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The 3 Main Types of Sponges: 

• 🧼 Soft: Good for lightly-soiled dishes, wiping countertops/appliances & absorbing spills. The only sponge that is safe to use on non-stick.

• 🧤 Medium/abrasive: Great for scrubbing tougher messes. Can damage & degrade nonstick. 

• 🔨 Tough/scouring: Often necessary for caked-on messes. Use with stainless steel, cast iron, wood & enamel. 

📝 Notes, Tips & Tricks:

• Always squeeze sponges dry after use. This prevents the growth of mildew & mold, which thrive in dark, moist environments.  

• To check for mildew, sniff the sponge. If it smells weird, throw it out.

• Replace sponges regularly (e.g., weekly) or disinfect & replace bi-weekly

• To disinfect, use one of 3 methods: 

  • (1) Soak the sponge in a solution of water & a teaspoon of bleach or a few sprays of anti-bacterial cleaning fluid. 

  • (2) Microwave the moist soapy sponge in a bowl for ~1 minute. Let cool. Rinse & squeeze dry. *Note: Do not place metallic or synthetic sponges in the microwave. (Fire hazard)

  • (3) Run in the dishwasher. 

• When a sponge is too far gone to clean dishes, but still has life left & doesn't smell, downgrade it to other cleaning tasks (e.g., bathroom cleaning).

🛍 Recommendations

• Soft: Budget; Splurge

• Medium: Hand-held; Wand; Splurge Wand

• Abrasive: Scouring Pad; Steel Wool

🎓 Further Studies

• Turns Out There’s Only One Right Way to Really Clean a Sponge

• Cleaning a Dirty Sponge Only Helps Its Worst Bacteria, Study Says[NYTimes] 

• We Need to Talk Some More About Your Dirty Sponges

• Searching for the Best Kitchen Sponge [Cook’s Illustrated]

• The 8 Best Dish Scrubbers of 2020 [The Spruce]