The Correct Way to Buy Sponges Is in Bulk

While I love the extremely calming and satisfying ritual of washing dishes (yes, really), I’ve struggled with how much I deeply loathe sponges. Let me start by stating the obvious: Sponges are gross. Their absorbent and porous bodies trap smelly food particles which then decompose inside of a festering, moist, smelly, bacteria-rife habitat. That’s not exactly the kind of mental picture you want to have while running a soapy sponge over the dishes that you want to hypothetically clean, is it?

By now, most of us sponge users know we’re supposed to switch them out regularly, which means that I’m constantly buying sponges. (Of course, a less wasteful option would be to use a brush; I actually use both, switching based on the job.) Then, the other day, while ordering apartment supplies on Boxed, I had $15 left to hit the order threshold. And I had a realization: I should be buying my sponges in bulk. Before you tell me that it is extremely silly to spend $17 on a 21-pack of sponges that will take me months to go through, let me ask you this: Have you ever gone to swap out your sponge, only to realize you don’t have any left? I thought so.

Related: How Long Do Kitchen Sponges Last?

What started as a random attempt to fill my cart has led to a healthy new habit: I now swap out my old sponge for a squeaky clean scrubber every two weeks or so. Having a stash under the sink means that I won’t have to make any emergency sponge runs in the near future. I highly recommend gifting yourself the same peace of mind in the form of a bulk shipment of sponges.

How often do you swap out your kitchen sponge?