How do you stop a dish washing sponge from smelling bad?

Answer 1

It is full of bacteria and I never use them but you can get it wet and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes to kill them.

Answer 2

Bleach but replace it often. Moist things breed bacteria and that is a bad thing in the kitchen. Can lead to food poisoning, etc. Easier: Buy a large pack of dish cloths, use those for washing dishes, and just toss those into the laundry each day. That way you don't have to worry if your sponge has been there too long.

Answer 3

It's better to wash dishes with a dishcloth so it can be laundered after each use. Sponges are full of pores that are nearly impossible to clean out. Nuking and putting in the dishwasher are good ideas and will work in the short term but eventually a sponge needs to be tossed out and replaced. Especially when the smell gets as bad as yours. Using a fresh dishrag each day eliminates this needless waste and fuss.

Answer 4

I use dish washing sponges too! I hate it when they get funky, but usually if I notice they smell funky, I either wash them thoroughly and squeeze as much water out of them and put them somewhere where they can fully dry or I simply throw them out! I've heard that sponges are the worst thing to use to wash dishes with, as they hold bacteria, but I use anti-bacterial dish soap and wash the sponge itself, after every use. Hope that helps!

Answer 5

I use scrubby sponges all of the time (sponge on one side and scratch pad on the other) I always soak mine in a bleach and hot water solution at the end of every day and they don't smell bad. Make sure you squeeze out as much water as you can and allow it to dry. If you have cleaned up after raw meat then I would advise soaking in the water/bleach solution right then instead of waiting. yeah, and getting a new one every couple of weeks never hurts either.

Answer 6

First of all if the sponge is smelling bad. You need to replace it asap. And once you are done washing dishes put the sponge in open place so it can dry out. That should avoid the smell.

Hope I helped :)

Answer 7

throw it away !
if you tried the bleach thing and you tried the dishwasher thing and you tried the washing machine and all failed at the task of getting the smell out of you sponge , the it means you wiped up an oil of one type or another and that is something you will never get the smell out of ! and if you do throw it into the washing machine you will transfer the smell into any other things that you wash with it.

Answer 8

Rinse it really, really well every time you use it and wring it out well, too. It will last a bit longer that way but it will inevitably still have an odor at some point even if you DO put it in the washer or dish washer. It is the nature of the beast.

Answer 9

Trash it. I'm not trying to be a smart @ss but sponges need to be tossed frequently. The smell is bacteria. Try using washable cloths instead and launder them in HOT water with bleach.

Answer 10

rinse in some water with baking soda or sprinkle baking soda on the sponge. Alternatively, you can soak it in a liquid with Borax and water, which will deodorize it and the borax can kill the germs that are on it if you use a good concentration, likely 1/4th cup to 1-1 1/2cups water.

Answer 11

u should but u'r sponge, when wet, in the microwave to kill the germs.
45-60 seconds is good. be careful, hot.
this will help w/odor too.
replace every 2 wks is best.