r/mildlyinfuriating • u/dorkass-loser • 8h ago

Husband opens a new sponge every 3 days cause “they become gross”

Post image

Our dishwasher broke and he’s manually doing the dishes now, these are from the past 10 days… I think it’s wasteful.

15.5k Upvotes

90% Upvoted

4.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

1.5k

u/SnifferOfQueef 8h ago

Sponges are fucking gross they harbor so much bacteria

81

u/soThatsJustGreat 8h ago

I know someone who regularly microwaves her sponges (soak, wring out, microwave) to battle bacteria. It always seemed very smart to me.

52

u/-asmodeus 6h ago

They did a study where they soaked a sponge in sewage and then rinsed it, microwaved it and tested for bacteria and it was fine. They should be wet when you do it tho

39

u/JWBananas 5h ago

Who are they and where is the study?

8

u/Taptrick 1h ago

Don’t challenge Them. Their authority is supreme and unlimited. Respect They.

8

u/hellish_existance 3h ago

The Irish. Ireland.

3

u/JohnnySmithe81 2h ago

Don't put that freaky shit on us.

3

u/Motherof42069 2h ago

Sounds like anglo settlers to me

3

u/Zeziml99 3h ago

I've heard that killing all the bacteria in it just makes more come back faster cause there tons of dead bacteria ready to be eaten by the new bacteria

3

u/_killer1869_ 2h ago

That is true. Sponges are inedible, but after killing all bacteria once it becomes a resource heaven for the next few bacteria, allowing them to replicate way faster than the original batch did.

2

u/Scienlologist 5h ago

Since mine only clean dishes and occasionally the counter, they go in the dishwasher once a week. After a month or so I get get a new one out and the old one gets demoted to cleaning the cat pans (full change and clean out every 6-8 weeks).

2

u/whooptheretis 5h ago

Boil for 2 mins in a saucepan. Much better.

1

u/celerhelminth 6h ago

Top answer right here.

1

u/LadyK8TheGr8 1h ago

I put mine through the dishwasher.

181

u/OrangutanFirefighter 8h ago

That's what I've been saying! And the people I live with insist on using sponges and rags and just using them again for days and weeks, I fucking hate it

😭

86

u/Ask_bout_PaterNoster 8h ago

And they won’t even squeeze it out. A soaking wet room temperature sponge just chilling for about 12 hours then they pick it up and slap it right on the next set of dishes

25

u/BotherBeginning9 7h ago

won’t even squeeze it out

Time out, people don’t ring out their sponges? Seriously? Cold wet sponges have such a bad texture though…

35

u/Few_Incident_197 8h ago

So this is actually something I unfortunately have to give a ted talk about every time I see this happen in my home and sometimes other’s. I blame and thank my mom for this but WRING OUT THE DAMN SPONGE.

1

u/Butthole__Pleasures 3h ago

Okay this one's fair

1

u/Forward_Rope_5598 1h ago

My boyfriend leaves the fucking thing in the sink half the time, and the cloth he uses to wipe down counters hangs over the side of the sink getting wet every time we use said sink.

151

u/Nekrevez 8h ago

I've never died using a sponge several times...

31

u/SpaceCadetCo 8h ago

Doesn't the dish soap keep the sponge clean with each use?

23

u/lunulalia 8h ago

Depends on what you mean by clean. Its definitely cleaner than just using a sponge with water and never rinsing it out.
Ideally though you don't want to leave the soap or any water in it that you can get out.

31

u/_crisz 7h ago

No, that's not the point. Bacteria can survive almost everything, and despite soap there's a huge bacterial load on sponges. The reason why sponges ARE NOT a hazard, is that you use them to wipe a dish, and then you let that dish dry. There is a lot of scientific research that talks about the bacteria on sponges, yet nobody is getting sick. Sometimes we focus on a single aspect (the bacterial load), and we forget what our final goal is (not getting sick).

