I like having a sponge in the kitchen to clean up with, wash dishes, etc., but they can get kind of gross after awhile. They aren’t like dish cloths that you can just throw into the washer when they start to smell or get dirty.
But I learned this little trick awhile ago, sanitize them in the microwave. Since then, I pop my sponge in the microwave daily {Yes, I have OCD}. 😉 I feel better, my sponge definitely smells better. The world it a happy place.
How to Sanitize Sponges in the Microwave
To sanitize your kitchen sponge, make sure it is wet. Dry sponge = fire hazard. Pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes, and then let it sit in there for another 2 minutes, because it will be ridiculously hot to the touch. {If you are feeling really ambitious, you can use the steam the wet sponge created in the microwave to wipe down the walls of the your microwave {the steam loosens grease, etc.}. It’s like two chores in one–though, if you’re like me, then you want to sanitize the sponge again. Ha!
How about you, do you sanitize your sponge this way?
~Mavis
Kellie says
… and a few drops of lemon juice will not only make the sponge smell good, but loosen stuck on food in the microwave even better!
Kathy says
Been doing it for years now, since my youngest son was in a HomeEc class.
Laura says
I do it this way too. Then, after a few days or a particularly greasy job, I wash it in the washer with the hot load towels.
Someone used to make a spray microwave cleaner I loved. I haven’t seen it for quite a few years though.
Rosaleen says
I have been sanitizing my sponges in the microwave for years, as well. About once a week I spray the interior of the oven with a Windex-type preparation then “nuke” the sponge. The steam plus the ammonia cleaner make for an easy cleaning job.
Monica says
I do this too, however one day I forgot to wet it and it caught fire in my microwave (I’m a little ditzy!)
Dottie says
I put my sponge in the dishwasher.
Sarah says
Me too. When it starts to smell I just throw it in with the load of dishes at the end of the day. 🙂
Tracy says
I do the same thing. It sanitizes the sponge same as my dishes.
Meredith says
I put mine in the dishwasher every time I run it.