Not Daily, Not Monthly: Martha Stewart Says To Replace This Kitchen Item Every Week

Keeping up with cleaning and washing can be a real chore, especially if you're not sure how often every item in your kitchen should be cleaned. Martha Stewart has long been the queen of home advice, and an advice column she wrote years ago still rings true. When asked whether dish cloths or sponges are more sanitary, Stewart stressed the importance of switching out your dirty dish rags and towels at least once a week. "Dishcloths and sponges are equal-opportunity breeding grounds for bacteria, which thrive in the presence of food particles and in warm, moist environments. Millions of food-borne pathogens may be living in that one little cloth or sponge and can be spread easily from cutting board to countertop to other areas of the kitchen," she wrote in a 2009 column for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Dish cloths and towels often become items in your home you probably aren't cleaning enough, as they're constantly in use and touch gross food debris and dirty hands. Though Stewart addressed the issue of dirty dish rags over a decade ago, her advice still stands. In a 2017 study published in the Journal of Food Protection, almost half of the 100 homes tested had food-borne pathogens in their kitchens. When dish cloths tested positive, other surfaces did as well, proving how these towels spread germs. By following Martha Stewart's advice and swapping out your dish towels on a weekly schedule, you can help keep your kitchen cleaner.

In between replacements, Martha Stewart suggests a little upkeep to ensure your dish cloths aren't dirtying faster. In her 2009 Philadelphia Inquirer column, she wrote, "Whether you use a cloth or a sponge, rinse it thoroughly under hot running water after each use and wring it well. Store it so that it dries quickly and remains dry. Don't fold a cloth or leave a sponge in the sink. Consider using paper towels to wipe up meat or eggs." These practices help your dish cloths to only need to be washed about once a week, but if your towels come into contact with raw meat, you'll need to change them immediately.

While it's sometimes recommended to replace your dish rags daily, it depends on what they're being used to clean. It won't hurt to replace your dish cloths every day, but as long as you're laundering them frequently, they should be safe. Regular washing will also help to prevent or remove the sour smell from your dish cloths. Stewart's suggestion to replace dish towels weekly at minimum ensures that they're being washed with enough frequency and keeps your kitchen more sanitary.