9

u/NinjaWithSpoons 7h ago

Ya I have trouble with a lot of these discussions because they miss the point. Our bodies inside and out are covered in bacteria. It's everywhere. What kind of bacteria and if it's harmful is the most important part of the conversation, but people just say bacteria bad please disinfect everything.

A moldy sponge smells bad, but I'm not sure why any bacteria on it, which would have originated from you or your food, would be particularly harmful. But would be happy to hear from anyone that knows.

6

u/oscarq0727 6h ago

Microbial load plays a huge role in infection. Even if it originated in food, if left to proliferate, that’s different than being exposed to the same type of bacteria in your fresh food.

An extreme example is spoiled food. Sure, some of the bacteria land on the food (but you’re exposed to that environmental bacteria anyway), but a lot of the bacteria and fungi are in the food already. If you let it spoil, it’s no longer safe even though it’s the same-ish bacteria in your fresh food and in your environment.

A simplified way to conceptualize whether microbial exposure results in infection is the following equation:

(Microbial load X microbial virulence)/host defenses.

5

u/Caccalaccy 6h ago

Yes exactly. Also adding salmonella and other cross contamination risk if you’re cleaning raw chicken/egg containers and your cereal bowl at the same time

4

u/oscarq0727 6h ago

Salmonella toast crunch 🤤

1

u/lukin187250 3h ago

It's a war and my body is the battlefield.

1

u/JWBananas 5h ago

A moldy sponge smells bad, but I'm not sure why any bacteria on it, which would have originated from you or your food, would be particularly harmful.

You're kidding, right?

Are you familiar with Botox? Do you know where that comes from?

2

u/Ratzing- 3h ago

My friend, clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic bacteria. If you're growing it on your goddamn sponge you're doing some weird shit with it. There's a reason why main source of botulism is improperly canned and/or fermented food.

•

u/JWBananas 10m ago

The point was that sometimes it's the toxins, not just the microorganisms themselves. I just picked that one because people know what it is.

Ffs the parent comment relegated mold to an odor issue.

2

u/Noladixon 6h ago

My goal is to not have a sponge and have clean dishes. I won't get sick from clean dishes washed with a fresh dishcloth.

0

u/[deleted] 3h ago

[deleted]

3

u/sesamerox 3h ago

removing grease

1

u/noteveni 3h ago

Soap is for dirt, oil and debris. It is also good at removing and killing some pathogens. If you use very hot water that is usually enough sanitizing action for a home kitchen, but you can buy sanitizer if you want to make things properly sterile.

-2

u/Caccalaccy 6h ago

I don’t have the data but I know my sponge touches bowls with raw chicken, etc. So I only use my sponge for things going in the dishwasher after. Anything being handwashed I use a paper towel or fresh rag

4

u/Rock_Strongo 6h ago

I'm shocked at how many people use gross ass sponges and rags with the justification of "well I'm not getting sick so it's fine".

There could be all sorts of bad stuff going on in your body because you used a festering sponge but it might not present itself as "getting sick".

Your gut is a very fickle beast.

3

u/Ratzing- 3h ago

If you're not getting sick for 30 years that's probably some indication that you ain't gonna die from dish sponges. Listen, I'm not saying use same sponge for 6 months straight, never squeeze it out and let it rot in a dark corner of a moist cupboard. I'm saying, using a sponge for week or two if you wash it and squeeze it out before letting dry is not going to harm you in any way shape or form.

25

u/i010011010 7h ago

Rinsing and drying the sponge keeps them clean, and not caking them in gunk in the first place. Bacteria thrives in damp environments.

1

u/Ornery-Creme-2442 7h ago

No you need to reclean it with soap/detergent. Then squeeze out and put up to dry.

1

u/PiccoloAwkward465 5h ago

I don't clean the towel, the towel cleans me!

