WFMW: Sterilize That Sponge & Clean Your Microwave

It's been a while since I had a Works-For-Me-Wednesday tip for you!  Guess I haven't been very helpful...

When I was attempting to keep up with the 31 Days to Clean challenge (Um, I left off at Day 6 and have yet to complete that and move on, but I WILL, yes.I.WILL.), I did remember a few cleaning tips.

Did you know that according to MythBusters (so it must be true - 'cause I saw them test it), your** kitchen sponge has not only more bacteria than your toilet seat, but more of the harmful kinds of bacteria than your toilet seat.  I know, you just stopped by a pretty little chocolatey-looking blog and I made you gag.  Er...sorry.  Think happy thoughts like sugar cookies and Nutella bites.  La, la, la...bad thoughts gone.  And now we can move on.  :)

The answer to the problem is to regularly sterilize that kitchen sponge!  You can run it through the dishwasher with each load of dishes.  You can boil it on the stove for a couple minutes.  But my favorite way is to put that microwave to use!  Put your damp sponge in the microwave on high for 1 minute!  Some people say 2 minutes, but I think 1 does the trick.  But wait...there's more!

You can accomplish a kitchen chore at the same time - cleaning your microwave!  After your damp sponge has been in the microwave on high for 1 minute, you will discover that your microwave is steamed up.  That's fabulous because all you have to do is use that very sponge to wipe out your microwave as you're removing the sponge!  I must warn you - please wait about a minute before trying to grab that sponge because it.is.HOT.  When everything is damp and steamy, the grime and splatters just wipe right out!!  If you do this each time you wash dishes, your microwave will stay sparkly clean with almost no effort!!!  Woot!!!  Now if your microwave is really, really, really dirty to begin with, then you might want to start by giving it a cleaning with this other easy method.  Then you'll be able to maintain it.

Quick swipe of the sponge and it's sparkly!

 Isn't that cool?  My microwave almost always looks purty on the inside and I put forth next to no effort.

** When I say "your" kitchen sponge, I don't necessarily mean "your" kitchen sponge, but SOMEbody's kitchen sponge.  Somebody like you.  Or not.  But maybe.   :)

Get more Works-For-Me-Wednesday (also known as WFMW or WMFW as I have occasionally accidentally posted) tips over at We Are THAT Family!!  And please say a prayer for Kristen and her family (THAT Family) as she just got out of the hospital from having kidney failure and their Africa trip has been postponed.

Have a sparkly sterilized day friends!  LOL!