The dish sponge is durable, practical and a must in any kitchen.
However, when it comes to using it, you are bound to make some mistakes without knowing it.
Let’s look at some of them:
You don’t replace it often
It is good to replace the sponge at least once a month and disinfect it in between. Of course, depending on how it is used it may need to be changed more often as you will find that it smells or doesn’t clean the dishes well.
Woman wears gloves and washes dishes with sponge
Leave it in the sink
Often after you finish washing the dishes and cleaning the sink, wring out the sponge and put it aside. However, the sink is a haven for bacteria and leaving the sponge in it is not a good idea. Because of the moisture, bacteria develop which are then transferred to the dishes.
You use it for everything
Avoid using the kitchen sponge to wipe the counter, stove or table, chairs. A microfiber cloth is ideal for this job.
Disinfect it in the microwave
It may sound logical to sterilize the dish sponge in the microwave, but in practice it is not. Synthetic sponges can catch fire and in rare cases even cause an explosion.
Experts suggest cleaning up sponges between uses with diluted bleach and warm water.
Woman soaps a plate with a sponge.
You wash it in the dishwasher
The high heat of the dishwasher can kill some but not all of the germs on the dish sponge. Therefore, it is not a solution to disinfect it in the dishwasher but to replace it at regular intervals.
With information from bobvila.com
