So awhile back, I did a whole post about how I clean my makeup brushes (you can check it out by clicking here) and quite frankly, nothing has changed on that front. But recently a friend said to me “I can’t stand using the sponges, they get dirty and I have to throw them out; I never get them clean!”. When I asked how she was cleaning them, she replied “the same way I do my brushes; soap it up and squeeze it, but it’s still stained and gross!”.
Ahhhh…I see what’s going on here. It’s the staining. Yeah, it does look gross.
So I decided to share with her my little trick to cleaning my sponges, and of course, I want to share it with you all too! Because it’s seriously super easy, and something that you probably already have in your kitchen! So let’s get started!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- dirty makeup sponges / beauty blenders
- olive oil (extra virgin is fine, that’s what I use!)
- Dawn dish soap
- a small dish (I used a clean butter dish)
I always start by dampening my sponges. Run them under the faucet and squeeze a couple times to enlarge them, much like you do before you apply your makeup.
Next, I put a small amount of EVOO (yeah, I’m channeling Rachel Ray here) into a small dish, and some Dawn dish soap on the other side, and press the sponges into the oil first, and then the soap. You’ll probably have to do this more than once, as the sponges will absorb the oil just like they absorb water. Give a couple squeezes to work the oil into the stains. The olive oil helps to loosen the stain, and the Dawn gently deep cleans and breaks down the oil so there’s no residue left behind (so you don’t have to be afraid of this technique, oily folks!).
Finally, squeeze them repeatedly under running water, manipulating the oil and soap through the sponge until the water runs clear.
Depending on how heavily stained your sponges are, you may have to repeat the process twice, even three times. But I can assure you that with a little persistence, they will come clean! The purpose for the olive oil is to help loosen up the stains, much in the way oil based makeup removers help to break down stubborn makeup.
And let’s face it; it sure beats the hell out of replacing your $20 BeautyBlender every month!
What’s your favorite way to clean your makeup sponges? Do you use a DIY, at home method or another cleanser? Leave me a comment and let me know!
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