If you thought sponge colors were just for aesthetic appeal, you'd only be partly correct. The bright pink, yellow, blue and green hues they come in signal how and when to use them.
Use the wrong sponge on the wrong surface, and you could end up with some hopelessly scratched appliances or damaged cookware. It took me 40 years to stumble upon this information, and it explains the unsightly scratches dotting my stovetop and fridge.
This guide is to help you avoid a similar fate.
Sponges are color-coded for reason. Robin Mosley/CNET
Learning to decode these colors can also help prevent cross-contamination. Designating certain sponges for cleaning up bacterial messes, such as poultry spills, will keep that dangerous stuff from seeping into something untoward.
Here's how to pick a sponge based on color and protect your fragile home appliances and kitchen surfaces.
Green
Intended use: An all-purpose workhorse
Green sponges are tough and versatile -- too tough for stainless-steel appliances. Scotch-Brite
These scouring pads are the workhorse of the home cleaning world: multipurpose, dependable and ready to tackle just about anything.
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