The ideal and best sponge alternative should be just as durable and efficient as a sponge. Most importantly, the perfect sponge alternative should be easy to clean and shouldn’t smell.
Kitchen sponges or washcloths help make cleaning our kitchen easier. They are indispensable. It feels like the kitchen is incomplete without them. They are cheap and readily available everywhere. Kitchens from all parts of the world have sponges and washcloths. However, what a lot of people ignore about them is that they are a real bacteria magnet.
Why My Kitchen Sponges Ended up in the Trash Bin
One thing I hate about my sponge is that it smells no matter how much I wash it. I can wash it after every use and it would still smell. If I soak it in bleach or vinegar it would still smell as it disintegrates between my hand.
The truth is, it’s not easy to deodorize smelly sponges. But before trying to do that, you should understand what causes it. The moldy sponge smell is a sign of bacterial infestation. Moisture spreads bacteria. Therefore, a smelly sponge is a sponge that you shouldn’t use in your kitchen.
I usually throw sponges away every one to two weeks. With kids around, I would rather replace sponges than have infections in my house or furniture.
How Difficult Is It to Sanitize and De-stink a Sponge
People think that throwing the sponge in a microwave and blasting it at high sanitizes it. The truth is the smell does disappear. However, the bacteria stay in. Right after you get it out, the microbes start reforming and spreading. The smell is not a reliable indicator of cleanliness.
Sponges attract microbes like no other kitchen cleaning tool in the house. They are designed to absorb water and keep it in. Guess what? That same water becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
How to Sanitize Sponges
Aside from the microwave method, there are more effective ways to sanitize sponges. However, make sure to sanitize your sponge right after use, otherwise, it’s useless.
We recommend using a sponge alternative instead of trying to clean it. But if, for some reason, you can’t buy one on the spot, here’s a sponge cleaning guide to help you. You need two to three sponges for this to work.
I’m assuming that you’ve used the sponge for a few days already and it’s starting to smell.
Step 1: Wash the sponge with soap and rinse properly
Step 2: Wring the water out of the sponge
Step 3: Put the sponge under the sun for a week
Step 4: Use a new sponge
Step 5: After a week, put the new sponge under the sun, then use the other one
Step 6: Repeat the process until all your sponges wear out then you need to buy a new set
Note: Leaving the sponge under the sun for a week may shrink it. If you soak it in water, it will be back to its normal size.
This technique works because the sun kills bacteria. The UV rays from the sun is a natural disinfectant. This may not be the fastest way, but it is very effective.
Some people say that they can leave the sponge under the sun for 3 to 4 days without any damage. Results may vary for different people in different places.
The Crown Choice All-Purpose Dishcloth and Non-Scratch Scouring Scrubber – the Best Kitchen Sponge Alternative
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For the best sponge alternative, try out The Crown Choice all-purpose dishcloth. For some heavy-duty scouring, The Crown Choice offers the scouring scrubber cloth.
- Durable and long-lasting
- Won’t scratch
- No smell
- Safe on Teflon
- Easy scouring
Clean and Eco-friendly Alternatives to Smelly Sponges
You can make your own non-smell sponge alternatives if you have some time to spare.
What you need.
1. Old towel
2. Scissors
3. Old fabric
4. Sewing kit
Step 1: Cut the towel in two small circle shapes. You don’t need to use all the towel fabric.
Step 2: Sew the two circle-shaped towels together while stuffing them with old or torn fabric for volume.
Step 3: Sew the towel close
This is cheaper than buying sponges every week. But you still need to take care of this like a sponge because it will start to stink if you don’t wash it after every use.
This is a good activity to do with your kids as it will teach them sewing and recycling. It’s always a good thing to educate your kids that the world we live in now is fragile and finite.
Additional sponge alternatives you can use are dish cloths using old towels, socks or even clothing.
The Crown Choice is the Best Choice For Busy People
Making your own dishcloth is great and a worthwhile project but if you don’t have time to spend then the best thing to do is to purchase the non-smell, non-scratch, eco-friendly all-purpose dishcloth and scouring scrubber from The Crown Choice.
Click here to check out The Crown Choice’s line of high-quality cleaning products, Dish Scrubbie, and bottle brushes.
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