You may think you are using a sponge correctly, but if your sponge isn’t working to its full potential, then you are wasting time and money washing dishes every day.
The truth of the matter is that sponges are not all created equal. Some are too stiff to be of any use on delicate dishes, while others are so soft they leave watermarks everywhere. Finding the perfect sponge is easier than you think.
However, today, we’ll be focusing on does boiling a sponge sanitize it?
Let’s find out!
Does Boiling A Sponge Sanitize It?
This type of misconception is spreading widely through social media, and it’s being taken as fact by many people.
To be absolutely clear, boiling a sponge does not sanitize it. It may help a little but if you want to completely get rid of te bacteria it’s better to get a new one instead.
When you boil a sponge, you are killing bacteria or viruses that are present on the sponge, but this doesn’t mean the sponge itself becomes clean.
The surface of the sponge will become cleaner and will look good, but if you think about what’s inside of the sponge, it makes sense that it won’t become cleaner. The inside of the sponge consists of small pores where all the bacteria and virus resides and thus it’s pretty hard to get rid of them just by boiling them in water.
3 Best Sponges To Get For Kitchen
- MR.SIGA Non-Scratch Cellulose Scrub Sponge
- Multi-Purpose Scrub Sponges for Kitchen by Scrub
- Scotch-Brite Non-Scratch Scrub Sponges, 6 Scrub Sponges
4 Best Sponges To Get For Makeup
- 5Pcs Makeup Sponge Blender Beauty Set
- Hygea Beauty Makeup Sponge Blender Set of 5
- Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Beauty Sponge Makeup Blender
- BEAKEY 5 Pcs Makeup Sponge Set, Foundation Blending Beauty Sponge
1. Placebo Effect
Many people believe that a sponge that has been boiled will help to sanitize it. This is a myth that has been going around for a while.
The theory is that boiling a sponge will kill any bacteria on the surface, but in reality this doesn’t help the way it’s thought.
Boiling a sponge doesn’t get rid of the bacteria, because bacteria in nature are quite powerful and can withstand hot temperatures. The reason why people think it helps is because they have become accustomed to the feeling of it being cleaner after being boiled, even though this can help a tiny bit but mostly it’s more of a placebo effect that people go through.
2. Little Impact
We’ve heard it all before: “You should boil your sponge regularly to clean it.” But how much impact do these cleaning tips really have?
The idea behind boiling the sponge is that the little grooves in the sponge act like little reservoirs for bacteria, and if you don’t wash out those grooves well enough, you risk spreading bacteria within. The truth is that this method does make a difference, but only very slightly.
With the average kitchen sponge holding about one million germs, you can bet that boiling will not make a big difference in disinfecting the sponge.
3. Microwaving Is A Bit More Better
Microwaving a sponge is a bit better than boiling, because most of the bacteria will be killed in the microwave. However, the sponge will still have some bacteria left in it. It is still important to clean sponges regularly to prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms.
People should wash their sponges with hot water after use or microwaving. To kill more bacteria, people can add disinfectants to hot water when washing sponge. Some disinfectants include vinegar and diluted bleach. When people want to use their sponges again, they can soak them in warm water and mild detergent.
Also, make sure that the sponge remains dry most of the time.
