I have to admit, I do use a dishcloth. When I was pregnant I was very conscious of cleanliness and used a lot of dettol wipes around the house, but these days although I do still use dettol wipes, I don’t tend to use them as often as before, instead choosing a dishcloth, which I though would be better for the environment. I am quite conscious that they don’t stay clean for long, so wash daily in hot water and fairly frequently in my washing machine on a hot wash, which I appreciate is also not very environmentally friendly.
However, reading this information from Dettol has made me rethink my dishcloth.
Did you know?
- 9 out of 10 UK dishcloths are ‘heavily contaminated’ with bacteria and have the highest level of bacteria in the world
- Six out of ten contaminated dishcloths harbour harmful E.coli bacteria
- UK dishcloths dirtier than toilet flush handles
While I don’t think I fall into the category of the 85% of Brits who fail to regularly clean their dishcloth at a high enough temperature, this information has made me wonder what exactly I’m wiping my kitchen surfaces with.
Commissioned by the Global Hygiene Council, the international laboratory study swabbed dishcloths from homes in the UK, USA, UAE, South Africa and India to identify the type and levels of bacteria present. The research found nine out of ten UK dishcloths were ‘heavily contaminated’ with bacteria, while a further 10% were ‘unsatisfactory’, resulting in 100% failing the overall microbiological hygiene tests.
70% of the dishcloths had over one billion bacteria per 100cm², 60% were contaminated with E.coli (the bacteria which causes stomach upset) and 25% contained over one billion Pseudomonas spp. per 100cm², an organism linked to damp, dirty conditions.
Top tips for keeping your dishcloth clean
- Wash your dishcloth thoroughly after each use and rinse with an anti-bacterial detergent every two days to kill harbouring germs.
- Change your dishcloth every few months.
- Regularly deep clean your dishcloth in your washing machine at 60 degrees
- Switch to anti-bacterial wipes to clean some surfaces, particularly after the preparation of raw meat or poultry.
I’m off to clean my dishcloths in a hot wash, I don’t think I’ll ever look at them the same way again.
What do you think the cleanest item in Britains’s homes was found to be?
For more information on Dettol products visit Dettol.co.uk
Dettol kindly sent us some products to help detox our dishcloths
Leave a Reply