to take a personal washing up sponge to work?

[WindUpPenguin]

Big office. There is usually washing up liquid (provided by Facilities Management) by the sink in the kitchenette, but often no sponge, and if there is it is grim due to volume of people using it/ not rinsing/wringing after use.

I am now in the office two days a week. If I want to wash up my breakfast bowl/mug or lunchbox, I have three options:

1. Bring in a sponge everyday I am in, sacrifice it to office use (it will be chucked or in gross condition by my next office day).
2. Bring in a sponge. Wring it out and keep it in my locker (may not be completely dry, get a bit smelly).
3. Take all my stuff home everyday to wash (not too fussed about lunchboxes, but I would much prefer to leave my mug/bowl/cutlery in my locker).

So AIBU to go for option 2 and be the weirdo with the locker sponge. Will my whole locker smell damp and gross? Is there a special type of sponge or cloth which will be less smelly?

I would buy the cheapest sponges available and just use a new one every week

2

Put your own sponge in a ziploc bag (with washing up liquid on it) and bring it back and forward with you or leave it on your desk if you don't hot desk?

Oh. Leave ziploc with sponge in your locker.

Option 2 is the more reasonable… but I would just put the sponge in a ziplock bag at the end of the day and carry back and forth - dry sponge at home… otherwise you may end up having a smelly locker

That's grim. You can't leave a damp sponge in your locker.
How about option 4. Use the grim spongy that work provide and rinse stuff in very hot water if you're worried about germs.

If its only a mug and a breakfast bowl, I'm presuming that they will not be caked in baked on grease and food. Can you not just use your hands to wash them?

Use fingers and washing up liquid to clean, leave the grim sponge alone

surely the sponge doesnt that that minging?
take a cheap one in
or set up a rota fr staff to provide one?
buy a whole pack of them, they are cheap.

How can you use fingers to wash up? That sounds gross.
OP I would second the ziplock bag option.

i just take my stuff home for a proper wash

Agreed. Pretty sure you can get 10 in a pack from Poundland.

rinse under the tap without touching sponge and take home for a proper wash.
it’s annoying but this is why I take my stuff home every day.

Exactly as a lunchbox can’t be that difficult to clean.

I would not want to be nicknamed sponge lady. Use a piece of kitchen roll

Any time I’ve been bringing lunchboxes in I’ve just rinsed in hot water and washed up properly at home. Can you not do that?

Get some silicone washing up sponges for the office.

I'd take my own sponge, wring it out, and take it home to dry out each night. I would not use a group sponge bleurgh! I have experience of some very grim office kitchens.

Would a washing up brush not be better? It would dry quicker and be less likely to smell.

Why is it gross???

I am in a similar scenario but it's just a mug. I use kitchen roll. When I was in a really scuzzy office I took a travel cup.

I agree communal sponges get very grotty very quickly! I tend to just give me stuff a quick rinse and bring home to wash.

If you don't want to do that then I think maybe some variant on option 2, could a microfibre or silicon cloth be quicker to dry and thus less smelly?

How? Seriously? You just rub the items using your hands and water and washing up liquid. It’s a mug, bowl and lunchbox. How can it be gross? 😂

Competitive hygiene thread, makes a change from how often do you shower or wash sheets I suppose. 😬

I had my own sponge 🤣 not using any sponge that some scruff has left porridge all over which was a regular occurance in my office!

Yep. Got some of these for Christmas. Don't get rancid if not squeezed out. Home Bargains has them - they've got little bristles on them