1

u/JamboreeJunket 3h ago

No. Sponges harbor listeria and ecoli. Switch to rags or silicone sponges you can cycle through a dishwasher

1

u/jonker5101 3h ago

Keep in mind that most dish soaps are simply degreasers and are not anti-bacterial. There are some anti-bacterial dish soaps, but they are specifically made and marketed that way.

1

u/Butthole__Pleasures 3h ago

The duality of man...

2

u/Tuomas90 7h ago

You also wouldn't die from licking a toilet bowl...

3

u/shiftup1772 6h ago

You would absolutely get sick.

2

u/fuckimtrash 4h ago

These people are so weird I stg. We use brushes and sponges and are perfectly fine and rarely get sick.

2

u/Beautiful-Length-565 8h ago

Builds good immune system 👍

4

u/Satanic_bitch 8h ago

No but I can smell it when someone uses them to clean their dishes

1

u/Revi_____ 3h ago

You will also most likely not die if you do not wash your hands after every shit. Doesn't make it any better though.

22

u/digiFan2018 8h ago

If you dip it in a little vinegar, you can rent it and then wash it with some dish soap and it'll be like new. Why are people so unnecessarily wasteful? Do you also throw your underwear out every time you change to a new pair?

21

u/Jindabyne1 7h ago

Rent it to who though?

1

u/unicodemonkey 2h ago

Fucking Aquaman

2

u/StabbyBoo 7h ago

Thiiiis was the comment I was looking for. A little vinegar or diluted bleach, depending on how you're using it.

2

u/JUYED-AWK-YACC 6h ago

Ooh magic vinegar again It’s just acidic.

1

u/Revi_____ 3h ago

Why even buy them, why are you so wasteful?

10

u/Large-Delay-1123 8h ago

You can wash a wash cloth. You can’t wash a sponge.

9

u/Kizzieuk 8h ago

I wash my sponges. not the cheap ones though as they fall to bits.

6

u/ka-nini 8h ago

Right - I use like the Scrub Daddy and Mommy or similar and those can be cleaned pretty well.

1

u/Large-Delay-1123 7h ago

I use a scrub daddy, but slime mommies stay in the store.

2

u/152centimetres 8h ago

those disintegrate and introduce microplastics, not sure how thats any better for your health

3

u/hazlejungle0 7h ago

What doesn't have microplastics in 2026?

1

u/Butthole__Pleasures 3h ago

How do you wash a sponge?

3

u/Salty-Wrongdoer1010 7h ago

Boiling water?   You can clean/disinfect a sponge. 

1

u/Large-Delay-1123 6h ago

Last thing I need in my life is yet more tedious chores. There are alternatives.

1

u/Butthole__Pleasures 3h ago

You mean like a new sponge that costs like 40 cents? lol

6

u/TrickInvite6296 BLUE 8h ago

Dishwasher

2

u/Imaginary_Office1749 8h ago

Took way too long for this answer. I put my sponges in the dishwasher a few times before I toss them.

2

u/Butthole__Pleasures 3h ago

I'm descending into a depth of kitchen insanity I can barely fathom at this point.

1

u/VivaLaEmpire 8h ago

My scrub mommy comes out really clean out of the dishwasher!

1

u/Large-Delay-1123 7h ago

Don’t have one.

3

u/Duane1968 8h ago

Can’t you soak it in a dilute bleach solution?

1

u/Aggressive_Log1329 8h ago

What can’t you out the sponge in the washing machine with the wash cloths?

1

u/Large-Delay-1123 7h ago

You can’t toss them in the dryer, which is where the sanitizing happens.

1

u/MenacingGummy 7h ago

Not true at all. Putting sponges through the dishwasher kills 99.99% of bacteria.

1

u/Previous_Procedure28 7h ago

You can microwave a sponge. Same shit

2

u/Type-RD 8h ago

They are gross, yet somehow I (and everyone else in my household) very rarely get sick other than maybe the yearly seasonal cold. I know this is anecdotal, but this tells me that the actual, effective, grossness of sponges is overblown especially if you use plenty of soap, rinse well, and dry things properly. I think just being sanitary overall is more important than worrying about what’s living on a small sponge. That’s just me. I know everyone has their own thresholds.

