Sponge or dish cloth?

@coffeebreak (17798)
United States
December 14, 2007 4:05pm CST
I clean all the time. However as we all know you can't get it all. So...my question... is it better to use a sponge or a dish cloth in the kitchen? I use a sponge. To wash dishes, to wipe off counters. A rag is just to bulky and combersome. I have heard some say they have a sponge for dishes, one for counters and one for whatever else. I'd have a hard time keeping track of what was for what. I use 409 and paper towels on the stove and counters. But that age old question still looms... dish cloth or sponge? What say you?
5 people like this
10 responses
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
14 Dec 07
I don't use either one. I buy the disposable pre-soaped things from the dollar store and sew them to these Pro-Force reusable clothlike bar mop things they sell at Sam's Club. That way they are tough and scratchy on the inside and soft but tough on the outside. Easy on my hands and tough on the dishes, too. They last a long time and after each use, I squirt Dawn or Palmolive on them, fold and hang to dry for the next use. When they get grungy, I use them to touch up spots on the floor or wherever or give them to hubby for cleaning his hubcaps and throwing away.
3 people like this
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
16 Dec 07
I use the same sponge on all, but i buy them at the dollar store and they come in a pack of 10 for a buck! So as soon as it starts to get nasty i throw it out and start with a fresh one. When my daughter was really small, i used to wash her dishes with a separate sponge, just because, i was paranoid she would get something she shouldnt have on her dishes i guess. I dont use those harsh cleaners though. I bleach everything in my bathroom and kitchen every once in a while, the bathroom more often, and throw the sponge out after i use it. so really only cleaner that touches the spongees i reuse is dishsoap.
2 people like this
@biggerb (2024)
• India
15 Dec 07
I use sponge to clean counters and stove.For wiping the dishes I use a dish cloth.For any spills I use the paper towels so that washing off the stains wont be there.
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
14 Dec 07
I use a dish cloth nomally to do dishes and I use a sponge to clean the counters and things with. However, I do have a sponge that has detergent in it and I will use it if we don't have a big meal and just want to do a few dishes. I think a sponge holds a lot of germs and I don't like to use just a regular sponge over a couple of times on the counters and then I usually get rid of them.
@muscare (3068)
• Australia
15 Dec 07
I like dish cloths, and yes, I more or less use the same one for benchtops and dishes. I have heard that the problems with germs comes from leaving the dishcloth wet, which the bacteria love, so after giving it a rinse with hot water, I wring it out and leave it to dry completely. I've never poisoned my family, so I figure what I'm doing must be working, lol! I use paper towel for rubish bins and such, so that I can toss them straight after use!
1 person likes this
@megumiart (3771)
• United States
15 Dec 07
I liek sponges better; they're lighter and easier to manuver.
1 person likes this
@pumpkinjam (8864)
• United Kingdom
18 Feb 08
I prefer using a sponge. It seems cleaner somehow! I sometimes use seperate ones for different things but sometimes if I have only got one or if I'm in a rush, I will wash up with the sponge and then wipe the surfaces before washing the sponge (or throwing it in the bin if it's already been washed a couple of times!
• Canada
18 Feb 08
We have a dishwasher, but on the rare occasions when we need to wash dishes by hand, we use neither sponge, or dish cloth. We use one of those long handled dish brushes, as they are better able to scrape food debris from dishes.
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
15 Dec 07
I use a sponge for my dishes. I pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes ( WHILE WET! dry it might catch fire) before I do the dishes, and I wash it with the laundry every few days. I use both to wipe up the counters. A cloth most of the time, but if I just want to get up the water from doing dishes I will use the sponge, and I use the sponge to wipe up the sink after doing dishes.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 Dec 07
I use a dish cloth on counters and stoves and sponges on dishes.
1 person likes this