This is something I'm vigilant about. I've noticed the quality of kitchen sponges seems to have deteriorated over the years, and they don't last as long as they used to. I think they seem to get slimy quickly, despite using vinegar on them, or sometimes lemon juice or even bleach. I tend to replace mine every two weeks, and I keep sponges for washing the pet dishes and also for cleaning the sinks. I've tried using cloths, but they seem even worse, and also can be unwieldy, and make more of a mess than they're worth. Do you use kitchen sponges? If so, how often do you replace them? If not, what do you use?
I don't waste time, usually one a day actually. They are very cheap (albeit low quality) so I don't want to compromise on sanitation. Kitchen tea towels I will keep for a while and wash but sponges themselves are thrown after a single day.
I stopped using kitchen sponges and have discovered microfibre scrubs. One side is more abrasive and great for stainless steel pots and pans and the other side is softer like a microfibre cloth and it's great for t-fal pans with a coating. You can throw them in the washer or dishwasher to clean them. They came 3 to a pack and I would think would last a long time. I like that you can wash them to keep them sanitary. This is something similar to what I bought. Log In
I use both tea towels and sponges, as well as paper towels. I throw my sponges in the dishwasher to sanitize them and make them last longer. I use mine for longer than I should I am sure, but neither I my roomate or guests have ever gotten ill, so I guess it is OK. I think cleaning them as often as you can is a good idea though.
I will put the sponge in the microwave to kill germs at least once before I throw them out. It depends on what was cleaned with that sponge when I will throw it away. If it was something really messy I will use the sponge to clean up the mess and then throw it away.
@Pat I'd forgotten about sanitizing them in the microwave, thank you! I don't have a dishwasher here (not a working one, anyway), so that's not an option. The sponges I use aren't cheap, so throwing them out daily isn't going to happen. I'll check into those @purplepen88, thanks, hopefully they'll work, or I'll start using the microwave to sanitize them. @Ke Gordon I use a lot of towels, as well as some paper towels in the kitchen. I of course toss the paper towels when I'm finished, unless they're just used to dry off the litter boxes, in which case I sometimes save and reuse them the next time. I usually keep around 3-4 towels for a few days, and swap them out as needed, and those I wash in the washing machine when I'm washing my other towels.
I'm not sure when I tossed mine last.. early 90s I guess? lol. They gross me out beyond words. I use scrub brushes or anything that doesn't absorb the ickies and my hand doesn't have to touch lol.
I use the sponges that's covered with safe for non stick pots and I like to change them at least once a month. I put baking soda in my dish washing detergent too for I saw on Dr. Oz that it keeps your dish washing detergent sanitized. I'd use separate cleaning sponges for pets though. We don't have pets at our home because we can't keep pets at the apt. we live in now, but we had pets before. I kept using disposable things like the plastics that tofu comes in for pet water and always changed it with new tofu containers and just dispose of the old containers. Same with feeding pets I like new and clean containers to feed my pets so I'd always get something new to put their food in too or use the tofu containers of different sizes for their pet food. Here is an articleLog In
I replace them when they're too dirty and thinned out to be used anymore. We buy the packs of 4 at Walmart for cheap and they usually last a couple of months. It works for us although I've thought about getting the kind with the scrubbers on the end of a stick. I hate the silver wirey ones. I think I'd rather just buy the regular ones every couple of months.
As the mentioned the quality of some brands of sponges had decreased so much that I save my money and don't buy them at all. I tried the ones with the scrubber and that was weak. The last straw was when I purchased Mr. Clean sponges to use when cleaning my bathtub as seen on a commercial. Both sponges fell apart half way through cleaning the tub. Mr. Clean was on sale at Kroger and that is the other reason I purchased it. I'll stick to tea towels for my cleaning needs.
I have used the cheap dollar store sponges years ago. I don't use sponges like used to anyway. If I had it my way I would get the sponge brushes. It saves me the trouble of having to get the crusty milk rings at the bottom of the cups that I can't reach with my hands. I would throw the sponges as soon as they get slimy which happens very quickly.
This is funny because our housemaid is the one in charge with washing the dishes so she is in the best position to determine about the sponge. But almost always, I would discover the dishwashing sponge to be so worn out. And the housemaid would reason out that she is being thrifty. A worn our sponge does not do its job very well for sometimes there are traces of oil on the plates and utensils.
I do agree that the quality of sponges has deteriorated over the years. The more expensive ones don't last that much longer than the ones I buy at the Dollar Tree. I usually change them every two weeks unless they start to look gross before that. @Pat: thanks for the microwave tip. It never occurred to me that I could do that.
I like to replace them at least once a month. When they have worn down, I then use them for bleach jobs to clean the garden, or outside, and then finally the floor before they are thrown out. They are cheaper these days, but I would rather have a clean sponge and less scrubbing. My parents hate throwing them out, and it makes washing the dishes harder, so I use it clean the floor and say I have to throw it out when it's really got nothing left to offer!
I see I'm not the only one to re-use the kitchen sponges once they've served their purpose. I don't buy the ones with the inflexible scrubber because they're too hard on my hands, but I do like a scrubber section. I also buy scrubbing brushes, the kind with the long handle. I use those for other purposes such as difficult spots on the floors, cleaning the litter boxes, and also on the kitchen trash can. I'm considering purchasing some of the scrubbing cloths @purplepen88 mentioned. That particular brand was sold out on Amazon, but I'm thinking I might look around next time I'm at the grocery store or Dollar Tree, and try buying those and cutting them into smaller sizes. I don't like having a larger cloth trailing after me or bunching up when I'm trying to clean, but I think a smaller size would be good. I have some small cloths that I use now just to wipe around the sink when water splashes, but they don't have a scrubber section, so aren't good for actual cleaning.
When I use scrub sponge in kitchen, I will need a frequent replacement for the kitchen dish scrubber.
We dry our kitchen sponge when not in use, the same way with the kitchen rags. Based on our observation, the sponge and rags last longer when kept dry unlike when they are continuously soaked in water. The fiber becomes less durable that it wouldn't last long.
I replace my kitchen sponges when the quality of the sponge has changed like the softness of the sponge. So I change my sponge every week.
This might actually be one of the areas that I am actually pretty good at when it comes to cleaning, and maybe even ahead of the curve. I just cannot stand the filthy sponges so I always pick some up in the store to change them out.
We are using dishwasher so we use the kitchen sponges very rarely but as we all know that our kitchen and especially the sink is the real home for bacteria so it's wise to change them at least every weak. After all a kitchen sponge costs you lot lesser than a doctor and pharmacy. I generally am the one who gets rid of them whenever I can despite of protests coming from my wife.
