A sponge is such a simple item that most people just use for washing dishes. In as much as they are primarily meant for dish-washing, sponges can be used for so many other purposes. These water-absorbent squares can be re-purposed to do various other activities. Sponge hacks are very interesting and the fact that sponges are relatively affordable means that you should really try these hacks out. The beauty of repurposing an item is that you get to save some coins at the end of the day. Some of these sponge hacks may seem pretty unfamiliar to many people but once you get to know them they will thrill and fascinate you so much. So, what are these sponge hacks? Here are some great and amazing ways a kitchen sponge can be reused.
Cleaning Your Microwave
Who could ever have thought that your dirty microwave can be given a touch of sparkling cleanliness by using a sponge? The food particles that get stuck in your microwave can really make you avoid using it to warm up your food. However, someone came up with a hack to ensure these food particles don’t in any way prevent you from enjoying the services of your electronic device. Dip the sponge in water then place it in the microwave and let it sit there for approximately three minutes. Remember to switch it on. After three minutes, don’t take the sponge out yet. Let it sit there for a few more minutes. The steam in your microwave will help loosen up the food particles that had stuck. From there you can easily remove the food particles thus your microwave becomes spectacularly clean.
Cleaning Glass Blades or Shutter
There are surfaces that are tricky to clean, such surfaces may include shutter, blinds and even fan blades. There are expensive methods of cleaning these surfaces but when you have a kitchen sponge you can clean such surfaces and save yourself a lot of money. All you need is two sponges and a pair of tongs. Right below the scrubber of your sponge, make a deep but slightly narrow cut. The cut shouldn’t be too narrow neither should it be too wide, just the right size to fit the edge of the tong. Make a cut on both the sponge. On the edge of the tongs, place the sponge such that the scrubbing side of the sponge faces outside. Hold the glass surface or the fan blade between the two sponges and move the tong vertically such that it picks any dust present.
Cleaning Oven Racks or Grill Grates
Cleaning grill grates is not a joke especially when you don’t have the right tools thus this process becomes hard and time-consuming. However, someone discovered an easy and fast way of cleaning cooking grills and oven by using a kitchen sponge. Using a paper cut, cut your sponge vertically and horizontally to create several squares. But don’t make deep cuts. You can then use the slit sponge to effectively clean your oily grill grates and even oven racks. This method is very effective as you are able to remove dirt even in corners that seem unreachable.
Use as a Nail Polish Remover
As a lady, if the process of removing nail polish doesn’t intrigue you maybe because you have to buy a nail polish every other time then you should try this hack and just see how efficient it will work for you. Take a sponge that doesn’t have the scrubbing surface and fold it then put it in an airtight glass jar. Pour all the contents of the nail polish bottle into the container with the sponge. Afterward, stick your fingers into the sponge one by one. Remember to swirl your fingers so as to completely remove all the nail polish from your nails. When you are done, tightly close the glass jar and put it safely until the next time you will need to remove nail polish from your nails.
Great as Ice Packs
This sponge hack is very creative and definitely helps you save some money. If you are a gym person or a sportsperson, then you can definitely agree that ice packs are something that you regularly use. Kitchen sponges can be used to make some reliable and efficient ice packs. Dip the sponge in a roughly large bowl that has water. Let the sponge absorb water for some time before taking it out. Squeeze it lightly before putting it in a ziplock bag and putting it in a freezer. After three hours, you will have yourself an ice pack that you can use to relieve painful muscles, aching joints or even swells on your body. What a hack.
Dryer Sheets DIY
Knowing how to turn kitchen sponge into dryer sheets will make you ditch all those dryer sheets sold in the stores which are actually expensive compared to this method. All you need is water, thin sponges and fabric softener, it looks simple already, doesn’t it? Into an airtight container, pour one cup of water and half a cup of fabric softener. Gently stir them together to get a dissolved mixture. Dip the thin kitchen sponge into the container with the solution, then close the container tightly and store it in the laundry room. When doing your laundry, take one sponge and throw it in the dryer together with the wet clothes and run the dryer machine. When you are done with the laundry, put the sponge back into the container and you can use it again.
Kitchen sponges have these and more other functions. Other ways include the curling of hair, seed germination, and others. You can go online and learn the various ways you can turn a simple kitchen sponge into a tool that can be used and re-used. However, always ensure that your kitchen sponge remains in very clean conditions since a dirty sponge can easily be a breeding ground for bacteria. Try these great and fun tips today.
