Let’s protect our frequently used dish sponges
from germs
Hello, this is Housekeeping Bro! Do you guys wash a lot of dishes at home? I often cook various things at home, so doing the dishes is a daily necessity~ I feel happy when cooking, but when I see the pile of dishes, I get a little overwhelmedㅜ ㅋㅋㅋ
One day, I noticed that our dish sponge was getting grimy (warning: a bit gross). I realized that I had never disinfected our dish sponge! I always thought it was safe because I used water and detergent^^ But honestly, the dirtiest item in the kitchen is the dish sponge~ If you don’t manage your dish sponge, the germs will thriveㅠ Just thinking about it is horrifying.
This may seem a bit off-topic, but how do you guys manage your kitchen sponges? It would be best to change it regularly, but we can’t change it every day~
So! Today’s living tip prepared by Housekeeping Bro is about how to disinfect your dish sponge! I’ve prepared two versions of dish sponge disinfection methods that you can follow very easily, so let’s take on this challenge together~ Let’s get started=3
Simple version Step 1
First, make sure the dish sponge fully absorbs water. You can do it under running water, but it’s even better if you soak it in a large bowl of water! I repeated soaking and draining the sponge in water about 4 times~
Simple version Step 2
Can you see it? The sponge is fully soaked with water! It’s become the king of moisture~ Squeeze out the water from the sponge like this! You don’t need to completely remove all the water. Then, transfer it to a bowl! As water may drip from the sponge, it’s a smart move to use a bowl with slightly raised edges>< 너무 평평하면 다음 단계에서 물이 아주 조금이지만 흘러버릴 수 있어요ㅠ 이렇게 하면 거의 끝난 것과 마찬가지라는 거 ㅎㅎ
Simple version Step 3
Grab the slightly damp sponge that has absorbed some water in the bowl and run~ Where to? Straight to the microwave~ Microwave the sponge for 2 minutes! If you think 2 minutes is too long, microwaving it for only 1 minute is OKAY~ You must microwave it for at least 1 minute to be effective. Just microwaving the sponge can exterminate the germs! Isn’t it amazing?
Detailed version Step 1
Shall we move on to the next Housekeeping Bro tip? If you want a more assured effect than the simple version, try this method. It involves using vinegar and baking soda! The materials are simple. Prepare vinegar, baking soda, and warm water as shown in the picture!
Detailed version Step 2
We’re going to mix these together! You can put them in a large bowl, but I prepared a plastic bag. Why? Because… it’s a secret for now~ The reason for using a plastic bag will be revealed shortly. Ha ha
Put vinegar, baking soda, and water in a 1:1:1 ratio in the plastic bag~ It would be very convenient if you have a scale at home, but I simply used a paper cup. If you have a paper cup at home, you can easily and simply measure the ratio, so keep this in mind^*^
Detailed version Step 3
Are you ready? Then vigorously shake the plastic bag! I didn’t explain why I used a plastic bag earlier, but here it is. It’s much more convenient than using a bowl because you won’t get your hands dirty! You can also tie the top and shake it vigorously~ Just like the simple version, shake for about 2 minutes and you’re done.
Ta-da! The simple and detailed versions are complete! Both tips are so easy, right? Rinse the sponge that was microwaved and the sponge that was disinfected with vinegar and baking soda under running water! Then squeeze out the water and dry it in the sun to finish><
Did you know that there are various types of dish sponges? There’s the sponge dish sponge that produces a lot of foam with a small amount of detergent, a cloth dish sponge, and an acrylic dish sponge that is excellent at removing oil due to its oil-absorbing properties. And we can’t forget the steel dish sponge that is used to clean stainless steel products and gas ranges~
The methods I shared can be useful when disinfecting cloth and sponge dish sponges. But be careful! Steel or metal sponges cannot be microwaved because they reflect microwavesㅠㅠ In the case of steel sponges, you can disinfect them by boiling them in water at over 212 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes~
So today we learned how to disinfect dish sponges simply and thoroughly with Housekeeping Bro. The dish sponge that we use every day when doing the dishes! There are over 300 types of bacteria that can be found on dish spongesㅠ It’s quite shocking to think that we’ve been using dirty dish sponges until now><
Dirty dish sponges are particularly dangerous for children and the elderly with weak immune systems, and they can also be the cause of various odors. Since it’s possible to disinfect them simply in 2 minutes, please follow along and use clean dish sponges~ I’ll see you next time with more useful stories! Bye
Most Commented