Washing up sponges

[FangsForTheMemory]

I know someone who puts these in the washing machine if they get old and grubby. Is this a thing? I find it weird.

... if the sponge itself is fine and still does the job then I'll wash my kitchen clothes and sponges in the washing machine with dettol and bleach. Only if it's falling apart will I throw it away.

I use the dishwasher for washing up as with 3 school children I feel like I want everything as sterile as possible, they keep bringing in so many germs. I only use scourers for the cooker or particularly tough scrubbing jobs and I toss them out after one use. The idea of washing up multiple people's cups with the same pad fills me with horror, and don't get me started on the infamous office kitchen 25 year old grey mangled pad that can walk and talk and nobody seems to mind sharing. Just WHY???

I have the silcon ones and clean them in the dishwasher

I have a silicon thing that does the same job for most things, that goes in the dishwasher and comes out good as new. I save the washing up sponge for thighs that need the scouring side, so don'tgo throughthat many.

Once the get a bit manky they are relegated to either under the sink for spot cleaning the floor, the shed to clean patio furniture or the bathroom until they get fully worn out.

Of course you can wash them. But they are vile anyway - a hotbed of bacteria that many people keep using until they're falling apart. And if you replace often it's just contributing to plastic waste.
I've weaned myself onto dishclothes. Seemed odd at first but now I wouldn't go back. Clean one each day, chucked into washing machine after last wash-up of the day.

Tried the silicon ones and they were rubbish - no 'grip'!

I wash them quite regularly until they disintegrate and then Chuck them
I don't like using plastic if I can help it but I haven't found a natural alternative I get on with as well so I try and reduce the single use aspect
They last quite a long time and aren't all festering and germy

I either put them in the dishwasher or soak them in Milton every couple of days, until they disintegrate.

Intriguing that such a boring thread should have so many deletions...!

I want to post my reusable ones but I can't recall the name "eco" something and they ate dark green from john Lewis and Amazon. 6 years ago I bought 4. Every other day or so I put one in the wash get the next out. They are still going strong. They'll last years more yet. It's always fresh and clean.

E-Cloth Kitchen Whizz, £3 from Amazon.

@mrsmangal

Intriguing that such a boring thread should have so many deletions...!

Yes, I'm intrigued too .

And ffs use a dish brush so much better and goes in the dishwasher.

DH buys compostable ones off t'internet. He puts them through the dishwasher sometimes and we feel virtuous for not using plastic ones and washing microplastics into the water system

Yes mine goes in washing machine or dishwasher

Say I've cleaned the bath with it, I'll wash it in washing machine, dry it, and then use it again before it's binned