Dishwashing rags can cause paralysis

Researchers found that dishwashing rags are one of the dirtiest things in your home, 200,000 times more dirty than the toilet seat and a "reservoir" of pathogens, which can even lead to paralysis in humans.

According to a new study, on average there are nearly 1.5 million bacteria residing on each cm2 of dishwashing foam and about 150,000 bacteria on every ² cm of dish cloths and plates. And in terms of the amount of bacteria contained, the vegetable slicer on the toilet seat is safer than a cutting board, the scientists claim.

The findings were drawn from a study on how to spread the disease in the environment, conducted by Dr. Charles Gerba, professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona (USA), and colleagues. The study includes using rags to clean household items and counting the types and growth of bacteria on it.

Dishwashing sponge is one of the dirtiest things in
Your home, 200,000 times dirtier than the toilet seat.

BBC news agency quoted Professor Gerba as saying, in terms of microorganisms, the toilet seat is one of the cleanest things in your house. However, you need to be more alert to other household items such as dishwashing sponges, dish towels and recycling bags.

Professor Hugh Pennington, one of Britain's leading microbiologists, also agreed that kitchens and especially dishwashing sponges are among the most dangerous "outbreaks" in the house.

"It would be right to use a scrubbing sponge to remove food from the dishes in warm water. However, never use a sponge to clean the dishes , " he said on the Daily Mail page.

According to Professor Pennington, one of the most harmful bacteria to human health is campylobacter - a bacterium commonly found on dishwashing rags.

He explained that campylobacter is derived from poultry and is capable of causing Guillain-Barre syndrome, the disease does not affect human thoughts or feelings, but spreads to foreign nerves. border and affect movement, which can cause paralysis in humans. In most cases of Guillain-Barre, the condition will be relieved or clear but recovery may take weeks, months or years.

"Until now, the dirtiest thing is still dishwashing sponge , " said John Oxford, a professor of virus at the University of London (UK) and chairman of the Sanitation Association, a body that compares defense standards. born around the world, emphasized.

In his latest study, the Sanitation Council examined samples collected from households in 9 different countries and discovered, 21% of wipes were considered clean in the kitchen actually had the level of contamination. dirty high.