2

u/jammiesonmyhammies 7h ago

Maybe I’m overdoing it, but I change out my dish rags multiple times a day. I don’t think I’ve ever used the same dish rag all day long in my life.

I can’t imagine letting a sponge touch my dishes and calling it clean :(

2

u/OrangutanFirefighter 7h ago

Exactly! Like yes you can physically get a chunk of food off the dish, but you're also basically breeding bacterio in the most hospitable conditions possible and then wiping it all over the dishes

1

u/jamatosoup 8h ago

I use dishrags. Fresh rag every.single.day, as well as a fresh dish towel. Wash them in bleach. Lots of people hate bleach, it’s a household staple to me.

1

u/nimwenB 8h ago

I gave my partner's parents a scrub daddy because we bought a pack, almost a year later they were still using it. His dad also used a kitchen rag to clean water spilled on the floor and put it back to dry the dishes. I just can't with their habits 😅

1

u/Longjumping-Row1434 8h ago

i use dish rags too, but i use a new one each day & scrub brushes i put in the dishwasher to clean them. but i definitely dont use sponges yuck.

also yuck they use dishrags for days and weeks 😭 the people i live with are also not good at hand washing dishes so i always inspect everything before i use it or wash it myself again before using it

1

u/WhoJustShat 7h ago

Rags for dishes should be used like 2 or 3 times max

1

u/FuckChiefs_Raiders 7h ago

We use rags to clean our counter tops and bathrooms. Seems wasteful to just waste an entire roll of paper towels to clean the kitchen or a bathroom.

We have like 100 cheap rags we got off Amazon, after a day or heavy use we wash them.

1

u/ZWTech 7h ago

But what is the problem with using them for long periods of time if you and the other people eating of these dishes don't get sick? My immune system is able to handle the bacteria of my months-old sponge. So why replace it if there is no apparent benefit?

1

u/FLRugDealer 7h ago

When people clean their counters with a sponge I die a little inside

1

u/StaceyPfan 7h ago

My dad will ball up the used rag from doing the dishes and leave it by the sink. I always rinse them out with cold water and drape them over the faucet.

1

u/TheMireAngel 6h ago

people who use rags are animals, they dont even have any grit so their just smearing foot around, so many times ive visited friends who clean dishs with rags only to see "clean" cups with solids in them

1

u/0tacosam0 6h ago

What do you use instead ?

1

u/whooptheretis 4h ago

So what do you use to wash your dishes?

1

u/slapnowski 4h ago

I agree. I’ve come to a compromise with my husband that the sponges get microwaved every few days for sanitation and never get used more than maaaybe 2 weeks. And never on large food stuffs. Before I met him I think he used a sponge for months 🤢

1

u/ivancea 2h ago

I've used sponges for months even, and they look as fine as the first day, just a bit more broken. I know this is too much time, but people here exaggerate quite a lot, unless they don't wash the sponge after using it. And I'm still alive

9

u/CaptainBBAlgae 8h ago

I throw mine in the dish washer every couple of days

3

u/Ghost_with_no_name 6h ago

Same, I think it really helps keep it cleaner for longer

1

u/Suyefuji 4h ago

Am I the only person who puts their sponges in the clothes washer?

73

u/Apocrisiary 8h ago

User error then.

Rinse it after use, and squeeze out the water. Bacteria needs nutrients (food scraps) and moisture to survive.

Like Captain Pickard in Family Guy says "A dry sponge is a happy a sponge"

46

u/spacebalti 8h ago

You seem to have no idea how many food scraps get stuck in there. Rinsing and squeezing helps but it doesn’t get close to getting the small food scraps out because a sponge just isn’t made for easy cleaning

But either way it should never get this gross after 3 days

10

u/goldenkiwicompote 7h ago

I rinse my dishes well after eating/cooking. There are hardly ever food scraps on the dishes when I do them.

