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I am reviving this thread instead of making a new one.
I read on the internet that there are some ways to clean the kitchen sponge.
put in washing machine with some bleach. That to me is a waste of water
spray the sponge with bleach water and it in the microwave for a minute
Well the sponge company has not to put the sponge in the microwave.
I don't understand why we can't just let the darn thing air dry. Since when does letting a kitchen sponge with dish washing detergent on it get bacteria?
We let the sponge air dry all the years growing up and now all of a sudden it's oh have to spray it with bleach water and microwave it. Yet the sponge company said not to microwave them.
does anyone here microwave their kitchen sponge after putting bleach water on it?
EDIT: BTW I also use a dishwasher and mostly wash the plastic bowls by hand. I only have 4 so that's why. Utensils always in the dishwasher.
does anyone here microwave their kitchen sponge after putting bleach water on it?
No, never. And it's wrong to assume everyone has a microwave oven - I don't. I've been washing dishes by hand forever and always let the sponge air dry. When the sponge starts shredding, it's time to replace it. If the sponges are full of 'dangerous' bacteria, I haven't noticed...
No, never. And it's wrong to assume everyone has a microwave oven - I don't. I've been washing dishes by hand forever and always let the sponge air dry. When the sponge starts shredding, it's time to replace it. If the sponges are full of 'dangerous' bacteria, I haven't noticed...
I never noticed bacteria or smells from mine either and you are right the articles should not assume everyone has a microwave as I did the same thing the article writer did, assume.
No, never. And it's wrong to assume everyone has a microwave oven - I don't. I've been washing dishes by hand forever and always let the sponge air dry. When the sponge starts shredding, it's time to replace it. If the sponges are full of 'dangerous' bacteria, I haven't noticed...
I also simply air dry my sponge. I use Dawn to wash the dishes so my sponge is also being cleaned constantly with the Dawn and hot water.
And I'm picky on my sponges. I only use Brillo Estracell Heavy Duty. It says right on the package "More Sanitary - rinses 99.9% Clean."
I use the soapy sponge, water-on-and-off method. Everything gets crystal clean. <snip>
This is what we do with similar results. We had lived in towns serviced by sanitary sewers for quite some time (Decades actually) Now we're out in the woods with a septic tank system. I had it pumped out after buying the house last year and there's always the concern of filling the tank. The septic pumping company suggests pumping out the tank every two years just to clear out the sludge.
To me, if it doesn’t smell, it’s clean enough. I get it nice and soapy, rinse well, and air dry. I’m not really very worried about germs in the house. I suppose you could use antibacterial soap. That gives me a rash, so I don’t use it.
Well the sponge company has not to put the sponge in the microwave.
I don't understand why we can't just let the darn thing air dry. Since when does letting a kitchen sponge with dish washing detergent on it get bacteria?
We let the sponge air dry all the years growing up and now all of a sudden it's oh have to spray it with bleach water and microwave it. Yet the sponge company said not to microwave them.
does anyone here microwave their kitchen sponge after putting bleach water on it?
I bet the warning was about putting a dry kitchen sponge in the microwave. An overheated dry sponge could damage the microwave or start a fire. If you use sponges with an added scrubber layer, microwaving probably damages the glue holding it together, shortening its useful life.
Bacteria and mold require three things to grow: food, moisture, and air. If you leave a soapy sponge to air dry, they have access to all those things.
Air is a given. The sponge is surrounded by air.
Food is most likely provided by the microscopic food residues left in the sponge, not the soap. Because of all the nooks and crannies in the sponge, food particles are very difficult to remove completely. So, they decay. Bacteria and mold feed on the food residues as an integral part of the decay process. If you also opt for a "natural" soap produced using beef tallow or some organic oil instead of a petroleum-based detergent, the tallow and/or oil also provide food for bacteria.
Then there's moisture. In a dry house (such as a heated house in winter) a sponge will dry faster which kills off mold and/or bacteria that might be trying to grow. In a more humid room, there's more time for those critters to thrive. A kitchen sponge probably spends most of its time wet, moist, or damp. Microorganisms love moisture. Add organic food residues you end up with a wonderfully supportive environment for bacteria and mold growth.
As for disinfection and disease spread, in a household with multiple residents (human and/or pets) add cross-contamination into the equation. Bacteria and viruses are introduced to and spread via contact with surfaces...including the kitchen sponge!
I don't leave soap (detergent actually) to dry in my kitchen sponge. I don't microwave it or bleach it unless it is obviously moldy or stinky either. I let my kitchen sponge air dry but every once in a while, if I have clean hot wash water available, I'll add a dab of fresh detergent, scrub it against itself thoroughly, rinse with clean hot water, then air dry. If it ever gets stinky it happens in summer when the house isn't heated as much. The sponge stays moist longer allowing those bugs to grow. All that being said, I'm no germophobe. I don't feel the need to sterilize everything and have survived to tell the tale.
Last edited by Parnassia; 12-04-2023 at 04:16 PM..
I am reviving this thread instead of making a new one.
I read on the internet that there are some ways to clean the kitchen sponge.
put in washing machine with some bleach. That to me is a waste of water
spray the sponge with bleach water and it in the microwave for a minute
Well the sponge company has not to put the sponge in the microwave.
I don't understand why we can't just let the darn thing air dry. Since when does letting a kitchen sponge with dish washing detergent on it get bacteria?
We let the sponge air dry all the years growing up and now all of a sudden it's oh have to spray it with bleach water and microwave it. Yet the sponge company said not to microwave them.
does anyone here microwave their kitchen sponge after putting bleach water on it?
EDIT: BTW I also use a dishwasher and mostly wash the plastic bowls by hand. I only have 4 so that's why. Utensils always in the dishwasher.
Yeah. I do that sometimes. Wet the sponge, add some dish soap, and place in a microwave for 30 sec. or so.
Who said that we can't do that??
Yeah, yeah - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-06055-9
But what's the alternative? To use sponge only once?
I don't really believe that boiling hot, or using bleach isn't going to kill the germs.
The internet is full of contradictory statements....
I don't have dishwasher, by choice, but wouldn't ever put my knives or utensils in a dishwasher! Actually, even good pots don't belong there. Other stuff that I would only wash per hand is anything wood or with a wood handle, fine china/porcelain, lead crystals, cast iron, anything nonstick coated, (hand) painted dinnerware, aluminum, plastic, anything insulated.
When I thought about what can't be washed there, I decided that I don't need dishwasher at all.
I buy paperbird brand a natural cellulose sponge. It says on the package: Rinse thoroughly before and after each use, and squeeze dry especially when using with products using bleach. Sanitize in dishwasher or by boiling do not microwave. Not for aquarium use.
I saw some articles online saying to microwave. Some articles use to always say spray it with bleach mixed with water then microwave a half minute on each side.
I got to thinking does everyone do this? especially when the instructions on the package, at least the one I buy, say not to microwave.
Well I might be doing this right then. I have extremely piping hot water that I think sanitizes my sponge and I leave it like that for a minute or two then put cold water on it then squeeze it, no microwave since I started using paperbird.
I live alone and still cook and clean like a married couple would. *
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