With the encouragement of my son, I finally did something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time: I gave up my kitchen sponge. That may seem like no big deal, but breaking lifetime habits is hard. I’ve been listening to all the talk about just how scungy sponges are and how they harbor germs, but instead of giving up my favored method of dish washing, I just replaced my sponges regularly.
Yeah. Not exactly environmentally friendly.
Not only do kitchen sponges come wrapped in plastic, but the process of making a synthetic sponge requires the use of chemical softeners and bleaching agents. I suppose I could have switched over to a natural sponge, but those seemed clunky to me.
We’re now using dishcloths. It’s taken some getting used to, but I like that I can wash the dishcloths regularly without wearing them out. Plus, dishcloths generally come with less packaging than sponges and there are even organic cotton options available. And someday, I may even take up crocheting again so I can make my own.
What long-time habit are you having trouble breaking? Does it impact your ability to live a more sustainable life?
Photo: Flickr user stevendepolo under Creative Commons.
It’s fun to make your own washcloths too – great gifts to get people to switch over.
Good post. This is an area I struggle with, as I do love my kitchen sponge. So difficult to break old habits, but you’ve given me good food for thought. Thanks!
I’ve been using dishcloths since I haven’t had a dishwasher machine (11 years on the 23rd of this month)- before that date, I used a sponge but passed it always through the machine cycle at the same time as I did a full load in the dishwasher. Since dishes had to be washed in very hot water and also used a sanitizer in the wash cycle (we were an Inn and had to follow the Health Dept rules) the sponge got sanitized as well as cleaned.
My mom was always so freaked out about germy sponges that I grew up using paper towels to wash dishes, counters, everything. It was really hard for me to give up paper towels. I still use them for wiping up oil in my cast iron skillet and griddle, but now I bet I don’t even use a roll a month. I use dishcloths now. I do run them through the sanitize cycle on my washer though.
I’m slowly working towards this change. At first using napkins instead of paper towels has been a challenge, but we stuck to it (although it’s been tough finding cheap cloth napkins in stores). I think your idea just might be the next one on my list.
My friend who taught me to knit made me a great cotton dishrag that I love to use, but I need more. I guess I need to find the pattern and knit more myself. There are times, though, where a girl really needs a good scrubby thing (sponge or not).
I must say I admire you. I think that, did I not run a B&B by myself, I would have switched long ago, but we still use the bad kind, although I think about all the reasons I should switch every time I take a new one from my ten-pack from Costco.
I feel your pain. I’ve been trying to break the papertowel habit for awhile now. Not only are they horrible environmentally, but they’re expensive!
I’m trying to reduce my reliance on paper towels by keeping them in a less accessible spot. That way I’ll only pull them out when I really need. Otherwise, I try to use a rag into.
You have reminded me that I have to wash my sponge more often! I try to put it in the dishwasher each night but don’t always remember. But even though I do that, the idea of a sponge kind of grosses me out.
I never knew this about kitchen sponges….which we do use though we eschew other things, like paper towels. I’ll give it a try – we have so many dishcloths. Do you keep one reserved specially for washing dishes? How is it when you have things burned onto pots and pans?
I found dishcloths that have a mesh scrubby side at Target – they’re looking a little worse for the wear after four years of hard use, but still scrubbing away.
I use a scrub brush instead of a sponge. I’m not sure if that’s much better but I wash it instead of needing to replace it. My mom introduced me to microfiber cloths for cleaning. They do a fabulous job. Again, not sure how environmentally friendly they are but I do use less paper towels…
I too am wondering about how to clean the muck off the pans? I want to give up sponges too! Awesome that it was your son’s idea.
for me a big change was bringing my own containers to buy in bulk. My husband still often forgets. But once it becomes a habit (a good habit) it gets easier and easier.
My son and I were just talking about this (again!) and discussing how to scrub the really stuck stuff. I told him that there are scrubbers that are JUST the green scrubby material that is common on the back of a sponge. He poo-poohed the idea and suggested we just use sand.
You’re inspiring me. The sponge issue is a biggie here. How many dishcloths/washcloths do you have on hand for the kitchen? I guess a brush of some sort could tackle the pans etc, too,
I’m a dish-cloth gal, so for once, I’ve got this one right! And you know from my comments on your stainless steel mugs piece that that’s one of my tough ones. I’m still working on that, but did take a mug to town with me yesterday. Filled with ice water. found my ice trays and filled them up and put them in the freezer. Baby steps!
Whether it’s sponges or straws (let alone sweet treats or cigarettes) change is hard, especially if something is a habit. I commend you for writing about that very fact, which is a big part, I’m sure of switching to a more sustainable way of living.
I’m loving my new cut up towel paper towels. I need a place to put them that is accessible like a roll of paper towels is, but not on my counter. I hate having a bunch of stuff on the counter. I tried to buy an under shelf wire basket at walmart when I was there yesterday (I try never to go to walmart bc I hate them, but there I was), and they had exactly what I wanted, but as part of a combo pack. I didn’t want the other 5 racks. There was even a pack that had been taken apart and was missing pieces, and they were damaging it out and refused to sell me the one piece at a discounted price. I want it, you have it, I will give you my American dollars right now, but you won’t sell it to me. Absurd. Walmart is absurd, and that’s why I don’t shop there. There is my rant on an entirely new subject.
Great idea, I’ve been trying to think of ways to reduce our reliance on plastic, and this is exactly the kind to thing I was looking for.
I thought of another one I haven’t eliminated, but I’ve cut WAY DOWN on. Ziploc bags. Instead of throwing that half apple or onion in a ziploc, I put it in one of my small pyrex storage containers (awesome investment for us). We used to stash lots of leftovers in ziplocs, but now I grab our pyrex. We bought a variety of the 2, 4 and I think 6 cup ones, plus some larger rectangle ones that double as baking dishes. I even put leftover pancakes in the big one.
We also make snack bags whenever we leave the house with the kids (so we don’t have to hit the drive through). With 5 kids four and under, that was a lot of ziploc bags. So for Christmas I got them reusable snack bags made by Snack Happened and stainless steel water bottles from flylady.net (these are the best bottles). We use them several times a week. The kids love them. I chose that brand of bag because they use zippers instead of velcro. I don’t love velcro.
The one thing I haven’t been able to let go of is using them for freezer meals and freezing produce from my garden. Nothing else is as space efficient or economical or would keep the food as fresh. But since I’m saving on packaging from store bought, plus the fuel and energy spent to get that produce here from Equador in the winter, and me to and from the store, I think it’s more than a good trade.