Natural Alternatives For Deep Cleaning Your Kitchen Sponges

Sponges are among the most versatile kitchen cleaning tools. They clean dirty dishes, soak up spills and splatters, and wipe down dirt-laden countertops and kitchen appliances. Over time, kitchen sponges accumulate food debris, dirt, and grime, making them breeding grounds for germs and bacteria, such as E. Coli, Shigella, Staphylococcus Aureus, and other lethal germs.

What’s worse? Cleaning or wiping using the same sponge can cross-contaminate surfaces, increasing the risk of foodborne diseases. If you want to maintain the hygiene of your home in Sunshine Coast, include your sponges in your daily and weekly kitchen cleaning checklist.

Here are natural alternatives to clean and sanitise kitchen sponges in no time. You can also replace a dirty sponge with a new one every few weeks or whenever required.

Let’s Get Started!

1. Deep Clean a Kitchen Sponge with Boiling Water

Hot water is one of the best options to remove embedded stains and kill germs and bacteria from a kitchen sponge. To do so, you can follow this method:

• Boil one cup of water in a bowl
• Put the sponge in and submerge it fully.
• Let it boil for 5 minutes to kill germs
• Remove the sponge and wring it out

This is one of the easiest tricks to clean and disinfect surfaces lurking with stubborn stains and germs.

2. Cleaning A Dirty Sponge with Vinegar

White vinegar is one of the best natural alternatives to store-bought cleaners when deep cleaning your kitchen sponges. It is an affordable, chemical-free, and super-effective cleaning agent for stubborn stains, oil splatters, embedded grime, and built-up grease. Professionals also use vinegar during expert bond cleaning Sunshine Coast to maintain a healthy and environmentally friendly indoor environment.

All you need to do is to soak a dirt-laden sponge in undiluted white vinegar for at least 10 minutes. This will dislodge accumulated food debris, stains and germs.  After that, take it out from a bowl and wring out the solution.

In the final step, rinse your sponge in warm water and let it dry completely.

3. Banishing Lurking Germs With Lemon and Baking Soda

The citric acid in lemons is antibacterial, making it a safe alternative for deep cleaning grimy kitchen sponges. When mixed with baking soda, another powerful natural cleaner and deodoriser, it can remove oil stains, gunk, and germs in no time.

Take 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon dishwashing liquid, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 cups hot water. In the next step, fully submerge your dirty sponge and leave it for a few minutes.

Rinse and dry your kitchen sponge before re-using it for routine cleaning.

4. Sanitise Grimy Sponge in the Microwave

This is one of the best hacks to clean and kill bacteria up to 99 per cent. Here is a step-by-step guide to help achieve the desired results:

• Rinse A Dirty Sponge- Start by rinsing your contaminated sponge with water to get rid of accumulated dirt and grime.
• Soak it into a Solution- In the next step, mix vinegar and water in a microwave-safe bowl and submerge your sponge into the solution.
• Steam Cleaning a Sponge- Microwave your sponge for 2-3 minutes. This will cut through tough stains and grime and kill lurking germs, like E.coli, etc.
• Wring it Out– Once the sponge cools down, wring it out and see sparkling results and allow it to air dry to prevent unpleasant odours.

Remember that the microwave is one of the much-loved appliances in the kitchen, and it needs attention-to-detail cleaning when preparing for a final rental inspection. You can hire the best bond cleaners in Sunshine Coast as they follow a pre-approved cleaning checklist to help secure the full bond money of tenants.

5. Clean a Kitchen Sponge in the Dishwasher

Are you running short on time? Use this method to clean a kitchen sponge. Toss a dirty rag or sponge in the dishwasher to quickly clean and disinfect it.

• Toss it in the top rack of your dishwasher
• Add a mild dishwashing detergent
• Run the appliance on the longest cycle. Make sure it is set to the highest heat-dry mode.

Using these eco-friendly cleaning agents, you can thoroughly clean all kitchen appliances and impress your landlord at the end of your tenancy.

How often to Spruce up Your Kitchen Sponge?

This particular cleaning tool quickly becomes the breeding ground for germs if they are not treated regularly. So, it is good to rinse and disinfect them every use. Deep clean your sponge every week to keep germs at bay.

The best part is that these cleaning products are safe during pregnancy.  However, it is good to replace in case of lingering odour or damage.

If you are preparing your rental property for the final inspection, book the best experts for a quality bond cleaning Sunshine Coast and tackle stubborn stains and grime with ease.

Natural & Effective Ways to Deep Clean a Dirty Kitchen Sponge

Wrapping Up

These are the best natural ways to clean your kitchen sponges deep and maintain a healthy and hygienic home environment. Make sure you use the most effective methods according to your requirements and achieve the desired cleaning results.