Sponges are a kitchen staple. They keep our dishes shiny, and our counters clean. But how often do you clean your sponge, and how do you do this? Don’t just trash a sponge when it begins looking spotty. Instead, clean them weekly, and toss them out monthly or sooner, depending on frequency of use. DFW Properties would like to offer these tips from Good Housekeeping:
Soak ‘em. Mix 3/4 cup of bleach in one gallon of water. Soak the sponge for five minutes, then rinse. How effective is this? In testing, the bleach solution kills 99.9 percent of the three bacteria strains from the test sponges, which is the benchmark based on the EPA’s requirement for sanitization of non-food-contact surfaces.
**Brine ‘em. **Not a fan of bleach? Vinegar is nearly as effective, killing 99.6 percent of bacteria. Simply soak your sponge in full-strength vinegar for five minutes, then rinse with water.
**Zap ‘em. **Microwaving your sponge does indeed work, zapping 99.9 percent of germs. How do you do it? Saturate your sponge with water, then microwave it on high for one minute.
**Cycle ‘em. **You can run your sponge through the dishwasher to sanitize it, again killing 99.9 percent of germs. Just add your sponge to a regular dishwasher load, and if you can, use the heated dry setting.
DFW Property Management serves property owners and tenants across 85+ cities in Dallas-Fort Worth. Learn more about our services or browse homes for rent.
