Ditch Your Traditional Sponge: Martha Stewart Has A Better Way To Get Dishes Clean

Cleaning the dishes is often deemed the most hated household chore. If you're yet to invest in a dishwasher and are still washing your dishes by hand, or you're of the old-school mindset that a dishwasher can't really achieve a sparkling finish, then you should know the method that's sure to yield the best results. We're always looking for ways to make washing the dishes easier, and it's no secret that a traditional dish sponge is the go-to for many households. But is a sponge the best tool to use? According to Martha Stewart, no. She says ditch the sponge and use a terry dishrag instead. 

Can a sponge really be that bad? Well, in the grand scheme of things, it's a perfectly acceptable way to wash dishes. However, they do harbour a lot more bacteria than a regular dishcloth. It's even been claimed that a kitchen sponge can have as much bacteria present as the inside of a toilet — gross!

How to properly hand wash dishes has always been up for debate, but a good way to keep your dishes looking as good as new is by washing them with a terry dishrag. A terry dishrag is made from terrycloth, which can also be referred to as terry towelling. It is typically made from cotton and features small loops of woven yarn, maximizing the cloth's surface area and therefore making it a super absorbent material, ideal for washing dishes.

Not only do traditional sponges hold on to lots of nasty bacteria; They are also guilty of releasing microplastics after frequent use, which is harming the environment. There's no doubt about it that terry dishrags are a more eco-friendly option, due to their more natural composition. When it comes to ensuring the longevity of your rags, we've got a few tips. Make sure to fully wash and dry new terry dishrags before you use them for the first time, as this makes them more absorbent. To keep your cloths looking good as new, soak them in a mixture of cold water, one cup of white vinegar, and half a cup of detergent now and again. Leave them to soak for half an hour and dry them outside on a washing line.