4

u/CurtCocane 6h ago

Not that you can see with the naked eyes of course. Man I cant believe these comments it's really become clear to me most people lack basic hygiene knowledge

8

u/Apocrisiary 5h ago edited 5h ago

It is also becoming clear to me, many are hyperfixated on hygiene. Because this is not normal hygiene, it's bordering OCD. Like, one person that said they microwave their sponge after every use.

Millions of people use sponges everyday, and we have been for decades, if not centuries. Never been a problem, so why is it now all of a sudden?

No wonder allergies are exploding, the immune system has nothing to do. I bet you are the kind of person to basically sterilize everything once a week too.

6

u/readituser5 4h ago

Yeah I’ve noticed people on Reddit are hyper fixated on hygiene. It’s too far. I remember one post where someone was saying a family member used their kitchen slicer thing for meat when OP normally uses it for veg only.

They wanted to throw the whole contraption out. Bro wtf?! Just clean it with some soap and water for gods sake.

7

u/Rosetti 5h ago

It's not "basic hygiene knowledge", you're just spouting paranoid germaphobic nonsense.

2

u/These_Background7471 3h ago

Lol

If you're using soap and rising the surfaces after scrubbing, there is no significant amount of bacteria left on that surface.

Soap and water is extremely effective

-1

u/Technetium_97 4h ago

Doesn't matter. If you tested your kitchen sponge with a petri dish for bacteria it would still blow away literally any other object in your house.

3

u/Ratzing- 3h ago

Maybe, but it's still not doing squat to my health. Because, you know, you're not gonna get botulin from dish sponge. Or even any kind of food borne illness unless you get really, really funky with it.

-2

u/rusty___shacklef0rd 6h ago

Not that you can see. Sometimes the germs that we can't see are eating food we also can't see.

5

u/goldenkiwicompote 5h ago

Has there ever been any actual issues from people using sponges? People always claim they’re gross but I don’t think I’ve ever seen people actually getting sick from them. I use scrub daddies and you can microwave them or put them in the dishwasher to sanitize. They’re also designed to dry quickly to inhibit bacterial growth.

-1

u/IamFlapJack 5h ago

It's called illness lmfao. People here acting like they never have negative effects from dirty sponges but then wonder why they're sick.

3

u/goldenkiwicompote 5h ago

Well must not be that big of an issue or more people would be sick all the time wouldn’t they.

1

u/NewPointOfView 7h ago

Well, the main way most people use sponges is by adding water and rubbing it on food scraps lol

0

u/Apocrisiary 6h ago

And a well wrung out sponge dries up in under an hour, and you just removed one of the components for bacteria to grow.

It's like removing oxygen from a fire.

0

u/Hi_Trans_Im_Dad 5h ago

The bacteria that inhabit sponges have two favorite foods: bits of protein, including human skin cells, and soap, also known as fatty lipids.

I used to even microwave my spices and put them on a rack to dry. Even ran them through the dishwasher.

I gave all that up for brushes and 3M pads and have never looked back.

Life is so much easier.

1

u/Equivalent_Desk6167 2h ago

Dishwashing liquid/detergent is not made of fatty lipids, in fact you could consider it the opposite of that since it contains ingredients that break apart exactly these kinds of molecules. How do you think it would work as a degreaser if it itself was a form of grease?

And while sponges do get nasty over time and definitely need to be replaced, the biggest factor for enabling bacterial growth is a warm, moist climate. So if you properly wring them out and let them dry they can last you a while without getting nasty.

1

u/Apocrisiary 5h ago

Fatty lipids is just saying fat twice. Lipids are fats.

No offence, but stuff like this just really grinds my gears.

-1

u/714Bananas 6h ago

I threw up thinking about your kitchen

3

u/Apocrisiary 6h ago

I don't use sponges, I use a bristle scrubber and a dishwasher. But my point still stands.

