What should Mr. Crab do if Sponge Bob gets too yucky and gross? Toss him, say Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen of RealAge.com. Dirty sponges, say the docs famous for their YOU book series, actually grow harmful bacteria.

They suggest instead buying ten cheap dishcloths and two buckets. Keep the clean cloths in one bucket and the dirty cloths in the other bucket containing some diluted bleach. Wash all the cloths once a week. But if you are just not the cloth type, try washing your sponges in the dishwasher at least once a week to kill germs. Putting sponges in the microwave will produce similar germ-eradicating results.

Poor Sponge Bob. Who knew that in order to keep clean, he has to be cooked up in a microwave or soaped up in a dishwasher ever week. Better than poor you and your family, though, who would otherwise be exposed to these germs.