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?

if you must, then take a brush or a sponge home every day.

I would buy a big stack of the cheap as chips ones you get in hardware stores (my local one does about 40 for £2) and work through those.

I did the second option, however my colleague and I had a shared office in an annexe with our own kitchenette.
Wild horses couldn't have dragged me into the main staff kitchen especially after witnessing one disgusting git clean dog crap off his shoe over the sink using that weeks sponge 🤢🤢🤮

Kitchen roll then wash more thoroughly at home

They may be cheap, but that is going to create a lot of unnecessary plastic waste.

Option 2.

I also cringe at the state of the sponges that's in our kitchenette as well.
If I ever bring food in to work, I use kitchen roll.

I'd take the lunch box home to wash. For the bowl and mug I used to just use a few paper towels. If I was washing them up soon after use then paper towels with washing up liquid is fine. Use more towels to dry.
Or for the mug, just give it a quick hot swill around before using for the next cuppa.

True. I honestly can't see the problem with using your hands to wash this but a lot of people seem to be having the vapours about this.

Urgh i daren't use the kitchen tea towels 🤮

I shake off the water and leave them to air dry for the afternoon.

You have a sink??
Two days a week?
Just take stuff in and take it home to wash. There can’t be too much surely? Do you have the time to serve yourself 8-course banquets?😳
I take a travel mug of coffee in. That does me for the day ie remake in there if I need one. Even have Pepsi max in it sometimes. It tastes like Tia Maria and coke!!
I have a small stash of spoons and forks at work. Plastic beakers I can do a cup-a-soup in. If taking in porridge or a salad that goes in in morning and gets washed at home at night.
Manky sink and sponge sound too much to bear!

I used to bring 1 square of kitchen roll each day, use that firstly as a napkin then as the "cloth" to wash my tubs instead of a manky sponge.

I wouldn't recommend bringing the whole kitchen roll in or the usual CF's will be off with it.

Agree with the comments about plastic waste. Don't take more sponges in (especially not a new one everyday).

Just wash your bowl/mug with washing up liquid and your (clean) fingers as suggested above. I'm baffled by posters who think that's gross! Why? Your fingers are likely to be much cleaner thana manky shared office sponge, and if you're grossed out you can wash your hands again afterwards.

I certainly wouldn't use the office sponge.

I also wouldn't put my sponge in a ziplock bag in my locker because that will harbour bacteria too.

I'd rinse it off under the tap and take it home to wash properly 🤷🏻‍♀️

I have a colleague with a drying mat in his locker. He washes all his cutlery etc and leaves it on there with his locker door slightly open. We do all think he's a bit odd though. Nice, but odd.

@WindUpPenguin I just use a piece of paper kitchen roll and throw it away afterwards. Much easier.

In what world is washing off some cereal etc off crockery with your fingers gross??
Seriously!

OMFG that really is disgusting and invalidates my post about sponges not leading to permanent contamination. I’d be demanding that the filthy bastard be banned from using the kitchen after that, tbh. That’s the most revolting thing I’ve ever heard.

I'd probably go option 1 and buy the cheapest sponges.

But option 5 is to wet the grim office sponge and zap it in the microwave for 30s before using it if you are worried about germs

Get reusable silicon brushes or sponges. Stick them in a ziplock bag, take home each week and run through dishwasher or washing machine with milton.

Or leave soaking in Milton over weekend at end of each week.

Or just realise that something looking used/grubby doesn't mean its full of bacteria. It can be stained yet hygienic. If people are washing with hot water and decent washing up liquid, that sponge is unlikely to be spreading any meaningful amount of germs.

You can buy ten sponges for a quid in the pound shop. Do that, have a new one each day if there is no sponge (or the one you left last week is grim).

You sound a bit precious OP, although I do agree that office kitchens can get a bit grim. Why don't you ask whoever provides and washes the tea towels to also provide and wash reusable dishcloths? That way you can grab a clean one if you need to when washing your stuff. Please don't buy huge quantities of plastic disposable sponges and chuck them after a day – awful idea.

Option 4, surely - talk to facilities and request more sponges.

I have my own scourer/sponge in work. It stays on my shelf in a tub.

Started using my own after spotting someone using the kitchen sponge to wipe their shoes and put it back on the drainer🤢

All sponges are gross. Take in a washing up cloth and leave it in the office. Put it through the dishwasher daily.
Most people prefer a sponge so will avoid your cloth, and a cloth doesn't get as grim as fast as a sponge so you can probably keep it nice.

Silicone sponges are brilliant and last ages. You could always use a bit of bleach to keep it sanitised, or a minute in the microwave.
I wouldn't use disposable personally such a waste.