Finding alternative uses of common household products can give you some cheap thrills. One extremely common and inexpensive item found in every household is the kitchen sponge.

The humble sponge, apart from cleaning your dirty dishes, can be used for a number of hacks to make everyday chores a tad easier and also save you a lot of time. You can then spend your time unwinding with a glass of Pinot Noir. Sounds enticing, right?

Advertisements
The 9 best DIY kitchen sponge hacks for everyday use
Discover fascinating new ways to transform your humble kitchen sponge for everyday use

If you are up for learning some really crazy yet ingenious ways to use kitchen sponges in your home, we bring to you 9 clever sponge hacks that you must try out for yourself.

Method 1: DIY Sudsy Loofa

If you want a constant supply of suds without rewetting the sponge or adding extra shower gel to your loofa, try putting a bar of soap inside a sponge.

Things you’ll need:

Things needed for DIY kitchen sponge hacks to make sudsy loofa

Advertisements
  • Small bar of soap
  • Kitchen sponge

Single-Step Method: Make a slit in the sponge and put a bar of soap in it

DIY kitchen sponge hacks-make your own DIY sudsy loofa
Make a slit and insert a bar of soap inside the sponge to make a sudsy loofa
  • Use a paper cutter to make a slit in the sponge. The slit should be long enough for the bar of soap bar to fit in it.
  • Push a small bar of soap inside the slit.
  • Soak the sponge in water and squeeze it to create suds. Go on and use it like your regular loofa.

This hack is also a great way to use up the very last bits of one or more bars of soap. Continue reading to discover more clever sponge hacks that you must try out for yourself.

Method 2: Ice Pack

Sponges can also serve well as inexpensive makeshift ice packs. Simply saturate them with water and freeze them inside a ziplock bag for a few hours to make a highly effective cold compress.

Things you’ll need:

Things needed for DIY kitchen hacks to make ice pack

  • Household sponge
  • Ziplock bag
  • Water in a bowl

Single-Step Method: Soak the sponge in water and freeze it

DIY kitchen sponge hacks-make your own ice or cold compress at home
Freeze a water-soaked sponge in a ziplock bag to make a makeshift ice compress
  • Pour water into a large bowl. The bowl should be wide and deep enough to submerge the sponge completely in the water.
  • Leave it for 1 to 2 minutes to soak up the water.
  • Retrieve the sponge and give it a light squeeze.
  • Place the wet sponge in a ziplock bag and pop it in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours.

Use the DIY ice pack to relieve aching joints or muscles as well as reduce swelling and inflammation.

Method 3: Clean a Grill Grate or Oven Rack

Grill grates and oven racks can be tricky and frustrating to clean thoroughly. Tweaking the sponge slightly can make this tedious task easy-breezy. Follow the instructions given below to clean your charcoal grill or even your OTG thoroughly.

Advertisements

Things you’ll need:

Things needed for DIY kitchen hacks to clean your grill grate or oven rack

  • Paper cutter
  • Kitchen sponge

Step 1. Cut slits in the sponge to create small squares

Cut slits in the sponge for greater flexibility- DIY kitchen sponge hacks
Partially slit the soft sponge to create tiny squares for greater flexibility
  • Use a paper cutter to make 3 or 4 lengthwise slits on the sponge.
  • Rotate the sponge 90 degrees and make 3 or 4 crosswise slits to get tiny squares.
  • Be sure not to cut all the way through the sponge. (Refer to the image above.)

Step 2. Use the grooved sponge to clean the grill grate or oven rack

DIY kitchen sponge hacks-make grooved sponge to clean your charcoal/oven grill
You can now use your DIY grooved sponge to properly clean your grill grate
  • Scrub the grate with the slit sponge to pick up grime from between the grates and all the nooks and corners.

Method 4: DIY Dryer Sheets

Ditch those expensive dryer sheets by making your own DIY sponge dryer sheets at a fraction of the cost. Gather your supplies and follow the steps below.

Things you’ll need:

Advertisements

Things needed for DIY kitchen sponge hacks to make DIY sponge dryer sheets

  • Thin kitchen sponges – 4
  • Fabric softener – ½ cup
  • Water – 1 cup

Step 1. Prepare the softener solution

Mix water and fabric softener for DIY kitchen sponge hacks
Mix water and fabric softener to make DIY sponge dryer sheets
  • Pour 1 cup of water into an airtight container.
  • Add ½ cup of fabric softener to it.
  • Stir well to dissolve the softener in the water.

Step 2. Soak the sponges in the solution & use as needed

Soak the thin sponges in the softener solution for DIY kitchen sponge hacks
Soak the thin sponges in the softener solution to make DIY sponge dryer sheets
  • One-by-one, dunk the thin sponges in the solution.
  • Put the lid on the container and store it in your laundry room.

When needed, simply take out 1 sponge and squeeze out the excess liquid. Throw it in the dryer along with your wet clothes and run the dryer cycle. Once done, place the sponge back in the container for its next use. Read on to discover more fascinating and clever sponge hacks that you must try out for yourself.

Method 5: DIY One-Step Nail Polish Remover

If you don’t like the tedious task of removing old and chipped nail polish, this hack is for you. Stuff a sponge inside a small, airtight glass jar; fill it up with nail polish remover and voila! You have your on-the-go nail polish remover.