Every home appliance was manufactured to serve a certain distinct purpose. These appliances have really come in handy as they have made work so easier. For instance, a coffee maker has made the process of preparing coffee take less time, washing the dishes has become easier and fun thanks to the dishwasher. These appliances have become a necessity amongst most modern homeowners. Do you know one appliance can perform another task other than the intended one? The essence of these hacks is that you don’t have to buy one too many appliances whereas you can have a reduced number of appliances since one device can perform several functions. Here are some great hacks about home appliances.
Coffee maker.
It goes without saying that a coffee maker is a home appliance with a very distinct function, which is obviously making coffee. An intelligent and creative chef can attest that with access to only a coffee maker, he can prepare some great meals. A coffee maker can be used to boil eggs or even rice thus eliminating the need of having a rice cooker. Other than that, it can also be used to cook complex dishes. Isn’t it fascinating knowing how much a coffee maker can do other than making coffee?
Cleaning of jeans.
Most people don’t often wash their favorite pair of jeans as they tend to fade away with time. Well, freezer, yes freezer, is ultimately your best solution. All you need to do is put your pair of jeans in an impervious bag and store it in this home appliance for some time. Bacteria don’t tend to survive very well in cold surroundings so the cold temperatures in the freezer will kill any bacteria present in your pair of jeans. This method not only eliminates bacteria but also the smell of dirty jeans leaving your jeans smelling new. Nevertheless, if you have a computer hard disk that has crushed you can put it into the freezer and it will get revived, for a short time though, but you should be able to retrieve important files. Also, you can use your freezer to recharge NiMh and NiCd batteries when they are dead.
The dishwasher is your best solution.
A dishwasher is an appliance that was designed to perform a number of duties but most people only relate dishwasher with dishes. This appliance can clean just about anything. It has the capability of killing bacteria while ensuring that original shape of items remains to be so. This appliance is designed to be gentle thus you can clean items that can easily lose their shape when put in the washing machine. Dishwashing machine is your best bet when it comes to cleaning not only dishes but also other items.
Rice cooker.
This is an appliance with the potential of doing a number of activities, but don’t let its name restrict you. Steamed towels are very popular with high-end restaurants or even spa. These towels are used to relax the body prior to a body massage. Also, these towels can be used to wipe hands as they are capable of killing bacteria. However, cabinets used to warm these towels are rather expensive. There won’t be any need to buy a towel-warming cabinet while you have a rice cooker. You can easily warm and steam your towels using a rice cooker. Furthermore, there is a wide range of food that you can prepare using a rice cooker.
Use the oven to dehydrate food.
The expensive cost of commercial dehydrators should not deny you the chance to enjoy the pleasant taste of dried food and fruits. If you have an oven then you can easily enjoy your dried meals round the clock. All you need to do is stack numerous cooling racks above each other. These racks are separated by balls of aluminum foil which are placed on the corners. You will probably need to remove the oven racks so that you can place the racks with the fruits on the bottom. Then remember to set the temperatures to 200 degrees then leave the fruits there for approximately six hours. From there you will be able to enjoy the sweet taste of dried fruits.
Disinfecting your sponges.
Sponges are a very useful tool in the kitchen. Sponges are used to clean dishes and in the process, they can get bacteria if they are not properly maintained. It wouldn’t be such a good idea to clean your dishes with a dirty sponge that is host to numerous bacteria. To ensure your kitchen sponge is clean and bacteria free, dip in water then lightly squeeze it. Put it in the microwave and let it sit there for two minutes. To have clean utensils you will have to use a kill sponge and your microwave will help you sanitize your kitchen sponge.
Dying of fabric.
Turns out that the microwave cannot only be used warm cold food but can also be used to speed up the process of dying fabric. This is a rather interesting hack. A microwave impressively accelerates the dying reaction from hours to just minutes making it so convenient and reliable so much. Interestingly, a microwave is the recommended way of dying fabric.
Washing brushes.
Besides keeping your dishes in a sparkling mode, you can also use your dishwasher to clean your brushes which include paint brushes as well as makeup brushes. A dishwasher can also be used to clean computer keyboard, but you will need to be careful about how you go about it. Place it facing downwards and remember to skip the drying cycle. It should stay there for a few days before you attach it back to your computer.
Without any doubt, these hacks are very interesting and fun to implement. When purchasing a home appliance be sure to opt for an appliance that will serve you in various ways so that the appliance becomes more efficient. The survivability of these appliances entirely depends on how you maintain and use them. Always ensure you give top-notch maintenance.