A recent report from the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU @consumers) has revealed that the scouring pads and cloths we use to clean the kitchen or other parts of the home are a source of bacteria against which we must fight. More concretely, «up to 96% of scourers and 91% of cloths they are in poor hygienic conditions ”, they explain in this work, while the people who try to keep them in perfect condition do so almost always with insufficient methods.
Faced with this situation, the OCU recommends remove food debris after each use, use bleach diluted 10% to disinfect them once a week or replace them periodically with new ones, even without waiting for them to deteriorate. «Additionally, it is recommended to have one for each use, keep it in different places and even choose them in different colors to avoid confusion», they add.
However, also you can resort to some homemade tricks so that your scourers and cloths last in perfect condition for much longer and, most importantly, bacteria and other microorganisms do not reign in your kitchen or bathroom.
Something more than bleach
Bleach is the quintessential disinfectant product, but it’s not the only one you can turn to to make sure that your cleaning products are also 100% hygienic. For example, one of the most used methods is put them in the dishwasher or washing machine to get a deep wash. Of course, it is recommended not to mix them with other clean clothes or utensils, add a splash of vinegar to the detergent and let them dry completely. What other simple tricks can you go for?
It may seem like a strange technique, but it is one of the most effective. Is about put the freshly washed scourer in the microwave for at least three minutes so that the heat destroy bacteria that have been able to survive. Afterwards, let it air dry and it will be perfect to use again.
You can too boil them in a saucepan with water, half a glass of white vinegar and three tablespoons of salt. Let the mixture come to a boil, and after turning off the heat, let the cloth or scouring pad soak in the hot water for several hours. The next morning, drain them vigorously and allow them to dry thoroughly before using them again.
As always, bicarbonate is a great ally in this regard. You just have to put the cloth in question in a container with hot water and bicarbonate, although you can substitute it with active oxygen or washing machine detergent. Leave it submerged until the water cools down and finally rinse it very well.
Although these tricks work perfectly, the best way to completely eliminate all bacteria and microorganisms that can inhabit these items is combine the advice of the OCU and other specialized organizations with these homemade methods that are available to anyone.
