3 Eco-Friendly Swaps That Could Be Bad for Your Health (Page 3)

2. You’ve replaced sponges with dishrags.

Dishrags are stored in damp, warm environments, where germs love to breed. Plus most people don’t routinely disinfect them. More than 75 percent of dishrags were found to be infected with coliform bacteria—a group that includes E. coli and Salmonella—in one 2011 study from NSF International, an independent public health organization.

The solution: Replace dishrags every day or two. Wash dirty ones with bleach in hot water. Or use a washing machine with the NSF certification mark, which guarantees that it will sanitize and remove virtually all germs, eliminating the need for bleach.

Next: 3. You ditched disposable water bottles for a reusable one. »