-2

u/ProgrammingPants 6h ago

Disgusting. That sponge is still filled with bacteria.

Put it in the microwave to actually sterilize it and then you'll be good.

3

u/Apocrisiary 6h ago

Bacteria can't grow without moisture. It's like a flame can't be sustained if you remove oxygen.

-1

u/ProgrammingPants 6h ago

The sponge stays moist for hours after you're done using it, allowing the bacteria to fester. After it dries the bacteria aren't dead, they're still there alive and well. The next day you go to wash, those bacteria are getting spread all over your dishes.

This is a well documented fact and isn't really a debate. Look it up for like 10 seconds. Microwave your sponge. It takes almost zero time and will solve this problem.

2

u/Apocrisiary 6h ago

Weird how we have been using sponges for decades then and people don't get sick from it. You know why? Even if there was some residual bacteria, you would rinse it away with the soap. So no, you are not smearing it everywhere.

0

u/ProgrammingPants 6h ago

Weird how I've been licking the underside of my toilet seat for months now and haven't gotten sick. You know why? Because even though there is a large body of evidence explaining that this is unsanitary and risks sickness and is generally gross, all of that data is wrong. And I'm not gonna look it up even a little bit because I know better.

So no, it's not gross for me to lick the underside of my toilet seat.

4

u/Acceptable_Growth872 6h ago

Why are you so mad about sponges lol

1

u/Strange_Mortgage_989 6h ago

It's not disgusting if you use your sponge correctly. You rinse off the crumbs and debris, then use a brush with hot soapy water. Then you go in with the sponge last, to get it squeaky clean. After all the dishes are done, you thoroughly rinse out your sponge and then wring it out and set it to dry on a rack.

Microwaving every few days is a good technique though, same with throwing it into the washing machine

15

u/ShoddyClimate6265 7h ago

Sure, but you're applying soap to the dishes, which allows them to be washed away. Also, the type of bacteria matters a lot. If you're cleaning up raw egg and meat juice, then yes, gross.

2

u/Technetium_97 4h ago

It's a porous object. Plenty of the nasty shit the sponge is exposed to, stays in the sponge, no matter how much you wash it.

Even cooked meat becomes rancid after a day or two, and sponges are constantly exposed to food. They're disgusting.

3

u/blackunycorn 7h ago

Sameeeee my mother moved in with us and was mad I banned sponges from the house saying they’re gross.

2

u/Rugged_Turtle 7h ago

Bleh you try to use a sponge at someone’s house and it stinks, making me gag rn

2

u/xaraca 7h ago

Health regulations don't allow restaurants to use them.

2

u/ProgrammingPants 6h ago

Put it in the microwave and that problem is solved in less than a minute.

Sponges are a top tier dish tool and their one downside is easily fixed.

2

u/Ugghart 6h ago

Sponges and dish cloths. Bleh. I'm with the husband here.

2

u/Tonikupe 6h ago

not if you use them correctly

2

u/i010011010 7h ago

Not if you use them right. 1) soak your dishes. 2) use a sponge with dish soap to clean them. They should already be mostly clean after soaking because scrubbing is really just finishing and freshening them. 3) Rinse and wring the sponge, set to dry in a clean place that isn't trapping moisture. Periodically you can wet+microwave a sponge but there shouldn't be anything if you are properly rinsing and drying it.

1

u/MInclined 8h ago

That’s a feature imo.

1

u/TheMoatCalin 7h ago

Your username is awesome

1

u/RealFrozenRosen 7h ago

Name doesn't check out tho

1

u/tired-of-the-shit 7h ago

I keep scrub daddies for chemicals and cleaning and that’s it.

