Clean make-up sponges in the microwave
Bacteria accumulate inside your make-up sponge. You can't get rid of them with soap and water alone. But you can with the help of a microwave.
Make-up sponges are moistened before use. If yours is used every day, it can never dry properly. The result: moisture remains inside your sponge and bacteria multiply. Regular rinsing after use is desirable, but does not catch the hard-to-reach bacteria and germs inside. That's why I use the microwave. According to an American study, the heat kills 99 per cent of all germs and bacteria.
How it works:
Step 1: Grab a microwave-safe container - a drinking glass, bowl or Tupperware - and fill it with water. Add a few drops of washing-up liquid. Mix well. Then press your sponge into the water and washing-up liquid mixture until it is soaked and no longer floats on the surface.
Step 2: Place the whole thing in the microwave for two minutes. Select the highest setting. Important: Your container should be large enough so that the water does not overflow when heated in the microwave. What you see in my pictures is already too small: too much water, too little space in the jar.
According to the study, two minutes are enough to kill the germs. To kill the bacterial spores as well, however, you would have to heat the sponge in the microwave for four minutes. Unfortunately, I haven't managed to do this with any container without the water overflowing. Perhaps you are better equipped for this.
Step 3: Open the microwave. Let the jar cool down before you take it out. The stuff is really hot. Then fish out the sponge and throw it in the sink. Be careful: the water inside the sponge could still be hot, so I advise you not to squeeze the sponge out straight away. Wait a little longer and hold the sponge under cold water first. Then you can squeeze it carefully. Once you have squeezed the sponge out several times, you can add another splash of washing-up liquid and work it in. Hold it under the water one last time and wring it out. That's it.
Your sponge won't look like new. Stains are just part of it. But you can now use it again with a clear conscience, without fear of spots. 🤗
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Natalie Hemengül
Senior Editor
Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.chAs a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.
