How To Use Sponges for Smart Household Hacks
Turns out, sponges are way more useful than we thought
You don’t need fancy tools or expensive gadgets to solve everyday problems around the house. Sometimes, a simple sponge can do the trick!
Those little scrubby rectangles are kind of brilliant for all kinds of random jobs around the house.
I pulled together a few of my favorite sponge hacks—they're quick, useful, and honestly kind of fun to try.
This post was transcribed by a member of the Hometalk editorial team from the original HometalkTV episode.
Tools and Materials:
- Pack of double-sided sponges
- Bowl of water
- Ziploc bag
- Rubber bands
- Small kitchen utensil or spoon
- Broomstick
- Scissors
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1. Make a Reusable Ice Pack
Soak a sponge in a bowl of water until it’s fully saturated. Then place it inside a Ziploc bag and freeze. Once frozen, it works just like an ice pack—perfect for lunchboxes or mini coolers. As it melts, the sponge absorbs the water, so there’s no mess.
2. Turn a Hammer Into a Mallet
Need a softer tap? Wet a sponge and wring out the excess water. Wrap it around the face of a hammer and secure it with a strong rubber band. You now have a cushioned mallet that won’t dent wood or scratch surfaces.
3. Clean High or Awkward Spots
Cut a slit in the end of a sponge and slide it onto the end of a broomstick. Use it to wipe dust off hard-to-reach places—high shelves, windowsills, even the tops of cabinets.
4. Make a Bottle Cleaner
Cut four slits into the soft side of the sponge (almost to the center). Wrap the sponge around a wooden spoon or small-handled utensil and secure it with a rubber band. It’s now the perfect shape to clean inside bottles and jars.
5. Remove Lint and Hair from Clothes
Grab a dry sponge and use the rough side to swipe pet hair and lint from clothes or upholstery. It works like a lint roller, but you don’t have to keep buying refills.
Sponge Cleaning Tips You Might Not Know
How To Use Sponges for Smart Household Hacks
Once I started using these clever sponge hacks, I started seeing sponges in a whole new way. They're cheap, easy to find, and weirdly good at solving problems you didn’t even realize were annoying.
Try one, try them all, and if you’ve got a weird-but-useful sponge trick of your own, I want to hear it in the comments!
Comments
Join the conversation
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What good ideas! Not so sure about using the rough side as a lint roller, though.
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It really works! I'd do a patch test in an inconspicuous spot before using all over, just to play it safe!
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I am going to try the 'lint roller' tip today! I also will use the bottle cleaner tip, thanks for sharing your creative ideas and tips.
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My pleasure! So glad you liked them! :)
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
I’m wondering if the sponge on a broom handle would work to clean between my stove and kitchen cabinet as it’s such a narrow space.