How to Get Rid of Sour Sponge Smell?

While some people pay attention to the smell of sour milk or a general sour smell in their homes, not as many are concerned about the odors that come from an unclean sponge. This sour smell can carry through a kitchen or bathroom and cause a very unpleasant situation.

We use sponges to clean our dishes as well as to clean counter surfaces and bath/sink surfaces. Yet we don’t always make sure they are cleaned and rinsed before using them again. Because sponges have a lot of pores that allow food particles and moisture to get in, they are a prime breeding ground for bacteria and mold that cause odors (and even sickness in family members).

How to Clean a Sponge
You can prevent the smell and bacteria from becoming a problem by cleaning the sponge with a bleach/water mixture. This will kill bacteria and help remove mold and mildew as the sponge dries. It may also help to use white vinegar to soak the sponge. Be sure to rinse it thoroughly after treating it with vinegar a couple of times. The sponge should stay “fresh” longer and give you more service without contributing to odors in the home.

If you go through this process each time you use the sponge, or at least every other time, you can follow it up by drying the sponge in the microwave. Don’t put it in for longer than a minute or 90 seconds. Be very sure that there is no metal in the sponge. Some dish scrubbers have metal threads in them to help remove food particles! Be careful, the sponge will be hot. Be careful not to create odors within the microwave by drying a sponge that is heavily contaminated with bacteria or mold.

Don’t Depend on Water, Detergent
Some people may think they can just rely on the hot water and dishwashing detergent they use. However, a sponge will retain smell-creating bacteria even when you rinse the sponger completely with hot water after each use. Food particles will find their way into sponge pores and mold will grow unless you use one of the above methods.

It will help to pay attention to any visible particles of food that remain on a sponge after cleaning a surface or washing dishes. If you don’t get in the habit of completely cleaning the sponge with a diluted bleach/water mixture or vinegar, at least you can put a few drops of bleach on the sponge to mask some of the sour smell. You may also be able to keep the smell from spreading around the house by putting the damp sponge in a dry, closed container (after squeezing all the water out of it you can).

All of the above methods will help eliminate sour sponge smell. But these steps won’t guarantee to remove the odors if you continue to use a sponge over a long period of time. It’s very important to combine good cleaning habits with a new sponge on a regular basis. This may cost a few pennies more over time but it can prevent bad smells and potential illness.

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