Sponges can hold all kinds of germs and mold spores, so it’s a good idea to clean them often. Today, I want to share 3 easy ways to clean and disinfect sponges and get rid of germs!
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Being the clean freak that I am, I’ve gone through my fair share of sponges. They are great for scrubbing pans, wiping down countertops, cleaning sinks and so much more! Did you know that after a few different uses, your sponge can start harboring some serious germs and start growing mold and mildew inside them. I mean, have you ever left a sponge in your sink for a few days and noticed a nasty mildew smell coming from it. It’s no wonder, since we use them to clean up all of our messes, right? Instead of tossing them out after a using for a few days, it’s better idea to clean your sponges. It’s a good idea to clean your sponges about once per week, and once they start looking shabby, it’s time to toss them. Here are 3 different methods for cleaning those sponges so you can keep using them around your home…
Bleach Your Sponges
Mix 3/4 cup of bleach in one gallon of water, and soak the sponge for five minutes. This will absolutely eliminate the germs in your sponges.
Microwave Your Sponges
In the microwave, saturate the sponge (I used 1/4 cup of water for scrub sponges and 1/2 cup for cellulose); heat on High for one minute (scrub) or two minutes (cellulose). Keep an eye on it.Put a sponge into a regular dishwasher load, using the “heated dry” setting.
Wash Your Sponges in the Dishwasher
Put a sponge into a regular dishwasher load, using the “heated dry” setting. I put mine where the utensils go to keep them from bouncing around. This method should get rid of at least 99% of germs.
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This is a great idea, I put my sponge in the sink almost daily and spray it (both sides) with Clorox Clean-Up or whatever I happen to have in my hand at the time. I hate to throw them out and there is NOTHING worse than that mildew smell they get.
I have a Corian counter top and sink – sometimes the sink looks a little yellowy to me so I spray the Clorox……less than 5 minutes, the sink is white again and the sponge is fresh
I have always soaked sponges in bleach water, then run them threw the dishwasher, my sponges smell and are clean. Taken care of, they last about 3 weeks in kitchen use.
I never have an issues with the kitchen and bath sponges I wash them all the time after I used it take all the water out and let it dry. I have never have problem of smell or get mold on them!
I rinse my sponge throughly after every use. Then I place it in the window so the sun hits it. This is the best way to eliminate odors and mildew.
I have also just put them in a pan of boiling water, add a bit of lemon juice for a nice smell if you want! I kind of let them simmer while I do other kitchen clean up