How to Clean a Kitchen Sponge

By
Mary Marlowe Leverette
Mary Marlowe Leverette 2018
Mary Marlowe Leverette
Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40 years' experience; writing for over 20 years.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 11/12/22
Reviewed by
Katie Berry
Katie Berry
Reviewed by Katie Berry
Katie Berry is a cleaning expert with 30 years of household management experience and 12 years of writing about cleaning methods and routines for Housewife How-Tos. She is the author of several books about homemaking.
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Fact checked by
Sarah Scott
SS
Fact checked by Sarah Scott
Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design.
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Overhead view of dirty sponges preparing to be cleaned

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 5 - 10 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins - 1 hr
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $5 to 10

Think of everything a kitchen sponge can do—sweep food off counters, wash dishes, wipe up spills on the floor, absorb leaking juices from leftovers. Yes, a kitchen sponge is versatile but it can also harbor traces of all those chores in the nooks and crannies and become a breeding ground for bacteria. A quick rinse under the kitchen faucet is not sufficient cleaning.

Studies by the USDA Food Safety Laboratory show that kitchen sponges used to wash dishes transfer bacteria to stainless steel surfaces, where they can survive for up to four days. Similarly, pathogens transferred by sponges to stainless steel surfaces were subsequently transferred to cut vegetables at varying rates. In a study of ten kitchens in the US, 33% and 67% of sponges tested positive for E. coli and fecal coliforms, respectively.

It's time to clean your kitchen sponge, and here's how.

How Often to Clean Your Kitchen Sponge

A kitchen sponge should be rinsed well in hot water after every task and placed in a rack or holder that allows air to circulate freely around all sides so it will dry quickly. The sponge should then be sanitized or disinfected every other day.

Sponges are not meant to last forever. Replace kitchen sponges frequently before they begin to smell or crumble. For most home kitchens, this means every two to three weeks.

The Best Kitchen Sponges for Cleaning Your Cookware
Featured Video

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 1 sink or dishpan
  • 1 dishwasher
  • 1 microwave
  • 1 pair kitchen gloves

Materials

  • 1 container chlorine bleach
  • 1 container dishwasher detergent
  • 1 bottle distilled white vinegar

Instructions

Overhead view of materials needed to clean dirty kitchen sponges

The Spruce / Ana Cadena

How to Clean a Kitchen Sponge With Bleach

  1. Mix a Cleaning Solution

    In a sink or dishpan, add three-fourths cup of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water.

    Mixing a sponge cleaning solution

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Soak the Sponges

    Add the sponges and soak for five minutes. This method works well for cellulose and nylon scrubbing sponges.

    Soaking the sponges in a cleaning solution

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Dry the Sponges

    Remove the sponges and squeeze out excess water. Place the sponges in a drying rack to air-dry.

    Tip

    Consider wearing rubber kitchen gloves if you are sensitive to chlorine bleach.

    Wringing out the sponges

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

How to Clean a Kitchen Sponge in the Dishwasher

  1. Load the Dishwasher

    Place the sponge on the top rack of the dishwasher. Use a small items dishwasher basket if you are concerned the sponge may fall through the rack.

    Spongs loaded into the dishwasher

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Select a Dishwasher Cycle

    Add the dishwasher detergent and select a regular wash cycle with a heated drying cycle.

    Loading a pod into the dishwasher

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Air-Dry the Sponge

    If the sponge is not completely dry when the cycle is complete, remove it from the dishwasher and place it in a rack to air-dry.

    Air drying the sponges

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

How to Clean a Kitchen Sponge With Distilled White Vinegar

  1. Use Vinegar Full-Strength

    Fill a dishpan with enough full-strength distilled white vinegar to completely submerge the sponge(s).

    Pouring vinegar into a basin

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Soak and Wring

    Add the sponges to the vinegar and allow them to soak for five minutes. Rinse the sponges and wring well. Pour the vinegar down the kitchen drain to help remove build-up.

    Letting sponges soak in vinegar

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Air-Dry the Sponges

    Place the sponges in a drying rack to air-dry.

    Air drying sponges on a wire rack

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

How to Clean a Kitchen Sponge in the Microwave

  1. Wet the Sponge

    The sponge should be thoroughly wet (dripping) before placing it in the microwave to prevent an accidental fire.

    Warning

    Do not place any type of sponge that has metallic fibers for scrubbing in the microwave to prevent sparking and a fire.

    Rinsing sponges under the sink faucet

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  2. Microwave the Sponge

    Set the microwave on high power. Place the sponges in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave wet cellulose sponges for two minutes and wet nylon scrubbing sponges for one minute.

    Soaking sponges in a microwave safe bowl

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  3. Allow to Cool

    The sponges will be very hot. Allow them to cool before handling.

    Allowing the sponges to cool

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

  4. Wring and Air-Dry

    Once cool, wring out any excess water and place the sponge in a drying rack to air-dry.

    Wringing the sponges out

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

Tips to Keep Your Kitchen Sponge Clean Longer

  • Rinse the sponge after every use in hot water.
  • Place wet sponges in a rack to dry more quickly to help prevent bacterial growth.
  • Do not use a kitchen sponge to wipe up juices from meat products. Use a disposable paper towel instead.
  • Disinfect the sponge every other day.
  • Dispose of sponges that smell or begin to crumble.
  • Keep kitchen dishwashing sponges, floor sponges, and sponges for cleaning bathrooms and other areas separate to avoid cross-contamination. (Disinfect other sponges on a regular schedule, as well.)
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Article Sources
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Rossi, Eliandra & Scapin, Diane & Tondo, Eduardo. Survival and transfer of microorganisms from kitchen sponges to surfaces of stainless steel and polyethylene. Journal of infection in developing countries, vol 7, no. 3, pp. 229-234, 2013. doi:10.3855/jidc.2472

  2.  Sharma, M. et al.. Effective household disinfection methods of kitchen sponges. Food Control, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 310-313, 2009. doi:10.1016/j.foodcont.2008.05.020

  3. Working with Household (Chlorine) Bleach. Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

  4. Why Can't You Put Metal in a Microwave? Cornell Center for Materials Research.