14 Crazy Cleaning Sponge Hacks & How To Clean It
Are you looking for cleaning sponge hacks? Everyone has cleaning or kitchen sponges at home, but did you know there are so many uses? We tend to think of sponges as only useful for cleaning countertops, or bathroom cleaning but there are many other creative ways to use sponges.
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Do you struggle to keep them clean as well? We tend to think as sponges as breeding grounds for germs and bacteria.
I’m going to show you 14 crazy sponge hacks, and how to clean them.
Cleaning Sponge Hacks
Place clean scrub sponges in the bottom of your refrigerator baskets to keep your fruits and vegetables fresh and help them last longer. The sponges will soak up any unwanted water or other moisture.
Use it to pull out a nail without marking up your wall.
Place your sponge between the wall and the hammer. Pull the nail out while protecting the wall with your sponge from the metal on the hammer.
Use sponges when shoveling or sweeping.
Wrap a sponge in 2 different places around the handle of your shovel or broom and hold them in place with a rubber band.
Place your hands on the sponges and start shoveling, sweeping, etc.
It’ll protect your hands from getting blisters.
Make fabric softeners – in a container add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup fabric softener, mix, and add your sponges. Let them sit awhile to soak up the mixture.
To use them, squeeze the excess fabric softener back into the container, toss the sponge with your wet clothes in your dryer, and turn it on. When your load is dry, pull your dry sponge out and place it back in the fabric softener mixture – yep they’re reusable.
Make a travel jewelry case. Poke your earrings into the sponge if they are dangling, push them all the way through the sponge and place the back on if they are studs, and cut a slit with a razor blade or scissors to make a place for rings.
Place the sponge in a recycled gift or mint tin and you’re ready to travel.
Trace your soap size onto your sponge. Use a razor blade to cut into the sponge. Be careful not to cut all the way through.
Flip the sponge inside out where you cut it so that the indent pops out and use scissors to cut out the centerpiece.
Place your soap in the indent in the sponge and place it in your shower or by your bathtub.
Fans are notorious for collecting dust, dirt, debris, and pet hair and they are so hard to clean, but let’s bring a sponge to the rescue. To clean a fan, you’ll need to cut slices along your sponge. This is to help the sponge fit between the spokes on your fan.
Use your sponge damp or dry, and wiggle the sponge so it fits between the rails. Once it’s in slide it down, it’s so easy, and what a difference.
Help your plant retain water and moisture by placing natural rubber sponges in the bottom of the flower pot first.
Place your plant on top of the sponge, and water as usual. The sponge will help retain some of the moisture that the plant needs plus give a little space on the bottom for the roots.
Fill your sponge with water, place it inside a baggie, and freeze. Great to use as ice packs or as cold packs in lunches.
Place sponges at the base of your keyboard to ease your wrists while typing.
Dip your sponge in paint and use it for art – use cookie cutters to make shapes for kids, grab a canvas and have fun, &/or use it to decorate your bedroom wall.
Use a sponge as a pin cushion or to hold thumbtacks.
To clean & disinfect your sponges, place them in the dishwasher and clean them with your dishes.
Have you cleaned dirty pots and pans or maybe your oven and your sponge is a mess?
Soak your sponge in a mixture of 2 cups hot water and 1/4c. salt overnight. The next morning most of the gunk will be gone.
Learn more about “Why to Deep Clean and Organize Your Home” to save money, function better, and keep your sanity.
14 Crazy Cleaning Sponge Hacks & How To Clean It Video
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Many sponges are durable, and you can keep them cleaner by throwing them into your washing machine or dishwasher to help them be germ-free and last. You can purchase heavy duty sponges to last longers. Cellulose sponges are absorbent and made from wood pulp. These can be good for sensitive counters, non-stick coating on pans, etc. instead of using abrasive sponges that might scratch your surface. You can kill the germs in a sponge by throwing them into the microwave for a bit of time as well. Bleach will also clean a sponge. I like to use full-strength vinegar when cleaning surfaces. I also like to avoid harsh chemicals and chemical sponges, by using things I can wash again and again to reuse and start with a clean sponge. Soak sponges to get them clean in warm water with detergent.
Other Cleaning Hacks
Fantastic tips! Very helpful, thank you. ????
Thank you Naomie, I hope the winter is treating you well my friend 🙂
Winter? We have had rain once, last week and created havoc all over Southern California! 75 here today . . . Expecting a cold storm to pass thru tomorrow night, Temps down to freezing and possible scattered showers. They said it will be “chilly” for the next few days if you consider mid-60’s chilly! Ha!
Oh Naomie, you should come to Buffalo, NY. We’re having a heat wave at about 26 degrees. LOL
Love to! I was outside in the sun and I was sweating . . . ???? My friends in Asheville, NC said it was 11 this morning. I could use a dose of cold. ????????
Brrrr. Today was the first time I’ve been out in almost a week. My nose freezes too quickly. LOL BTW, I like your discussion answers on Hometalk. You are one creative lady, as well. 🙂
Awe, thank you! You are so sweet! ???? Working on a couple of little things that I hope to post soon. Stay warm and dry. ⛄
I’m jealous, 75 is excellent. I can’t complain though we have had a pretty mild winter here in Colorado and it’s nothing like what I grew up with in Minnesota. We are supposed to get a big snow storm the next couple days – so I bet you’ll feel that in CA too 🙂 Good time to stay inside and craft 🙂 Hugs to both my friends – love all this conversation flying!
While I do not mind it being 75, we do worry about drought. Will try a rain dance with the pets. ???? Everyone have a fun evening!
great ideas
Thank you Janet 🙂
Chas, you are so amazingly creative! These are such good and useful ideas.
Thank you Linda, sending hugs your way my friend 🙂
{{{hugs}}} back atcha 😉
Chas, these are fantastic ideas! I would never have thought of these things! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Join us at the Party in Your PJ’s link party every week! It starts on Tuesday evening. Teresa
Thank you Teresa and I’m glad you liked some of the ideas 🙂 I look forward to joining the next party, thank you.
I like how your brain thinks! This is so many great ideas to do with sponges that I have never even thought of. I pinned this post, so I have it saved. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Natalie, you are so sweet and thanks for the Pin. 🙂
What great ideas! Visiting you on TRAFFIC JAM WEEKEND and pinned this post. Mine is Guilt Free Gluten Free Vegan Cornbread. Please share the love. Nancy A @ https://obloggernewbie.blogspot.com/2017/12/guilt-free-gluten-free-vegan-cornbread.html
Thank you Nancy and thank you for the Pin. I’ll be sure to stop by and check out your post. Thanks for the invite.
These are some great tips! I love how you use the sponge to dust the fan. I could have used that idea last week when I struggled to dust one of ours. Now I know!
Thank you Shannon, and I’m so glad that one of these idea might help you out too 🙂
I didn’t know you could remove the “gunk” that way. Great hacks!
Thank you Cathy 🙂
These are WONDERFUL ideas! You’re so smart–I’d never thought of a bunch of these. Thank you for sharing them!
Thank you Richella and I’m pleased that you like the ideas. 🙂
What great uses for sponges. I will definitely be using several of these. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much Amy, I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me.
You may be the most creative person I know! You need a newspaper column!
You are so sweet Kristin, and guess what…. I just got hired to write DIY for our local magazine 🙂
There are some really great hacks here Chas!
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Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
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You’re so sweet Marilyn, thank you!