We all have pet peeves. One of mine is stinky sponges, but I'm not the only one. You ask just about anyone about that smell, and they wrinkle up their nose and say 'ugh.' I even have a friend who buys huge packages of sponges so that the minute her sponge gets "that smell" she tosses it and starts over with a fresh one. (I guess that's one way to handle it.)
I have been looking here, there and everywhere for a way to take that icky smell away. The solution most people suggest is putting their sponge in the microwave or dishwasher, but nope, those things just don't work. Then I thought I had stumbled on the answer when a friend said that she sprayed her sponges with Windex. I faithfully Windexed my sponges for weeks, but the icky smell just wouldn't stay away.
I finally hit upon the answer! I was in my favorite spot, Peet's Coffee, and talking to my Peet's buddy, John, about this very subject. (Just your typical coffee house discussion:) He said that his sponges never smelled cause he just washed them with soap when he was done using them. I tried it and Good Ol' John was right. The answer to the icky was right there staring me in the face. Now after I use a sponge I just add a pump or two of hand soap and rinse it out. Alakazam! No more stinky sponge smell ever. HOORAY!