Hubby and I went out for a date night last night and my MIL came to watch the kids for a little bit. Now i am very appreciative that she washed dishes while i was gone, it was very nice to come home to a clean sink, but she used a sponge that i use to scrub down my kitchen sink and drains. It's somewhat of an old sponge that sits by my sink just for that purpose only.
I did have a clean sponge that i use for washing dishes by hand on the side of the sink on the counter but MIL chose the old one for some reason. She dried and put all the dishes away too. I have a dishwasher but she's old-fashioned and washes them by hand.
So the question is would you try to take out all those dishes and rewash them or just mentally block it from your head? I'm just grossed out by the fact that kitchen sinks and sponges harbor bacteria but she used my anti-bacterial dish soap if that makes a difference? It seems like such a hassle to try and pick out the dishes that were washed and i don't know for sure which ones. Again I'm very greatful that she did that, and i would never say anything, but i just wish she used the dish sponge!
Thanks to most of you for putting it into perspective, I just wanted to hear what other people would do. But some of you saying i should just be grateful didn't quite get that. Did you not read that I said that i AM grateful TWICE?? As usual though that's not enough for the holier than thou ones on here.
Molly who are you to say i'm rich?? What does that even have to do with my question??? I swear some answers make me wonder..
8kidsdad I do not prepare food in my kitchen sink, I still don't get why people assume stuff when they answer questions, it's really irritating.
Good idea to put the sponge away next time, very simple solution. And yes i do know my dish sponge is cleaner than the sink sponge because i replace it every week and let it completely dry out with each use. I don't even use it every day anyway.
Would not lose an ounce of sleep over that. She washed n rinsed. Done.
Remember a few germs are good for the immune system.
Yeah, I agree to block it out. And honestly, the "clean" sponge really isn't all that clean either. I do agree with you that I have different things I use to clean the sink vs dishes, but trust me, they are all harboring bacteria! Just a quick tip if you need it, I microwave mine every day or two for like 30-45 seconds and it kills all the bacteria in them and then I feel better!
Block it babe...move forward...if the sponge was used to clean, it's probably pretty clean.
Now if the sponge was used to clean up dog poo and had not been rinse out...I'd say start over.
Hmmm.
She watched your kids and kept them safe.
She cleaned your kitchen so you wouldn't come home to a mess.
But, you are focusing on which sponge she used.
If she'd used the toilet brush on your dishes, it might be a different story.
However, she was good naturedly trying to save you work. Why not just let it go and appreciate her efforts?
I have a friend who washes her dishes by hand, runs them through her dishwasher twice before putting them away, and then washes them again, by hand, before actually using them. If that's her thing, fine. I personally don't see the need for all that work.
Next time your mother-in-law comes, just in case she might get a hankering for doing the dishes, leave a fresh sponge out and put the others away in the garage or somewhere.
No need to stress over a sponge.
Just my opinion.
This is much to do over nothing.
She used an old sponge with anti-bacterial soap. If you are really concerned about bacteria, why did you use an old one to wash out your sink where you prepare food. And if she did dishes by hand, she probably used the sink you used the old sponge on. What's the big deal?
Use your dishes and be grateful to your MIL. Throw your old sponges away at least once a month or simply don't worry about it. You would be amazed by the number of bacteria that normally inhabit your body.
Good luck to you and yours.
Your dishes sponge probably has as many germs as your sink sponge. Let it go.
A wonderful chance to practice something we all need to do more of... letting it go!
Would not faze me at all. BTW - you can run all your sponges through the dishwasher periodically. Then you can stop worrying about them.
Not going to answer the sponge question as you have 37 opinions already. Just have to say I get your SWH. People just don't read sometimes!! Or they say completely inane things like you're rich bc your MIL washed your dishes. Unbelievable.
Your "clean" sponge probably has as much bacteria or germs on it as the "dirty" one. So no, I would not re-wash them.
Wow, I wouldn't have even thought of rewashing!
No. I would not rewash the dishes. They are fine.
bitchSlap her! ewwwwwww
J. teasing I agree with 8kidsdad. you put the dishes in that sink you clean with the old rag, whats the diference=) i'd call and thank her. she's awesome
and then start the fun hunt for dishes that mom;s like to send you on...hmmm why is the spoon with the tupperwear?
Did you ever hear the expression that you have to eat a little dirt before you die? This falls into that category. Consider your kids at the local playground. They get WAY more bacteria playing in the sand, holding on to the monkey bars or teeter-totter handle. And don't even get me started on school bathroom doorknobs, money, etc. They say your cell phone has tons of bacteria on it and every young mother I know lets her little ones play with her cell phone.
In the future put the sponge away when MIL comes over.
She used soap and water, right?
It's soap and water that washes germs away. As long as the sponge didn't touch the dishes once they were rinsed, I think they're fine.
Wouldn't bother me at all - germs make us TOUGH!
If she washed them with soap and hot water, they're fine.
Block it out! Too much effort to think about it!
If I were going to obsess over it, I would take them out and wash them again. But know that you can eat off of the dishes and you will be fine.
Your choice.
I would probably not redo them.
If you're going to lose sleep--run a load!
I WOULD hide the crummy sponge next time. :)
I think it's fine. Just hide the dirty one next time.
