Tired of throwing away sponges when they sour? Try microwaving them instead. According to a study in the Journal of Environmental Health, zapping sponges and plastic scrubbing pads on high for two minutes in the microwave kills 99% of germs, including nasty ones like E. coli. Be sure they are wet, since dry sponges can catch fire, and don’t include scrubbers that contain metal. For best results repeat every other day, and allow them to cool before handling.