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Cleaning Sponges

Cleaning Sponges
Keep your kitchen sponges clean, bacteria-free, and smelling like nothing at all with this handy trick. Once you're done cleaning with the sponge, wring it out and set it in a window. The sunlight will dry the sponge out and kill most of the smell-inducing bacteria. I prop my sponges up so that only one small edge is touching and all the large sides are exposed to air. This method works much better than chemical or microwave-based approaches. I have literally used a sponge until it shredded and it never smelled bad.
19 comments
Mar 13, 2010. 1:03 AMkkarn says:
I put my sponge in the dishwasher about every other time I run a load of dishes. I figure that cleans and disinfects it.
Feb 3, 2009. 10:57 PMEutychus82 says:
put the sponge in a bowl of soapy water in the microwave, then put under cold water, ring it out, and let it dry
3
Dec 18, 2008. 2:21 PMawang8 says:
My soldering sponge stinks though... Wouldn't be using that to wash dishes! (IT's got lots of lead solder on it too!)
33
Nov 11, 2008. 3:29 AMPlasmana says:
That is a clever idea! I am going to try this... Will it also kill algae?
1
Dec 15, 2008. 10:55 AMchriskarr says:
Of course it will kill algae - they have to be in water to survive (or at least common varieties do).
1
Nov 10, 2008. 3:04 PMaliceownsj00 says:
lol nice. Though I've heard popping a sponge in a microwave can cause a fire? lol so not so good.
141
Nov 10, 2008. 3:16 PMcanida says:
Microwaving sponges is only likely to cause a fire if they're dry - you have to make sure they're wet enough. Wet sponges, however, have their own problems in a microwave: they get very hot, and I've actually cracked one of those tempered-glass turntables microwaving sponges. Now that we've got decent sunlight, I prefer to let natural UV do the work.
1
Nov 10, 2008. 3:18 PMaliceownsj00 says:
Ah see I knew there was something to that. Oh wow, lol well I'm just not going to bother putting one in there haha
17
Dec 1, 2008. 8:46 PMengineerable says:
Ya, I try to air/sun dry my sponges, but housemates tend to leave them in the sink no matter what. So 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave refreshes them much quicker when they are left dirty in the sink. Maybe the better solution in my case should be; don't have dirty housemates!
141
Nov 10, 2008. 4:41 PMcanida says:
Well, it does suck less than many of the other options, and kills lots of bacteria. If you don't have a sunny window I'd recommend the microwave trick - just use a crappy plate/bowl you don't care about, and let the sponge sit/cool before you try to handle it.
8
Nov 19, 2008. 2:30 AMSFHandyman says:
I have a habit of washing each dish as I dirty it. I don't let them pile up and wash as a group. I also keep the sink dry, and I haven't had to scrub it in 5 years. It still looks new. I'll do the Never Clean Your Sink Instructable one day.

I never get a smelly sponge, even though they basically stay wet most of the time. Since I don't scrub the sink, the harshest detergent or soap my sponges get exposed to is dish soap, so it isn't getting sterilized from cleansers.

This is what I do:
Leave soap in it

That's it. When you are done washing. Rinse the sponge out. Put some clean soap on it and squish it in. Then leave it like that.

It doesn't waste. You use the soap next time you use the sponge, and I guess the bugs don't like being in soap, cause I never get any smell.

I just went and checked to make sure I wasn't imagining this. hahaha I smelled my sponge. Nothing. I could kind of smell the soap but nothing else. It has already lost a chunk from one edge because I've been using it so long.
140
Nov 19, 2008. 11:51 AMewilhelm (author) says:
That's a good trick!
Nov 28, 2008. 4:26 PMkill-a-watt says:
I stick mine in the freezer. Seems to work for food, so.. Hot water thaws them out quick.
8
Nov 20, 2008. 1:34 AMSFHandyman says:
I have a sponge on a handle that holds dish washing detergent. I realized the sponge on it never smelled, so I tried it with other sponges. It's been working for me.
3
Nov 18, 2008. 11:40 PMmeddler says:
I wonder if i could put up a string outside in a out of the way but sunny spot, and attach the corner of a sponge to it with one of those black office paper clamps.
46
Nov 10, 2008. 2:59 PMgmjhowe says:
Agreed, i love simple ideas that make life more efficient.
2
Nov 10, 2008. 2:55 PMfreakinslop says:
neat! I will have to try this! My sponges always have that wet dog kind opf smell...
2
Nov 10, 2008. 2:55 PMfreakinslop says:
of not opf
16
Nov 10, 2008. 2:34 PMLithium Rain says:
What a good idea!

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Author:ewilhelm
Eric J. Wilhelm is the founder of Instructables. He has a Ph.D. from MIT in Mechanical Engineering. Eric believes in making technology accessible through understanding, and strives to inspire others ...
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