

-Dennis

Dennis wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:27 am

Louise,

That is what I think. I run very hot water on it before each use and that about takes care of it.

-Dennis

Good! I've not had any upset stomach or gastro-intestinal problem in many, many years
But, also, I don't eat out or ever get takeaways - just my own home cooked food. Works for me!

Louise

Dennis wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:27 am

Louise,

That is what I think. I run very hot water on it before each use and that about takes care of it.

-Dennis

No, it does not. To pasteurize you need at least 10 minutes at a minimum of 240 ° Fahrenheit.

Your immune system is stronger and more capable than you might expect. That's why you never experienced any harm.

To prove just put that thing under your microscope immediately after you spilled it with hot water. You will find it a quite vital environment, despite the hot water.

Alexander wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:46 am

Dennis wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:27 am

Louise,

That is what I think. I run very hot water on it before each use and that about takes care of it.

-Dennis

No, it does not. To pasteurize you need at least 10 minutes at a minimum of 240 ° Fahrenheit.

Your immune system is stronger and more capable than you might expect. That's why you never experienced any harm.

To prove just put that thing under your microscope immediately after you spilled it with hot water. You will find it a quite vital environment, despite the hot water.

But less time needed for boiling water out of my kettle (which is what I use as I don't have hot running water)!

Louise

Look at the bright side if I had my water heater set to 240 degrees those would be some hot showers!!!!!!!!!

Plus while you are washing the dishes all the hot water rinsing after the wipe off with scrub pad with a few drops of dish soap.

Nobody is really gonna cover my dishes with all the hot flowing water. They are getting washed down the sink.

I never eat off the scrub brush but the plate.

-Dennis

Dennis wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 23, 2022 2:28 pm

Look at the bright side if I had my water heater set to 240 degrees those would be some hot showers!!!!!!!!!

Plus while you are washing the dishes all the hot water rinsing after the wipe off with scrub pad with a few drops of dish soap.

Nobody is really gonna cover my dishes with all the hot flowing water. They are getting washed down the sink.

I never eat off the scrub brush but the plate.

-Dennis

I just noticed that Alexander mentioned 240 deg Fahrenheit which is about 115 deg C so above the boiling point of water. For ordinary pasteurization you only really need about 72 deg C for 15secs. I think I'm safe!
Louise

Yea I noted that but didn't really want the topic to drag more and more.

For those who are interested about the problems to kill bacteria:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steriliza ... robiology)

Some pathogenic bacteria survive more than an hour at 240° Fahrenheit.

Alexander wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 23, 2022 8:31 pm

For those who are interested about the problems to kill bacteria:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steriliza ... robiology)

Some pathogenic bacteria survive more than an hour at 240° Fahrenheit.

Nobody was talking about sterilization! There's unlikely to be any tough pathogens on a washing up sponge. At least, not in the way I use mine.
Anyway - time to end this now.
Louise

Sorry I got snappy. It isn't for me to say.
They just made a big deal out of it I think on the TV news one time
and I have steaming hot water anyhow.
Me sorry for sounding nasty
-Dennis