Hotline
Honestly, You Should Probably Replace Your Kitchen Sponge More Often Than You Think
And more semi-life-changing dishwashing advice from Hotline.
Welcome to Hotline Rewind, the weekly series where we gather up your questions from the week (and pepper in some from the Hotline archives) about a specific topic. Whether you’re a major home cook or a takeout obsessive, you still have to wash dishes at some point. Which is why so many people have a “best way” of cleaning up after a meal—and don’t even get us started on filling a dishwasher. The Hotline wanted to cut through this noise and give some solid guidelines on how to best wash your dirty plates, bowls, and silverware.
How often should you switch out your sponge?
Sponges are a breeding ground for bacteria. And while you can sanitize them by running them through the dishwasher or microwaving for around 90 seconds, these methods aren’t totally foolproof, so you should ideally be switching out your sponge about once a week.
Is it better to hand wash or run the dishes in the dishwasher?
The high temperatures and cleaning efficiency of dishwashers not only make dishes cleaner than handwashing, but they often use far less water, too. That’s all assuming you’ve loaded the dishwasher correctly (and that’s a whole other conversation).
How do I wash a wooden cutting board?
Clean your board after each use with a soft sponge and gentle soap. Scrub with lemon juice and salt to remove odors. Then, once a month, coat it with mineral oil. Water and other liquids can carry tons of bacteria that can grow over time if it seeps into your board's wood grain. The oil creates a slightly hydrophobic barrier that helps to keep water on the surface.
What should not go in the dishwasher?
Anything that is not dishwasher-safe. That seems obvious, and tons of plates and containers may seem fine, but always follow the instructions on the label.
But here is a not totally comprehensive list of things that should not be placed in the dishwasher: wooden spoons and boards (they can dry out and warp), chefs knives (dulling), cast iron (removes seasoning), crystal (friction can lead to scratches), aluminum (discoloration and corrosion), copper (it can tarnish and dull the shine), and nonstick cookware (overtime the nonstick coating will strip away).
Does the water need to be hot?
When I was young, my grandmother said that the dishes wouldn't get clean unless the water was hot enough to hurt your hands. As it turns out, she was right (kind of). The FDA recommends a temperature of at least 160°F. Washing at this temp shouldn’t be painful, but wearing gloves can make it more comfortable.
Do I need to rinse dishes before adding them to the dishwasher?
Dishwashers are very powerful. If you load the dishwasher properly and use the right detergent, you should only need to scrape off any food scraps. If you find your dishes are still dirty, it is more likely that your dishwasher needs to be cleaned or serviced.
Can I reuse a sponge that has cleaned dishes that touched raw meat?
Yes! But it must be sterilized first either by soaking in a bleach-water solution (1 tbsp to 1 gallon) or washing at a temp above 180°F. That level of bleach solution will kill bacteria but not make the soap dangerous to use for cleaning things you eat off of. All being said, you’d ideally use a separate sponge for raw meat.
Have more kitchen cleanup questions? Ask away on our Hotline or drop us a line at 1 (877)-52-HOTLINE.
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Written by: Justin Sullivan
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