Why You Should Take Scissors To Your Kitchen Sponge Immediately

You've probably heard all kinds of kitchen hacks, and you might be a little suspicious. We get it. There are a lot of tips that are just too good to be true that are floating out in the Wild West of the internet and the darkest corners of social media, but the great thing here? Sometimes, you'll come across a hack that's genius in its simplicity, and not only does exactly what it says it's going to, but more.

We love kitchen hacks that will save you time and money, and this one will do both. Simply put, it's cutting your kitchen sponge in half, and there's actually a few reasons you should do this. Not only is it easier to get a smaller sponge into all those little nooks and crannies — not to mention around the bottom of glassware and water bottles — but you'll save money by extending the life of your sponge.

And it makes sense! Give it a try, and you'll be surprised to find that you don't actually need a whole sponge for most kitchen applications. Half a sponge will get even your biggest pots and pans just as clean, and every little bit counts when you're trying to save some money and be a little more environmentally friendly at the same time. Not sure if you're sold on the idea? Old habits are hard to break, true, but we have another brilliant follow-up to this.

One oft-repeated kitchen hack that will do more harm than good is microwaving your sponge. It'll still be one of the dirtiest things in your kitchen, so keep that in mind when you're wondering if it's time to get a new one. But here's where cutting it in half comes in.

Take that new sponge, cut it in half, and use one side for dishes and the other for more utilitarian tasks that involve some serious deep-cleaning. You'll want a clean sponge for cleaning (for example) those hard-to-reach areas in your fridge, and inner workings of your coffee maker: A smaller one will make those jobs much easier. Want a dedicated sponge for pet dishes? Half a sponge works really well. If you do decide to use separate halves of the same sponge for dishes and utilitarian cleaning, you might not want to cross the streams. Cut the corner off one, so you can tell them apart. Easy, right?

If you're set on using a whole sponge for daily dishes, don't throw it away when it gets a little funky. Cut it in half, and use both sides as utility sponges. Smaller, half-size sponges are particularly useful for things like cleaning out the inside of flower vases, getting around knobs, and into crevices. It's handy in the bathroom, too: Scrub out toothbrush holders, soap dishes, and the inevitable funk that shows up in places like shower door handles.