Dirty sponge, do not throw it away: if you do, it will be like new

First of all, any possible food remains are eliminated. After carefully rinsing it, it is prepared in a solution made with: salt, hot water and baking soda and left to soak for at least 20 minutes.

If you want to eliminate odors from kitchen sponges, a more effective way is to soak them after washing in a mixture obtained with cold water (hot water tends to set odors and stains), salt and vinegar .

If there are traces of mold, you can add a few drops of tea tree oil (about ten), or hydrogen peroxide and hot water . Once rinsed, drained and air dried.

You could also use bleach, but apart from the strong smell, this product is toxic and also polluting, so it is not “ecological” at all.

Washing in the dishwasher allows them to be sanitized , to do this they will have to be placed in the dishes

To avoid the risk of cross contamination, it is advisable to have separate sponges, according to their use, differentiating them by color, for example.

A good way to keep them in good condition is not to leave them in the sink, but to let them air dry, even better if under the sun’s rays.