Things you’ll need:

Things needed for DIY kitchen sponge hacks to make DIY one-step nail polish remover

  • Kitchen sponge
  • Nail polish remover
  • Airtight glass jar

Step 1. Stuff the sponge into a glass jar and pour nail polish remover over it

Fit the sponge into a jar and soak it with nail paint remover for DIY kitchen sponge hacks
Fit the sponge into a jar and soak it with nail paint remover
  • Fold a kitchen sponge and push it inside an airtight glass jar. Go ahead and squeeze it to make it fit in the jar.
  • Empty the entire bottle of nail polish remover over the sponge.

Step 2. Stick your finger in the sponge to remove the nail polish

Use the soaked sponge to remove your nail paint-DIY kitchen sponge hacks
Stick your fingers one at a time into the sponge and swirl them around to remove nail polish
  • One-by-one, stick your fingers into the sponge in the jar and swirl them a little to get the nail polish off your nails.
  • Once done, put the lid back on the jar and store it until you need it again.

Method 6: Clean Blinds and Shutters

Leave your blinds and shutters dust-free in no time with this super-easy sponge hack. All you need is a pair of tongs and a couple of regular kitchen sponges.

Advertisements

Things you’ll need:

Things needed for DIY kitchen sponge hacks to clean blinds and shutters

  • Tongs
  • Kitchen sponges –2
  • Paper cutter

Single-Step Method: Make slits on the side of the sponges and put them on the tongs

DIY kitchen sponge hacks-use kitchen sponges to clean your blinds and shutters
Slit 2 kitchen sponges on the side and place them onto a pair of tongs to clean blinds and shutters
  • Using a paper cutter, make a small but deep slit just below the scrubber of the sponge. The slit should be wide and deep enough for the end of the tong to fit in it. Do the same on the other sponge.
  • Put a sponge on each end of the tongs. The sponge sides should face inward and the scrubber sides should face outward. (Refer to the image above.)
  • Hold the blind between the tongs and move it vertically a number of times so the sponges pick up any dust and grime. Repeat on each blind until they are sufficiently clean.

Method 7: DIY Floor-Protector Pads

Swapping out or rearranging furniture can mean lots of squeaky noises and unsightly scratches on your floor. But you can avoid them both using this kitchen sponge hack.

Things you’ll need:

Things needed for DIY kitchen sponge hacks to make DIY floor-protector pads

  • Kitchen sponge
  • Paper cutter

Step 1. Cut the sponge into small, square pieces

DIY kitchen sponghe hacks-cut a kichen sponge into small, square pieces
Cut a kitchen sponge into small, square pieces to make DIY floor-protector pads
  • Use a paper cutter to cut a sponge into long strips.
  • Cut the strips crosswise to get small, square pieces.

Step 2. Glue the sponge squares to the bottom of the legs of the furniture

DIY kitchen sponge hacks-make your own floor-protector pads to avoid damage while moving furniture
Glue the sponge pads to the bottom of the pieces of furniture that have to be moved
  • Use super glue to attach a sponge square to the bottom of each leg of your furniture.
  • If needed, chop off any extra sponge to make it inconspicuous. The sponge will act a buffer between the furniture and the floor.

Method 8: Clean the Microwave

Everyday use and the oil spurts that occur while heating stuff can make your microwave pretty dirty. The accumulated grime can dry out and become hard to remove. A quick cleaning hack is to heat up some vinegar in the microwave. The liquid works like magic and will break through the tough stains inside your microwave. The vinegar will also effectively remove any food odors.

Things you’ll need:

Things needed for DIY kitchen sponge hacks to clean the microwave

  • Kitchen sponge
  • White vinegar

Step 1. Soak the sponge in white vinegar

DIY kitchen sponge hacks-soak the kitchen sponge in white vinegar
Soak the kitchen sponge in white vinegar
  • Pour white vinegar into a large bowl.
  • Place a sponge in the bowl and allow it to soak up the vinegar.

Step 2. Microwave the soaked sponge to loosen up the grime

DIY kitchen sponge hacks- use a vinegar-soaked sponge to clean your microwave
Heat the vinegar-soaked sponge to remove the tough stains from inside your microwave
  • Retrieve the soaked sponge and squeeze it gently to wring out the excess liquid.
  • Place the sponge inside the microwave and heat it for 1 minute.

The vinegar will easily loosen up the dried and stuck grime. It will then be easy to clean the insides with a kitchen cloth.

Method 9: Dry the Sponge Faster

Dirty and wet sponges can become a breeding ground for germs. Excess moisture will also make them wear out quickly. So, you need to keep them dry to make them last longer. This easy hack will do the trick.

Things you’ll need:

Things needed for DIY kitchen sponge hacks to dry the sponge faster

  • Binder clip
  • Wet sponge

Single-Step Method: Attach a binder clip onto the sponge and keep it upright for faster drying

DIY kitchen sponge hacks-use a clip binder to dry your kitchen sponges faster
Use a clip binder to dry your kitchen sponges faster
  • Wring out as much suds and liquid as you can from the sponge.
  • Attach the binder clip on the smaller side of the sponge.
  • Flip up the metal levers to hold the sponge.
  • Place the sponge upright on a plate to allow the liquid to seep out.

Tips

  • You can add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to keep dishwashing sponges smelling fresh. The oils will also work as antibacterial agents.
  • Clean your kitchen sponges regularly to maintain hygiene.
  • You can toss them in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning.
  • You can also soak your sponges in a bleach solution for 10 to 15 minutes to clean and disinfect them. Wear gloves while wringing out any excess bleach solution. Use Method 9 above to dry the sponges quickly.
  • Sponges can also be used as pincushions.
  • You can also sprout seeds faster by embedding them in a damp sponge on a plate. Place the plate in a sunny area for faster germination.
  • Keep your soap bars dry when not in use by placing them on a sponge.

Advertisements
Advertisements