Rachael Ray Says to Replace This Kitchen Tool Every Week

I was recently washing a muffin pan, and as I scrubbed the stuck-on blueberry juices, I thought, “This kitchen sponge stinks.” That’s not because it was doing a bad job, but because it quite literally reeked. I found the stench strange, since the kitchen sponge still looked almost new, even after a month of use — but that was actually the problem. 

According to Rachael Ray, my sponge should have been tossed in the trash a long time ago. “I use them for like a week, and then bye-bye,” Ray said in a 2018 episode of “The Rachael Ray Show.” If, like me, you’re ready to follow Rachael Ray’s lead and start swapping out your kitchen sponges weekly, this 6-pack of Scotch-Brite Zero Scratch Scrub Sponges is a good place to start. 

Scotch-Brite Zero Scratch Scrub Sponges, 6-Pack

Ray said she gets “so paranoid about sponges.” She has good reason to be. Much like kitchen towels (which Martha Stewart replaces weekly), kitchen sponges are a breeding ground for odors and bacteria. According to a study by the American Society for Microbiology, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli can live on a sponge for up to 16 days. And those funky smells can linger, too: Kitchen sponges absorb odors from oils and bits of food during dish duty and can develop mold and mildew from being stored in a damp environment. 

Though organizing expert Peter Walsh offered Ray tips for disinfecting (and de-stinking) kitchen sponges on “The Rachael Ray Show,” it makes sense that she prefers to change them out every week. “I always have, like, 10 new sponges in the cupboard,” Ray admitted. 

An Amazon customer favorite with over 50,000 five-star ratings, Scotch-Brite’s non-abrasive polyester sponges have a comfortable, S-shaped grip and are the “best sponges money can buy,“ raved a reviewer. Another shopper said, “They work wonderfully on nonstick pans, dishes, and even delicate glassware.” 

Countless shoppers also praised the thick Scotch-Brite sponges’ durability. “They do a great job tackling stuck-on food and grime without wearing out too quickly,” said a third customer. But perhaps the best thing about these grime fighters is that “They never smell bad,” a shopper confirmed.

Now that they’re 40% off, there’s no better time to stock up on Scotch-Brite Zero Scratch Scrub Sponges. Snag a 6-pack for just $6 so you always have a clean replacement at the ready, just like Ray.

More Kitchen Sponges to Shop

O-Cedar Scrunge Non-Scratch Scrub Sponges, 6-Pack

Scrub-It Non-Scratch Microfiber Sponges, 6-Pack

Mr. Siga Non-Scratch Cellulose Scrub Sponges, 12-Pack

Arcliber Cellulose Pop-Up Sponges, 6-Pack

Aidea Non-Scratch Scrub Sponges, 24-Pack

Scrub Daddy Sponge Daddy, 4-Pack

At the time of publishing, the price was $6.