Oh, duh!  That makes sense.  While the anti-bacterial agent kills off some bacteria it doesn't kill off everything so there will always be bacteria on the sponge. 

Wait, does that mean I'm right - that the organic detergent is better for us?  lol.  

 Thank you Magilum!! 

I read somewhere that putting brushes and sponges in the dishwasher only cleans them but doesn't disinfect them. I don't have a dishwasher anyway

I don't like to use anti-bacterial anything.  The only concession I make to my anti-anti-bacterial is when I'm on the subway and touch something that feels extra disgusting.  Like a wet pole.  Or worse.  Then I decontaminate immediately rather than waiting until I get to work.  Other than that I just wash my hands with regular soap. 

I think that using too much anti-bacterial soap screws with your immune system.  Just my opinion. 

From here:

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/germs-in-kitchen

Zap away bugs.
Kitchen sponges are the No. 1 source of germs in the whole house. Why? The moist, micro-crevices that make a sponge such an effective cleaning device also make it a cozy home for germs and more difficult to disinfect. Wiping your counters or dishes with a dirty sponge will only transfer the bacteria from one item to another. "Wet your sponge and then pop it in the microwave for two minutes to eliminate the germs that lurk inside the crevices," says Neil Schachter, MD, medical director of respiratory care at Mount Sinai in New York City, and the author of The Good Doctor's Guide to Colds and Flu.

But i don't know shit about science, this is what the experts say.

What Magilum posted is a most likely answer. Also don't forget that not all bacteria are harmful, some microorganisms consume other microorganisms and/or their food source thus maintaining a naturally low and harmless population, antibacterial products don't discriminate the finer details of microecology and can help a smelly or dangerous bacteria to breed up hugely by killing the competition off. Kitchen antibacterials aren't good for everday use, disinfecting an environment only really works when it's done vigorously and thoroughly. The organic product is probably a really basic soap detergent, as long as it's effectively cleaning (visibly) your dishes it's the better option for day to day.

Thanks everyone for their advice.  I'm a bit... crazy when it comes to cleanliness in general so the stinky sponge was making me nuts, lol.

 I think I will try using a dish cloth instead of sponge.  I tried using the 'organic' aka 'natural' stuff because I'm so incredibly allergic to most chemcial (401, Tylex and Clorox sprays will literally shut my airways in a matter of seconds - Windex gives me hives) that I was hoping it would help.  I didn't break out from it but I also don't think it did the job. 

As an aside, you should see how much preparation (before and after) it takes for me to cook a chicken breast on the VERY rare occasion I do it.  It's absurd.  I am able to laugh at myself over this.   

I became really concerned about chemicals around the house when I first started becoming allergic to them.  I have one friend who washes everything with hot water and vinegar.  Her house is immaculate.  The chemicals we use to clean effect our bodies, without a doubt.  Most people just don't react so adversely 

Agree 100%.  I'm not as strict as you though.  I occasionally eat fast food, never drink soda and try not to eat processed foods but it's very difficult and time consuming.  Takes practice.  And patience. 

I also agree about fat content.  I think the fact that we consume so much processed foods, sugars and carbs that that is what creates an unequal balance.  That doesn't mean I practice what I preach all the time though. 

Yeah... I pretty much use nothing but Kosher salt, and sometimes sea salt.  Any American could go the rest of their life without putting a dash of iodized salt in any food, and would never get a goiter.

If you folks ever have some spare time, I highly recommend "The Man Who Ate Everything" by Jeffrey Steingarten.  He's the crotchety judge on Iron Chef America, the food critic for Vogue magazine, who also happens to be a Harvard Law grad.

Sharp fellow.

