Worried About Sponges

On a recent visit to my daughter, Eliza,I wanted to wash the dishes, but all I saw was this one sponge.

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“Lize,” I called. She was in the other room punching buttons on her phone. “What should I use to wash the dishes?”

When she came into the kitchen, I told her, “Ever since I saw that commercial where they wipe the counter with a raw chicken to show how germy sponges are, I’m terrified of washing dishes with a sponge that may have been used on the counter.”

“Mom! That’s exactly why I’m terrified of sponges!” she cried.

It must be nature rather than nurture, because when my middle daughter, Sabrina, who is from a different gene pool, is home, she washes the dishes with abandon, using a soapy sponge or a scrubber with a handle, which also scares me because I don’t know what the scrubber was last scrubbing. Tuna salad, perhaps?

I’m always asking her, “Why don’t you just rinse the plates and put them in the dishwasher?”

She’s always telling me washing by hand is quicker and easier and more gentle on the environment. The last time she was home, she was annoyed that I put her favorite coffee cup in the dishwasher, to which I explained I put all cups and glasses in the dishwasher; otherwise I’m afraid all the soap won’t wash off.

Sabrina replied, “The dishwasher leaves a residue of soap powder.”

Oh no! Well, at least my pots are generally safe from all these threats, because after steaming vegetables or boiling pasta, I don’t use any soap at all. I just swish hot water around . . . with my hands.

But now, residue from the dishwasher? I put all my sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher each time I run it!

Not a day goes by without something new to worry about.

 Any brilliant solutions out there for fear of sponges and soap residue?
PS News you can use: I was just looking for that tv commercial with the raw chicken posing as sponge, and I came across a post that says the best way to clean sponges is to wet them and put in the microwave for 1 minute. But take care: Don’t stand too close to the microwave while it’s on.

LOTS ABOUT MARRIAGE, RELATIONSHIPS AND MORE IN MY NEW MEMOIR . . .

Confessions of a Worrywart: Husbands, Lovers, Mothers, and Others                                                  Check it out on Amazon.com, Kindle, and Smashwords

Readers of all ages will relate to this deeply personal story, told with comical sensibility by a quirky, startlingly honest mother, daughter, ex-wife, and dog lover, who—à la Nora Ephron—will feel like a dear friend. Confessions of a Worrywart: Husbands, Lovers, Mothers, and Others will stay with you long after you finish reading it. (adapted from Amazon description and culled from Amazon reviews)

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