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HEALTH
that's disgusting // DIRTY DISHES
dude. gross.
Between you and your roommates, the kitchen sink can fill up fast in a day, and could stay that day until the end of the week. But as quickly as overnight, dirty dishes can sprout fungi, says Kevin McCluskey, curator at the Fungal Genetics Stock Center in Kansas City, Mo.
"Most environmental fungi that could grow on left out food are completely harmless," McCluskey says.
But according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, dirty dishes and utensils should be washed within two hours to keep your sink and food preparation area clean. If left unclean, bacteria that thrive on dirty dishes can spread to countertops and unrefrigerated food. According to the CDC, these can be the cause of diarrhea, botulism, or even cholera. In extreme cases, dirty dishes can also attract rodents.
Photo illustration by Adam Vossen
Dish it out. Leaving dirty dishes stacked in the sink can not only allow fungi to grow, but can also spread to countertops and other food if not cleaned in a timely manner.
Hand-washing dishes is recommended by the CDC, but even getting them to the dishwasher is a step in the right direction for the average undergrad.
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// ADAM VOSSEN
sometimes it's hard to tell.
good for you bad for you // LOOFAHS
After hearing that it's good to occasionally scrub off dead skin, Ladini Jayaratne now uses a loofah every time she showers. Usually costing no more than $1 at stores, loofahs provide some of the cheapest exfoliation available.
"After I did it once and felt how baby-bottom-smooth my skin was, I became obsessed," says lavaratte, Olathe junior.
The scrubby shower tool is a good way to remove dead skin cells, but when left in the warm and wet environment of a shower it can create a health risk by harboring many germs. This is especially true in communal showers used widely on college campuses.
The germs on a loofah can vary, but usually they are staphylococcus, says Joel Schlessinger, dermatologist in Omaha, Neb. and president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery.
"Staphylococcus can produce a hair follicle infection — folliculitis — that is very nasty," he says.
These germs can be avoided. Schlessinger recommends cleaning the loofah weekly in boiling water or buying a new one after a week of use. If skin is not moisturized after using a loofah, it can also become dry and flaky.
The results of loofahs are a mixed bag.
Although it can do a good job of exfoliating, it can also harbor many germs and potentially harm skin more than help.
"Typically those negatives outweigh the positives," Schlessinger says.
VERDICT: BAD FOR YOU.
// ADAMVOSSEN
Rub a dub dub. Although loofas can help extolize skin, dermatologist Joel Schissinger notes that the shower tool may accumulate germs, and can cause dry skin.
Photo illustration by Adam Vossen
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