Ways You Are Mistreating Your Kitchen Sponge

By Raymus Homes - 8-27-2020

Chances are you have used a kitchen sponge at least once or twice in your lifetime. People have been using sponges for cleaning surfaces easily in the kitchen since the 1940’s. Sponges are excellent to keep on hand. But they could be doing more harm than good if you do not store them or use them correctly. Here are a few mistakes you could be making when it comes to your trusty kitchen sponge.

Using It for Everything

Sponges excel at soaking up spills and messes around the kitchen, but that does not mean you should use it to clean up every little thing. If you want to keep your sponge from spreading gross stuff around to other surfaces, avoid using it to clean up things like meat juices. A paper towel is a great substitute in that instance.

Keeping It Too Long

Because sponges are so porous, they collect and breed bacteria faster than other cleaning tools. To avoid being counterproductive and potentially inviting unwanted smells, it is recommended to toss your sponge after about a week.

Setting It in the Sink

Your kitchen sink is one of the nastiest spots in your home. Think of all the gross things it encounters! Even if you clean it regularly with vinegar, it is wise to not give into the temptation to leave your sponge laying in the sink. Just the fact that the sink does not allow your sponge to dry out quickly increases the rate at which bacteria can grow in the material.

Running It Through the Dishwasher

Some sources suggest running your sponge through the dishwasher to refresh it. But do not do this! The heat from the dishwasher may kill some of the bacteria, but it is not likely it will neutralize all of them. Then the ones that are left behind will be bigger and worse than before. Next time you feel like your sponge is at its limit, just toss it instead and replace it.

Not Disinfecting After Uses

If it is not a habit of yours to disinfect your sponge after each use, this is a big mistake. When you simply leave it to dry until next time, you are inviting a whole host of bacteria to take up residence there. Experts suggest you rinse your sponge with diluted bleach after each cleanup.

If the thought of replacing your kitchen sponge regularly is off putting, perhaps it is time for a change. Why not consider switching to a washable dishcloth or a silicone scrubby instead?

Raymus Homes is a home builder based in Manteca, California. And while we love providing ones with valuable information for their home life, we enjoy putting them in homes more. Why not look at some of our available homes while you are here?