Did you plan to spend time with family or loved ones this weekend? But your plans fall through due to unexpected events, and you end up spending most of your time cleaning. To avoid this situation and finally dedicate time to what you really want to do, you should be aware of the latest household tips circulating online that make life much easier. One of them concerns the dish sponge.

If you thought that a dish sponge could only be used one way, think again, because we’ve got you covered with a trick that very few people know.

Why do you have to make a hole in the sponge of the dish?

There are several   ways to use a dish sponge  . Initially, most of us just use kitchen sponges to wash dishes and throw them away when they’re worn out. Now you can use them differently. But how?

• Avoid wasting dishwashing liquid

This trick involves   making a hole in the center of the sponge  . Some of you are probably already wondering: What’s the point? While washing dishes, you’ve undoubtedly been annoyed at some point by the mess and traces of dish soap left in or on your sink. Well, to   avoid this and save money,   simply pour the dish soap into the hole you’ve made in the center of your sponge. This will allow you to use a very small amount of dish soap and keep your sink clean.

• Limit the proliferation of bacteria.

Did you know that even when you clean it,   your dish sponge can harbor billions of bacteria   ? Besides the food scraps trapped in its pores, a dish sponge remains constantly damp, making it a   veritable breeding ground for bacteria  .

After punching a hole in the center of the sponge, you can place it under the tap after washing the dishes. This trick will allow it to dry properly and keep it clean, limiting the risk of bacterial growth.

Other practical uses for the dishwashing sponge that will make your life easier

Besides cleaning cutlery, the dish sponge can be used for other purposes. You’ll be amazed by its effectiveness and usefulness.

• Extend the life of your fruits and vegetables

Place some dry sponges in the fruit or vegetable drawer of your refrigerator, then put your food there.  This will help absorb moisture  , which will prolong the shelf life of your fruits and vegetables.

• It absorbs bad odors from the refrigerator.

Does your refrigerator smell unpleasant? The solution is simple. Just take a damp dish sponge, sprinkle it with baking soda, and   place it in your refrigerator  .  However, avoid placing it near food  . This trick will freshen your fridge and eliminate bad odors at the same time!

With these tricks, you’ll never use your dish sponge the same way again. Don’t hesitate to adopt these techniques; they’ll definitely make your daily life easier.