And the answer is YES! Well… to one of those things pictured, at least. This has been an internal battle with myself for a while: what can I do with old kitchen sponges? I recycle and compost most everything else in my kitchen, but what can I do with these bad boys once they have run their course?
Well, after searching the web, countless blogs and other resources, I’ve basically come to this conclusion:
No, one cannot recycle old kitchen sponges, in the sense that we think of placing it with our other recyclables at the end of the street. We already know about all the germs these things harbor, so we’re likely to dispose of them every couple weeks. That’s a lot of sponges throughout the year! So, what can we do with them?
Well, here are some resources I did find:
1. Switch to a more sustainable sponge – like one that can be composted when finished, or one that is biodegradable in landfills at least. You can find different options here.
2. Hints from Heloise suggests downgrading your kitchen sponge to use in the bathroom, or to clean up little floor spills in the kitchen. Be sure can you identify your floor/bathroom sponge from your kitchen sponge though!
3. Some sponges (NOT the ones pictured) are made of cellulose. These can actually be used in your pots, underneath your soil, to help absorb moisture and keep your plants happy. Of course, be sure you clean them of all germs beforehand (microwave them, boil them or run through the dishwasher!).
As for those silly egg shells, haven’t you wondered why those can’t be composted? Well, actually, they can! It just requires a bit more prep work than other compostables in your household. If you want to know what all you CAN compost, check out this really helpful site.
1. First, place them on a sheet in the oven and heat at around 350F to kill all bacteria.
2. Remove and crush into the smallest pieces you can.
3. Mix in with your compost, or place directly into your flower beds to keep away snails.
And just for fun: here are some cool uses for other recycled items:
Do you have any tips about other household items to recycle? Let me know! I’d love to learn your hints and tips too! For more info on the random things you can recycle around the house, check out Real Simple’s guide here.
Until tomorrow,
I had no clue that you could recycle them. I will go for sure for the number 3. My new plants will need some love as I will not be home for some days.
Also, I couldn't resist, but give you a little liebster award. You can check it here (http://inwhirlofinspiration.blogspot.gr/2012/09/your-not-so-ordinary-liebster-award.html), if you want to participate in this chain award thing. Probably you will have many things to do, so I thought that assigning you with one more would be a great idea :)
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I have been washing my sponges in the dishwasher… I feel like it keeps them pretty clean. I haven't bought a new one in months, I use to dispose of them every couple of weeks. PS… can you follow your blog with google + I haven't been able to figure out if I can.
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Haha thanks I will check out the award and let you know! I might not be able to get to it until this weekend though, we'll see!
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Yes I've heard that that kills most germs – I also used to boil mine. However, I did read on another blog that dishwashing them just doesn't get them hot enough to kill all the bacteria. So I'm undecided.
Anddd as far as following using Google, I think you can actually just go to the Blogger interface where you see your “List of Blogs” that you follow and then manually add this blog. I don't have the follower button installed for this blog because I chose to go with BlogLovin. I hope you can figure it out! Maybe my directions might help a bit haha.
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I don't use sponges! I bought a plastic scrub brush with a nice long handle and I've had it about a year. My hands never get wet and I use it on pots and pans, delicate bowls, etc. When it gets dirty, I stick it in bleach water for a bit. The bristles always seem to bounce back. I mostly hate that sponges are used for dishes/counters and absorb a lot of germs before they get washed, and I hate having to stick my hand into the icky water or get sponge water all over my hands. My mom is a sponge user and I am trying to get her to break the addiction haha.
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That's great! I had a roommate once you used a washable sponge – it actually did a great job cleaning the pots and pans. Then she would wash it with her kitchen towels and it was ready to go again!
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