Clean freaks convinced kitchen staple could be 'dirtiest thing in your house'
Clean freaks are warning that a kitchen staple may be the 'dirtiest thing in your house', although public opinion appears to be divided.
Clean freaks are debating whether a kitchen staple is necessary as they dub it the "dirtiest thing in your house".
A photo of a used kitchen sponge sparked debate on the r/CasualUK Reddit forum, with people wondering whether dishes are left any cleaner by using it.
"I see lots of people using it, but for me it's a big no-no," wrote the original poster. They shared a picture of a sponge at their place of work and asked "how much trust" people had in it.
There were plenty who agreed with BigBlueMountainStar's assessment of the item, but some have since defended the integral kitchen item and say it has its place in the home.
Hundreds of users took to the comments section to debate the usefulness of kitchen sponges.
One horrified user wrote: "I absolutely trust it to be the dirtiest thing in the kitchen. So many pores. So much damp."
Another added to the outrage, worrying over the abundance of uses for the sponge. "Absolutely none, as I've seen people wash their mug out with them, and I've seen people scrub the floor with it," they wrote.
Others say the sponge can be fine if looked after and replaced frequently, particularly in public spaces like the office.
One user defending the kitchen sponges wrote: "I know Reddit is full of hypochondriacs but that looks well worn. The one in our office is replaced regularly. But still, I wouldn't have much issue rinsing out a lunchbox with it. I'd be more worried about it not being effective at removing stuck on food because it's so worn, the soap you use with it will handle the germs regardless of its scrubbing surface."
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There are ways of cleaning the sponge too, though they are relatively cheap and buying extra packets is a decent option.
Another user added: "Pour scalding hot water over it before using it, add a dab of squeezy and squidge away!
Others suggested they'll use their own sponges at home, but not out in the wild. A final comment read: "At work? Never. At home I use one strictly for washing up only. I have a separate cloth for cleaning and wiping surfaces. Sponges go on the windowsill in the sun to kill all bacteria."
