Now I wonder — have you ever used sponges for anything beyond cleaning? 🧽✨ You might be surprised! Whether it’s keeping veggies crisp 🥦, eliminating fridge odors 🌬️, soothing bumps with frozen pads ❄️, or keeping drinks cool 🧊— these little things are magic in disguise. Don’t toss them out just yet! Give them a new purpose, and let grandma’s wisdom surprise you too 💡
Not long ago, while cleaning up at my grandmother’s countryside home, I stumbled upon a whole box of cheap kitchen sponges tucked away in a drawer. I laughed and was just about to toss them out when she stopped me.
“Don’t be so quick,” she said with a mysterious smile. “These little things are my secret helpers!”
I assumed she was talking about cleaning the stove or dishes — but I was wrong. Her “secret weapon” wasn’t for cleaning at all.
She told me she uses these sponges in the refrigerator.
“One in the produce drawer, one on the bottom shelf,” she said, arranging them like a pro.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because the fridge is full of moisture, and moisture spoils fruit. Sponges soak it all up.”
Skeptical but curious, I gave it a try. I bought a pack of the cheapest sponges I could find and placed them in my fridge. Within days, I noticed a real difference — my vegetables stayed crisp, and there was no condensation on the shelves. Just like she said — no magic, just clever science.
But that wasn’t the end of her sponge wisdom.
“If you soak a sponge in a little baking soda solution and place it inside the fridge,” she added, “it absorbs odors better than any fancy deodorizer.”
And it worked. My fridge started smelling fresh and clean, without any weird artificial scents. Cheap, natural, and effective.
She even showed me a trick I’d never heard of:
“Freeze a sponge soaked in water. If you get a bruise or bump, it’s better than frozen peas or meat.”
No mess, no dripping. Just a soft, reusable cold pack that molds perfectly to the skin.
Then came her final tip: frozen sponges in a cooler bag.
“They keep drinks cold for hours, and once they thaw, just refreeze and reuse them.”
I never thought something as simple and inexpensive as a sponge could be so useful beyond washing dishes. But thanks to grandma, I’ll never look at them the same way again.
And now I ask you — have you tried using sponges for more than just cleaning?