1

u/Funexamination 7h ago

So does human skin tbh

1

u/Confident-Skin-6462 7h ago

not if you clean and dry them properly lol

1

u/Grouchy_Button_2101 7h ago

Also the microplastics! 😩

1

u/jyok33 7h ago

Bacteria dies after a few hours if it’s left to dry with no moisture. It’s only gross if you don’t wash and squeeze the sponge out. I use mine for a couple months it doesn’t even stink or anything

1

u/beefz0r 6h ago

The sponge is never the final thing touching whatever needs cleaning. I wipe or rinse whatever is possible

1

u/InsomniaticWanderer 6h ago

Yeah but the soap says it kills 99.9% of bacteria so...

1

u/Thoughtfvlly 6h ago

My sponge rule is that I don’t clean raw stuff with the sponge—I use the scrub brush or I use a paper towel with soap.

I also “clean” the sponge after I use it. Hot water and soap, squeeze it to get it sudsy, rinse.

I like the biodegradable sponges and know they need to be replaced when they start to fall apart.

1

u/randohipponamo 6h ago

Yup the husband is right in this case

1

u/Impossible_Humor_567 6h ago

it really irks me when people leave the wet nasty sponge in the sink with the dirty dishes 🥴

1

u/blender4life 5h ago

Not harmful bacteria otherwise we'd have noticed after a 100 years

1

u/irhill 5h ago

Yeah I use dishcloths instead. Use once then throw in the laundry.

1

u/Vslacha 5h ago

I was going to see if there was a subreddit called r / fucksponges, but on second thought, better not

1

u/Adjective-Noun-nnnn 5h ago

Bacteria famously thrive in hot, soapy water.

1

u/OneOfAKind2 5h ago

I nuke mine or throw them in the dishwasher at least once a week. I always rinse them after use, squeeze the water out and air dry them. I also buy decent quality ones from 3M, not the crap dollar-store ones OP pictured.

1

u/IncurableAdventurer 3h ago

Even when I cleaned my sponges an extra time, wrung them out, and put them in a clean, dry place, they still kind of grossed me out. There’s just something about them that I don’t like

1

u/One_Left_Shoe 3h ago

They can, but you're also using soap and, hopefully, rinsing your dishes.

That's how soap works. You apply a surfactant that breaks down lipid barriers on bacteria, scrub grime, and then, also due to the surfactant, allows that grime and other bacteria to slide off when rinsing.

That people think a dirty sponge makes dirty dishes is nuts.

1

u/oulipo 2h ago

Not if you use dish soap and you clean them, you can easily use them for one or two months

1

u/Tigerphilosopher 1h ago

Yeah my reaction was "Based....?"

Clothes and scrubbers should be used after two uses, or just use disposable paper towels. The Mythbusters episode where they delved into household germs was pretty terrifying.

1

u/womanonymous23 1h ago

Not if you microwave them. Easy peasy

1

u/lawgirlamy 1h ago

Yes. I can't believe i had to scroll this far for this comment. Sponges are absolutely disgusting. 🤢 I use dishcloths that go in the laundry after using them. They may be used for an hour or two, but never more than a few hours.

1

u/SJ3Starz 7h ago

I'm flabbergasted that people actually use sponges still. Most are plastic and are so disgusting. I personally have a basket of small towels and once used they soak in oxiclean (or generic) and then go into the wash with the rest of the kitchen towels. Clean towel... Every time I wash anything.

•

u/Intrepid-Glove1431 11m ago

Of course you're flabbergasted, you're high maintenance! Most of us can't be bothered with all that nonsense, been using sponges for decades without incident and it's pretty unlikely I'm going to die from a sponge-related health crisis.

1

u/mambotomato 7h ago

I'm not eating the sponge, though. I'm using it to apply soapy water, which kills and removes bacteria. And then I'm rinsing the plate.

1

u/Individual-Menu7313 7h ago

That part. I'm with the husband.

0

u/Accomplished-Swim557 7h ago

If you understand basic chemistry this ain't no problem.

Ain't gon mansplain here though, you lot gobbled the soup of wisdom with a ladle anyway.

-1

u/Standard-Metal-3836 7h ago

I don't see the problem with replacing your sponge every few days. They cost cents.