How often should you throw out the sponge used to wash dishes?
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For longer life I usually Wet the sponge with white vinegar and add a few drops of dish detergent, and this way I can use it to its fullest. I get 3 weeks and sometimes longer. If the sponge does not get cleaned then 2 weeks it will start to smell. If you use a dishwasher, throw the sponge in there. and never use that sponge to clean the table or counter tops.
I cannot remember if I have ever thrown one out or not. I have found a couple that were rather slimy, just soaked 'em in bleach and hot water. I typically use mine until I am required to grab it with a pair of tweezers. I did find a sponge one time, well, it found me. As I turned over the dishes that had been in the same place for at least the last 6 months, the sponge jumped out at me. It missed and I sprayed it with bleach. Take that sucka! Really, I don't know but I would figure as cheap as they are, maybe once every 2 weeks.
It is recommended that you replace it every 30 days. In between, to kill all germs in it, you should dampen it and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. The heat will kill any germs.
Well I use mine a long time. I put mine in the microwave for two minutes to sanitize. (every day)
It will last longer.
I will soak mine in a little diluted bleach and I run it through the dishwasher every time it's run. I keep them until stains no longer come out or it falls apart.
I was a sponge user for 49 years. I used to put them in the microwave for 30 seconds and use them til they wore out. A young gal used bar cloths that she got from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I started using them and I love them. I use a clean one every day and wash the dirty ones with my whites. The bar cloths are not that expensive and can be thrown out when they become worn. I feel so much better using them than sponges now.
for sponges, bacteria will grow continuously. you can microwave them or soak it with real hot water and bleach. you can do that and use it until the sponge begins to brake down. enjoy.
I keep an icecream container under my sink, and after I have done dishes, cleaned up etc, place sponges, scourers, plugs etc into the container with boiling water and a disinfectant like pinocleen. I also hang my rubber gloves over the edge of the container so that the hand parts are being disinfected.
Then the next time I am going to use them (I don't have a dishwasher)I rinse them all out with really hot water, and use as needed, then back into the container with new water and disinfectant.
Once a month I use bleach instead to freshen them up..
I only throw out the sponge if it starts to fall apart, or I've had to use it for something unspeakable in an emergency, like the cat throwing up or something)
I don't use them because they have too much bacteria. I use a Japanese round, hard nylon scrubber I get from World Market or Target and just throw it in the washer once a week with the bleached load.
I use kitchen towels for everything else.
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