# Sponge?



## kenny1999

I've been using sponge with detergent to clean dishes for many years but
I never understand why they usually come with two sides, one side is green and the softer side is yellow. I almost always don't use the yellow side, and use only the green side because it feels better when cleaning up things

What are the uses of the yellow side??


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## Andy M.

The yellow side is sponge. It's for general cleaning. The green side is a scouring pad attached to the sponge for scrubbing difficult dirt/food on pots and pans. It should NOT be used on non-stick (Teflon) surfaces as it will rub it off. Think of it as a sponge and SOS pad combo.

There is also a blue version with a light blue sponge and a dark blue scouring pad surface. The blue scouring surface is Teflon safe.

I don't think the kitchen police are concerned with which side you use as long as you are aware of the product's limitations.


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## kenny1999

Andy M. said:


> The yellow side is sponge. It's for general cleaning. The green side is a scouring pad attached to the sponge for scrubbing difficult dirt/food on pots and pans. It should NOT be used on non-stick (Teflon) surfaces as it will rub it off. Think of it as a sponge and SOS pad combo.
> 
> There is also a blue version with a light blue sponge and a dark blue scouring pad surface. The blue scouring surface is Teflon safe.
> 
> I don't think the kitchen police are concerned with which side you use as long as you are aware of the product's limitations.



Could the green side also make scratches to other cookware in addition to non-stick pan? I don't use non-stick pans

I have some plastics (maybe PP) dishes that are badly scratched (if you look closely) was it due to cleaning with the green side


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## pepperhead212

That green side - Scotch Brite - will definitely scratch up plastics, as it will also scratch up metals.  Maybe fine scratches, but scratched, nonetheless.  If you don't use the yellow part of the sponge, you might rather buy the Scotch Brite by itself - kitchen sponges are notorious areas for breeding bacteria, even when it seems they are well cleaned out.


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## Andy M.

pepperhead212 said:


> That green side - Scotch Brite - will definitely scratch up plastics, as it will also scratch up metals.  Maybe fine scratches, but scratched, nonetheless.  If you don't use the yellow part of the sponge, you might rather buy the Scotch Brite by itself - kitchen sponges are notorious areas for breeding bacteria, even when it seems they are well cleaned out.



+1..


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## kenny1999

pepperhead212 said:


> That green side - Scotch Brite - will definitely scratch up plastics, as it will also scratch up metals.  Maybe fine scratches, but scratched, nonetheless.  If you don't use the yellow part of the sponge, you might rather buy the Scotch Brite by itself - kitchen sponges are notorious areas for breeding bacteria, even when it seems they are well cleaned out.



so what is the correct / appropriate tool to clean common dishes?
I did not know that I had been wrong for so many years using the green side

In addition, could a (fine) scratched plastic kitchenware be still used? Could it leach any plastic or other chemical into food??


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## Andy M.

Either a plain sponge or a blue scrub sponge as I described earlier. It’s a good all-purpose tool.


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## taxlady

I use some cloths that I buy at the dollar store. One side is a mesh fabric, for gentle scrubbing and the other side is a terry fabric and it gets grease off better than the scrubbier side. These cloths go in the washing machine.


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## msmofet

I've been using these lately.


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## pepperhead212

Dobie pads are what I've been using, probably since they started making them!  A sponge inside an abrasive plastic, but not so abrasive that it scratches things, like Scotch Brite does (which actually has silicon carbide imbeded in it!).  The sponge holds the soap liquid long enough that I can wash  a number of items, but when I squeeze it dry, and set it vertically in a sponge holder (something that sticks to the inside of the sink with suction cups), it dries quickly, so it doesn't breed bacteria, like those that stay wet a long time.

The easiest way to clean any of these things, is to just stick it in the DW, if you have one.  Even if it doesn't seem to be dirty, I put it in, when there's a space.


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## caseydog

Scotch Brite comes in two versions, one that is safe for non-stick, and the original, which is not. I have some for really tough scrubs. 

I generally use a brush and soap for sink washing. I can toss it in the dishwasher when I do a load of dishes, and it gets sanitized with the very hot water. 

CD


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## pepperhead212

Actually, there are a lot of grits of Scotch Brite out there, which I have seen in woodworking catalogs, but even more than what they had.  I use it for "scratching up" the surfaces of dried finishes, before applying the next layer, and it has pretty much replaced steel wool in many of ita applications, due to all of those water based fishes.  The coarsest variety I have is maroon - around 360 grit, the green around 600, light gray around 1500, and a white one with no grit - probably like the blue, on the kitchen items.  I use some of that marroon  SB, for things I'm not worried about scratching, and needs some major burned on food removed.  But fortunately, that's rare.


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## msmofet

caseydog said:


> Scotch Brite comes in two versions, one that is safe for non-stick, and the original, which is not. I have some for really tough scrubs.
> 
> I generally use a brush and soap for sink washing. I can toss it in the dishwasher when I do a load of dishes, and it gets sanitized with the very hot water.
> 
> CD


 
I have some of each.

There are 2 versions of the Green and Blue color- 

Heavy Duty Green





Non Scratch Blue 





Delicate Pink


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## kenny1999

pepperhead212 said:


> That green side - Scotch Brite - will definitely scratch up plastics, as it will also scratch up metals.  Maybe fine scratches, but scratched, nonetheless.  If you don't use the yellow part of the sponge, you might rather buy the Scotch Brite by itself - kitchen sponges are notorious areas for breeding bacteria, even when it seems they are well cleaned out.



Hi. What is "Scotch Brite" ? Is it another name for the brand 3M ?

What did you mean by "you might rather buy the Scotch Brite by itself"? 

Does Scotch Brite make the best sponge of any kinds??


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## Andy M.

https://www.scotch-brite.com/3M/en_...ite-Products/?N=4337+5931169+3294857497&rt=c3


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## kenny1999

Andy M. said:


> https://www.scotch-brite.com/3M/en_...ite-Products/?N=4337+5931169+3294857497&rt=c3



Today I cleaned my newly bought PP container with a new microfiber cloth taken from bag. But it also scratches the plastic after a few quick wipe. 
The scratches is not so obvious, but still readily visible under light. I know scratch is not good for food or long-term usage

what actually should be used to clean plastic container?? 
(Only Dedicate cleaning type of scrub spong by 3M??) Thanks


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## msmofet

kenny1999 said:


> Today I cleaned my newly bought PP container with a new microfiber cloth taken from bag. But it also scratches the plastic after a few quick wipe.
> The scratches is not so obvious, but still readily visible under light. I know scratch is not good for food or long-term usage
> 
> what actually should be used to clean plastic container??
> (Only Dedicate cleaning type of scrub spong by 3M??) Thanks



Look at my post above. I posted pictures of the different types of Scotch Brite. Try the “Dots” non scratch sponge.


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## kenny1999

msmofet said:


> Look at my post above. I posted pictures of the different types of Scotch Brite. Try the “Dots” non scratch sponge.



I read, but could it also make fine scratch to plastic?? It's said microfiber cloth does not scratch, but it also scratched in my experience


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