Dishwashing sponges

Posted: Tue, Jan 15 2008, 4:58 pm Post subject: Dishwashing sponges

How often do you replace your sponge?
My sponge gets old after about 2 months.
Is this normal?
Am I buying a bad sponge?
What is the best sponge to use for dishwashing?
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Platinum Member Joined: Jul 27 2007 Posts: 14763

You should be replacing them once a month. The bacteria in a kitchen sponge is a bacteria-fest.

Here's an article:

http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,1198201,00.html

Posted: Tue, Jan 15 2008, 6:32 pm Post subject: re: Dishwashing sponges

I buy really cheap ones and replace them often, when they look old or smell bad.

Posted: Tue, Jan 15 2008, 7:04 pm Post subject: re: Dishwashing sponges

Woo hoo!!!!!

Finally a housekeeping thread I can respond to without being totally embarrassed!!!!! (You really don't want to know how often I change the sheets...)

I chuck out the sponges once a week, milchig on a Friday and the fleishig one after washing the cholent pot.

Like Raisin, I buy really cheap ones. I think it works out to maybe 15 cents (?) per sponge.

Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48152

We have a dishwasher so I rarely use the spongue. Prob. every few mos., though. DH likes to chuck them, I'm not so particular.

Platinum Member Joined: Jul 27 2007 Posts: 14763

Platinum Member Joined: Jul 27 2007 Posts: 14763

I once saw on tv that you could sterilize used sponges in the microwave, using lemon juice. My husband caught me doing this and couldn't believe what a frugal (cheap) woman he married. Also it was kind of silly, because lemons cost more than sponges.

Posted: Tue, Jan 15 2008, 9:14 pm Post subject: re: Dishwashing sponges

there are machine-washable sponges out there for those of you who have emotional attachments to your sponge. I used them for a while (they are great sponges) but couldn't bring myself to put them in the washing machine, it was just weird. so I chucked them. but I'm thinking it might make sense to get a bunch of those and rotate so they don't get stuck in the wash.

Senior Member Joined: Aug 30 2007 Posts: 159

I dont use sponges. I either use the dishwasher or good grips makes this kind of brush that you put soap into. Its called SoftWorks. Soap pump Palm brush.

Its really good and lasts long.

Posted: Tue, Jan 15 2008, 9:49 pm Post subject:

for sure every month ... when it becomes torn or ruined ... and I have a few kinds ... 2 kinds for dishes and a dif one for sinks or counters ...
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Diamond Member Joined: Jan 19 2005 Posts: 2560

I dont throw it out my dh does when he decide it is old or torn . I just dont have time for such thing. usally my kids take my sponge to "sponge land" and I never see it again. so its like every 2 weeks I use a new one.

and when I clean up the toy room I get to see my sponges again... and then I just toss it bc I am using the new one already.
if not for my dh and kids I would never change the sponges.

Posted: Wed, Jan 16 2008, 1:26 am Post subject: re: Dishwashing sponges

I have that dishwasher thing so I only really use the plastic scrubbie for Shabbos washing. It doesn't last more than a month- I get them in a six pack at the $ store. The also have palm sized foam sponges, with a green scrubber back in a ten pack that are good for bathrooms, counters and the china we wash by hand not on Shabbos. Also good for the kids water table in the summer.

Silver Member Joined: Jan 08 2006 Posts: 997

Dobie yellow sponges are the only ones I'll use.

They're good at washing, scrubbing, but don't scratch.
I stock up at a discount store and replace often.

Gold Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 1859

I also sterilize mine by running them through the dishwasher each time I wash a load of dishes.
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Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8515

I change them whenever they get funky, or I wash a particularly nasty thing, like a cholent pot. But, I use my dishwasher for fleishigs and I have 3 sponges for meat and 2 for dairy and 1 for pareve and lots for treif Smile

- bathrooms, vases, etc.
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Just Plain Frum!

Posted: Wed, Jan 16 2008, 9:33 am Post subject:

I change mine sometimes once a week sometimes a bit more or less depends what I wash and how much washing up there is and also they breed bacteria so its not good to keep them for too long

Posted: Wed, Jan 16 2008, 9:48 am Post subject: re: Dishwashing sponges

Is there something wrong with using the same sponge for counters and dishes?

Beginner Joined: Jan 16 2008 Posts: 17

I usually replace them every two months, unless
they start smelling a little "ripe" before then.
They last longer since we usually use the
dishwasher, except at our shabbas apartment
which doesn't have a kosher dishwasher.
But since we're only there shabbas and yom tov,
the sponges last a long time...

Posted: Sat, Jan 19 2008, 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: re: Dishwashing sponges

Posted: Sat, Jan 19 2008, 9:45 pm Post subject: re: Dishwashing sponges

I don't use the same sponges for countertops and dishes because I use 409 on my countertops but I don't want that stuff on my food. It's there to clean up for salmonella, not for ingestion.

I throw out the sponges alot because I hate when they have pieces of food in them. They just look unsightly. The REAL question is how much dishwashing liquid I go through, which is ALOT. I just went through a whole small bottle in a month, incredible!