Tip: How to clean your kitchen sponge

Dee
by Dee
Just put a few drops of dish detergent on it with some water and put in the microwave for 1 minute on high..cleans bacteria better than running through the dish washer unless you have a sanitize dial on your dishwasher.if you do put on top rack and run through cycle. Make sure there are no dishes blocking the sponge.
  10 answers
  • Hillela G. Hillela G. on Jan 17, 2017

    This is going to save me money!, thank yoU!

  • Grandmasue10 Grandmasue10 on Jan 17, 2017

    Just be careful when you take the sponge out of the microwave or even the dishwasher. It gets VERY HOT!

  • Dee Dee on Jan 17, 2017

    Yes it does, leave it in the microwave for a few minutes so it cools off.

  • Easier than that - put it in the dishwasher with the dirty dishes.

    • Dee Dee on Jan 17, 2017

      Yes you can put a sponge in the dishwasher if you have Sano-wash. You need the extra hot water to get rid of bacteria.

  • Tommi L. Perkins Tommi L. Perkins on Jan 18, 2017

    I read this idea somewhere about 20 years ago. What I read did not tell me how long to microwave the sponge so I just set the microwave timer on 10 minutes and walked away. Let me tell you, those sponges will catch on fire. Sooooo be careful. It was a young bride mess up. My husband just scratched his head, poked the smoking remains and said, "We'd better get a new microwave-that smell will never come out."

    • See 1 previous
    • Lol... I have been in your shoes, hubby always just gives me a look ...you made me laugh👍 30 secounds is enough...30 mins kim an haggy said a lot off years ago..30 mins lol bless. we all learn suppose .happy home talking :)

  • Rem13780052 Rem13780052 on Jan 19, 2017

    At the end of the day, I also pour some vinegar on the sponge along with the dish detergent before I put it in the microwave. As Dee and Grandma Sue wrote, leave it in the microwave for a few minutes to cool off. It will be HOT.

  • Dee Dee on Jan 19, 2017

    I have bath sponges too, and I put them in the microwave as well.

    I do not put a loofa in the microwave, wonder if that works?

  • Dal5277195 Dal5277195 on Jan 20, 2017
    You can put them in the freezer as well. I put mine in the dishwasher.


  • Only if your dishwasher heats the water hotter than it already is when it comes out of the water heater. Scalding hot from the water heater is more than hot enough to sanitize a sponge. Or - do it your way. I wasn't asking IF I could put a sponge in the dishwasher to clean it, I was telling you that I've been doing this since long before microwaves were affordable.

  • Connie S Connie S on Feb 10, 2017

    leave a dish of vinegar in your sink over night with the sponges in it, you can do the same with bath scrubbies and scrub brushes. Vinegar is a safe cleaner that kills bacteria. It also freshens your drain when you pour the left over vinegar down. Less chemicals for all. If you want the hot water effect, put your items in the sink or a bowl, then add the water you heat in your microwave or stovetop. When you heat many man made materials in the microwave, it releases fumes and chemicals from them.