I try not to create too much garbage so I don't want to use a sponge only once or twice.  And bleach will kill me, lol.  Just the scent will send me into a wicked asthma attack.   

yes it only in the kitchen  its a OCD thing i well literally freak if its not clean  i am in culinary school and a clean kitchen is a personal must and always has been   i am very parden the term but anal about my kitchen being clean 

and  and i use the sponges in  occationally in  the garage or other cleaning use but in the kitchen 2-3 at most

Some detergents MAY have still have a lot of phosphates in them. I don't expect that many brands do now because the issues are well known. Phosphates are a good source of energy for microorganisms, and if there was a sponge soaked in a phosphate solution (along with the nutrients you scrub off your plates), it provides an excellent home for some sort "spongeous stinkophilius" bacteria. (I apologize in advance for any further attempts at humor)

Phosphate runoff from agriculture (fertilizers) is responsible for the large dead zone currently in the Gulf of Mexico. It starts as an algae bloom that dies out once the nutrients are gone, then the decay of the algae causes all the oxygen to be eliminated.

Your very close to correct on this, but there is one case that very hot water won't kill.

Thermoacidophiles are a form of Bacteria under the Archaea.

They survive best at temperatures above 80 C, some can even grow at 105 C.

There are no known parasitic archaea, but if you get water above 100 C it starts to evaporate (I believe)

Ahhh, I should have known better... I was thinking about the fact that almost all liquid dish detergents (for hand washing) are labeled "Phosphate-free". The assumption is that it is "new and improved" or better than the competing brand because the phosphates have been eliminated. Well, that's what you get when you assume, especially when marketing is involved.

Bad chemist... should know better.

Sorry, I have now new hypotheses on your smelly sponge. Just zap it in the microwave (while damp).

LOL.  Important to remember if you're boiling sausages in hot springs.

Well, you could simply raise the pressure in your washing machine, raising the boiling point of the water, but it does seem overkill, doesn't it?

Wow, just like HIV and those hospital-born bacterias!

Hi, I'm a biotech by trade and work as a medical scientist with a fair bit of experience in microbiology.

Chemicals are definately bad for you. Try to use them as little as possible. Bleach is definately bad for you. If you can smell a chemical, then it is in your lungs!

Now to the bacteria. Cleaning chemical companies love to overhype bacteria to sell their products. Your kitchen does not need to be sterile, just clean. Apart from some really nasty stuff, you body can actually cope with small doses of bacteria. (and as stated above, not all bacteria are bad anyway)

Sterile houses don't challenge the immune system and are contributing factors to the immune system going haywire (allergies, autoimmune disease).

Now to the question: different detergents contain different chemicals (even organic products are chemicals), which are different substrates  (food) for bacteria. This would mean slightly different bacterial populations. Also the end-products of bacterial metabolism (the bits that smell) would combine in different ways, producing different fragrances.

So... yes.

I use just normal detergent (Spree, it's relatively cheap). The purpose of detergent is to help fatty molecules disolve into water. This gets them off your plates, thus removing the substrate for the bacteria. It also helps stop bacteria sticking by disolving their polysaccharide capsules and breaking the bonds of their pili to the surface. Detergent will also kill bacteria, but that is not it's main function.

I rinse my sponge, then place it on my sink on top of a soap holder (the purpose is to allow airflow, it's chrome, looks nice). Drying will kill a high percentage of bacteria, those that survive can't do much because they are dry and relatively inert.

My sponge never smells. I only throw it out when it starts falling apart.

I rarely get sick and have never had food poisoning from home.

Consider this: when you make your food bacterial numbers are extremely low, you don't get sick when you eat it. So the dishes are dirty (with food) but they aren't actually unhygenicly bacteria ridden until you have left them moist for quite a while. So there is no need to go nuts trying to steralize them.

A simple clean and dry (even drip-dry) will make them clean enough to eat off again.

If you have left your lunch box in your bag for 2 days and it reeks... that is different. Still, make sure the water is hot and soapy, wash well (or i tend to do it at the end of my dishes load and then wash it again in clean water) rinse and dry. Your dishes just need to be clean, not sterile unless you plan on doing surgery with them

Lesson over, hope this helps.

PS: yes I prefer a sponge, I can never get all of the food bits out a chux cloth. My wife prefers a cloth, just treat it the same, let it dry. I do most of the dishes anyway