I once cleaned my SIL dished on purpose with her yucky sponge cause she pissed me off. Felt good. :) Oh, and she lived!!
ok this one would gross me out. My husband loaded the dishwasher like he was asked I guess i forgot to ask him to run it as well. He uses a gross brush to clean them before he loads them into the dishwasher so they all looked clean. I unloaded the dishwasher and used several of the items before i noticed they were still dirty! gross. Good thing we didnt have raw meat on anything that day. I tried to remember what was dirty and re-ran the dishes but there were a few that were left behind and not to forget the ones we used. No one got sick but I was grossed out for like a month until I knew all dishes were cycled through..... UGH!
Was hot soapy water used? Do you rinse out your sponges after using them? Then where is the issue, I mean I could see if she used a sponge that you use in the toilet, but a sponge that is used to wash out your sink? You do realize that the residual on your sink is from the other sponge that is just for dishes..? It's the very stuff that is rinsed off of your plate/utensils/cutting boards to begin with.
So no, I would use the dishes knowing that they are clean.
How would she know your sponge categories for cleanliness? Be glad she washed the dishes and as long as she used dishwashing liquid, the dishes should be fine. Our homes are not nearly as clean as we think they are, neither is the inside of your dishwasher or that sink you scrub. If it makes you feel better to rewash the dishes, go ahead...but it's such a waste of time.
Rewash all of them and STOP USING A SPONGE to do it!!
Seriously....google how much bacteria is in a sponge, even one you designate "just for dishes". And no, it doesn't matter what soap she used.
@ Molly - why is she rich bc her MIL washed her dishes?! You crack me up girl.
Ugg, I would have to re-wash. My MIL is the same way... wont use my dishwasher. I love so much that she is so willing to jump in and help but my sink is gross. I told her that her son likes to use the sink as the mop bucket so I really dont use the sink to wash dishes unless I am holding them under running water (I dont fill it up with water and wash a whole bunch of dishes or anything like that). I read somewhere that a persons kitchen sink often has more germs than a toilet....
No need to search out the dishes. If there are any germs left after having dried the dishes your immune system will take care of them. Most germs require moisture to be viable. Germs die without it after a short period of time. It's possible to be too clean and when we are our bodies don't build up immunity.
You know what I did with my kitchen sponges once?
With a Laundry Sharpie, the kind to use for clothing, I WROTE on my kitchen sponges and labeled it, per its use.
I mean, besides me in the house, there is my Hubby and my 2 kids.
So, to avoid sponge misuse, I simply labeled the sponges with the laundry Sharpie pen.
That solved the problem.
I would probably throw them in the dishwasher and be done with it. I am old fashion also because I do not have a dishwasher. I wash everything by hand. It was so nice of your MIL to help. I wish someone helped me sometimes...lol
I would probably not have a clue that someone used the wrong sponge. But if for some reason I DID know, then I would rewash the dishes.
In all fairness to your MIL, next time she or anyone else comes over, put the icky sponge in a baggy and put it under the sink. Then you don't have to worry!
Dawn
And my husband thought I was a nutty with my lysol..........I would not worry about it. Just do not leave the sponge in the sink you clean the sink with. I just have a couple of sponges and run them threw the dish washer every couple day so they constantly get changed out.
I have a hard time when my FIL cooks in the kitchen because he does not wash his hands :/ but I am greatful that he cooks. He is very careful about cooking things to the correct temp. Luckily my MIL and I do the clean up after dinner so we can Lysol and clean up the kitchen.
Ugh...I, personally, would have to rewash them. That grosses me out!!
For future reference...I'd stick the sink sponge under the sink or somewhere out of sight. I keep mine in a bucket under the sink, so that no one sees it to use to wash any dishes.
:)
Truly soap works. That is it's nature. But like you I would have an issue with this so I know that I would not be able to eat on the dishes again until they had been put through the dishwasher all the way through.
I do believe that millions of people lived through times before soap even existed and know that you would be fine but you are not going to be able to let this go.
Please get rid of the sponges totally. A dishrag is a cloth that is used to wash the dishes, wipe down the cabinets, etc....then it's put in the laundry to be washed in the load of towels. A new is put out every day. They are not gross or left at the sink long enough to turn gross. It's way more expensive to buy a new sponge every day so get rid of the sponges.
Your dishes should be fine. You only use a sponge to scrub off all the food. The water is what rinses away all of the bacteria.
If it really bothers you, then rewash all of the dishes in the dishwasher. But I wouldn't waste my time doing that.
Gross. I'd rewash all of it.
If it was my MIL? I'd be sooooo glad she'd sobered up so I could trust her with her grandchildren.
I get why you are grossed out but you'll live if you leave it alone. My husband is a stay-at-home Dad...and I recently realized he washes poopy undies with the dish cloths. He figues he's washing and bleaching them both so it's all good, but ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, you know? And yet, he's been doing it for 3+ years, and we've lived.
I'd be grossed out by it but not enough to re-wash the dishes. It's going to be fine. :)
It would bother me, too, but I would be overwhelmed by the thought of rewashing everything. I'd have to put it out of my mind, but not put anything back into the cabinets until all "dirty" dishes had been captured. What I mean is that as we accumulate dirty dishes, I would not wash them (or wash and keep separate) until I felt that we had gotten them all. Then, I could start afresh with a whole new batch.
