{"id":9076,"date":"2021-06-22T16:31:14","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T16:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alternatech.net\/?p=9076"},"modified":"2021-06-22T16:33:20","modified_gmt":"2021-06-22T16:33:20","slug":"common-mistakes-youre-making-with-your-kitchen-sponge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/common-mistakes-youre-making-with-your-kitchen-sponge\/","title":{"rendered":"Common Mistakes You\u2019re Making With Your Kitchen Sponge"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Synthetic kitchen sponges have been around since the 1940s. They\u2019re durable and soak up water like nobody\u2019s business, which makes them great for cleaning all types of surfaces. Chances are, though, that you\u2019re using yours all wrong. Here are all the mistakes you&rsquo;re making with your kitchen sponge.\n</p><h2>You keep it around way too long\n</h2><p>Is the sponge by your kitchen sink more than a week old? Yikes. It\u2019s best to toss sponges after about a\u00a0week of use. Keep one around longer and it\u2019s bound to be teeming with bacteria\u2014and smelling up your kitchen.\n</p><p><img fetchpriority='\"high\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9077 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/how-long-keep-sponge-300x218.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"608\"' height='\"442\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/how-long-keep-sponge-300x218.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><h2>You leave it in the sink\n</h2><p>After scrubbing a batch of grimy dishes, it\u2019s tempting to toss your sponge in the sink and forget about it until your next dishwashing session. However, no matter how carefully you wash your dinnerware, your sink is a haven for bacteria\u2014and leaving your sponge in a germ-filled environment is a bad idea. Sponges are less likely to dry properly if left in a damp, moist sink environment\u2014making it a perfect breeding ground for even more germs.\n</p><p><img decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9078 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/store-sponge-sink-225x300.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"399\"' height='\"532\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/store-sponge-sink-225x300.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><h2>You use it for everything\n</h2><p>Avoid using your kitchen sponge to sop up every little spill. The more surfaces you touch with your sponge, the more likely it is to become contaminated. Keep your sponge away from meat juices, and use paper towels for those types of messes.\n</p><p><img decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9079 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/Sponge-Use-For-Everything-225x300.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"403\"' height='\"537\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Sponge-Use-For-Everything-225x300.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><h2>You stick it in the microwave\n</h2><p>Many online outlets have touted this trick for banishing germs (guilty!), and while it does work on some pathogens, the ones that survive being nuked are bigger, badder, and more likely to make you sick. Skip this tip and replace your filthy sponge instead.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9080 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/sponge-microwave-300x218.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"453\"' height='\"329\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/sponge-microwave-300x218.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><h2>You run it through the dishwasher\n</h2><p>Like the microwave, the high heat of the dishwasher only serves to leave behind superbugs that multiply to recolonize your trusty sponge. When you start to feel like it\u2019s time for a run through a cycle, resist the urge and toss the nasty sponge instead.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9081 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/sponge-dishwasher-225x300.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"361\"' height='\"481\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/sponge-dishwasher-225x300.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><h2>You don\u2019t clean it between uses\n</h2><p>If you sop up messes and wipe down counters with your sponge, then leave it by the sink without so much as a rinse, you\u2019re encouraging bacterial growth. Give it a quick cleanup now and again; experts suggest cleaning sponges between uses with diluted bleach.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9082 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/clean-sponge-225x300.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"349\"' height='\"465\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/clean-sponge-225x300.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><h2>You use whole sponges to clean\n</h2><p>If throwing away a sponge every week sounds wasteful, but you\u2019re not ready to part ways with your favorite cleaning tool, try slicing your sponge in half as soon as you pull it out of the package and before you put it to work. Half of a sponge handles most cleaning tasks as effectively as a whole one, and helps you stretch your dollar further.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9083 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/cut-sponge-in-half-225x300.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"365\"' height='\"487\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/cut-sponge-in-half-225x300.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><h2>You don\u2019t squeeze it out\n</h2><p>When you\u2019re done washing dishes or wiping down surfaces with your kitchen sponge, be sure to wring it out completely. A wrung-out sponge will dry quicker than a sopping wet one, and a drier sponge equals a cleaner sponge.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9084 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/Squeeze-it-sponge-300x218.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"442\"' height='\"321\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Squeeze-it-sponge-300x218.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><h2>You use a sponge when you should be using paper towels\n</h2><p>Some tasks are better suited for paper towels. Cleaning up meat juices, for instance, is best left to absorbent paper towels. Instead of potentially contaminating other surfaces\u2014like your sink\u2014with a sponge coated in raw chicken juices, you can simply toss the soiled paper towels when you finish tidying the meal prep area.\n</p><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"' wp-image-9085 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/sponge-vs-paper-towels-300x218.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"468\"' height='\"340\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/sponge-vs-paper-towels-300x218.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p><em>source: bobvila\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Synthetic kitchen sponges have been around since the 1940s. They\u2019re durable and soak up water like nobody\u2019s business, which makes them great for cleaning all types of surfaces. Chances are, though, that you\u2019re using yours all wrong. Here are all the mistakes you&rsquo;re making with your kitchen sponge. You keep it around way too long\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9086,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[54,85,61,100,40,26,36,25,53,122,27,46,155],"class_list":{"0":"post-9076","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tie-life-style","8":"tag-clean-hack","9":"tag-cleaning-mistake","10":"tag-cleaning-tips","11":"tag-diy","12":"tag-households","13":"tag-kitchen","14":"tag-kitchen-appliances","15":"tag-kitchen-gadgets","16":"tag-kitchen-hack","17":"tag-kitchen-hacks","18":"tag-kitchen-utensils","19":"tag-life-hacks","20":"tag-sponge-kitchen"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Xam-Vien-chu-Co-dien-Chau-Au-Hinh-thu-nho-tren-YouTube-1.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9076"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9076\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}</p></em></p>