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{{short description|Cleaning tool made up of porous material}}{{About|the porous cleaning tool|the phylum of aquatic animal|Sponge|other uses|Sponge (disambiguation)}}[[File:Éponge type 3 (1).jpg|thumb|Vegetable fiber sponge: [[Wood fibre|wood fiber]] sponge combined with scouring pad.]]
[[File:Schwamm1.jpg|thumb|Animal fiber sponge: A Greek natural sponge.]]

A '''sponge''' ({{IPAc-en|'|s|p|ʌ|n|dʒ}} {{Respell|SPUNJ}}) is a cleaning aid made of soft, porous material. Typically used for cleaning impervious surfaces, sponges are especially good at [[Capillary action|absorbing]] water and water-based solutions.

Originally made from natural [[Sponge|sea sponges]], they are most commonly made from synthetic materials today.

== Etymology ==
The word comes from the [[Ancient Greek]] term {{wikt-lang|grc|σπόγγος}} ({{grc-transl|σπόγγος}}),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aalphabetic+letter%3D*s111%3Aentry+group%3D61%3Aentry%3Dspo%2Fggos|title=Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon }}</ref> which in turn is probably derived from a Mediterranean [[Pre-Indo-European languages|Pre-Indo European substrate]].

== History ==
The first reference of sponges used for hygiene dates from [[Ancient Greece]]. Competitors of the [[Ancient Olympic Games|Olympic Games]] bathed themselves with [[sea sponges]] soaked in olive oil or perfume before competing. In the book ''[[Odyssey]]'' by the Greek poet [[Homer]], the god [[Hephaestus]] cleans his hands, face, and chest with a sea sponge, and the servants in the [[Odysseus]] palace used sea sponges to clean the tables after the meals the [[suitors of Penelope]] had there. The Greek philosophers [[Aristotle]] and [[Plato]] mentioned sea sponges in both scientific and historic contexts in their works.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.seaspongecompany.com/pages/sea-sponge-history|title=The History of the Sea Sponge|last=Inc.|first=The Sea Sponge Company|website=The Sea Sponge Company Inc.|access-date=2018-04-14|archive-date=2013-07-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722050007/https://www.seaspongecompany.com/pages/sea-sponge-history|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.kalymnos-shop.gr/en/blog/natural-sponges/natural-sea-sponges-and-sponge-diving-history|title=Natural Sea Sponges and sponge diving history|website=www.kalymnos-shop.gr|language=en|access-date=2018-04-14|archive-date=2016-12-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228032034/http://www.kalymnos-shop.gr/en/blog/natural-sponges/natural-sea-sponges-and-sponge-diving-history|url-status=dead}}</ref> Ancient Greeks and Romans also used sea sponges tied to sticks for [[anal hygiene]], a tool known as the [[xylospongium]], and washed them with sea water.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mundoestranho.abril.com.br/historia/como-era-feita-a-higiene-bucal-antes-da-pasta-de-dente/|title=Como era feita a higiene bucal antes da pasta de dente?|work=Mundo Estranho|access-date=2018-04-14|language=pt-BR}}</ref>

[[Ancient Rome|Ancient Romans]] used sea sponges extensively for hygiene, as well as other uses. The belief that sponges had therapeutic properties led to their usage in medicine for cleaning wounds and treating disease.<ref name=":0" />

In the [[New Testament]], a Roman soldier offers [[Jesus Christ]] the [[Holy Sponge]] soaked in vinegar on the tip of his spear (some versions say staff) for Jesus to drink during his [[Crucifixion of Jesus|crucifixion]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Bibleverse|Matthew|27:48|NIV}}</ref>

Synthetic sponges were made possible to be manufactured only after the invention of [[polyester]] in the 1920s and the commercial production of [[polyurethane foam]] in 1952.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vortex-power.com/eng/home2.html|title=Polyurethane Foam Kitchen Sponge. History of Origin — Vortex Power|website=www.vortex-power.com|access-date=2018-04-14|archive-date=2014-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009215248/http://www.vortex-power.com/eng/home2.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.whatispolyester.com/history.html|title=History of Polyester {{!}} What is Polyester|website=www.whatispolyester.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-14}}</ref>

==Material==
Synthetic sponges can be made of polyester, polyurethane, or vegetable cellulose. Polyurethane is used in polyester sponges for their [[Scouring pad|abrasive side]]. Polyester sponges are more common for dish washing and are usually soft and yellow.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.corazzi.com/pulizia-domestic/dom-converters/sponge-scourers/polyester-sponge-and-cellulose-sponge/|title=Polyester sponge and Cellulose sponge|last=S.r.l.|first=Corazzi Fibre|website=www.corazzi.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.par-group.co.uk/rubber-and-polyurethane/polyurethane-engineering/polyurethane-sponge-dynathane/|title=Polyurethane Sponge - Dynathane {{!}} PAR Group|website=www.par-group.co.uk|access-date=2018-04-14}}</ref> [[Microplastics]] and [[nanoplastics]] can be released from kitchen sponges during use.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Luo |first1=Yunlong |last2=Qi |first2=Fangjie |last3=Gibson |first3=Christopher T. |last4=Lei |first4=Yongjia |last5=Fang |first5=Cheng |title=Investigating kitchen sponge-derived microplastics and nanoplastics with Raman imaging and multivariate analysis |journal=[[Science of the Total Environment]] |date=June 2022 |volume=824 |pages=153963 |doi=10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153963|pmid=35183629 |bibcode=2022ScTEn.824o3963L |s2cid=246994693 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Vegetable cellulose sponges made of [[wood fiber]] are used more for bathing and skin cleaning, and are usually tougher and more expensive than polyester sponges.{{Citation needed|date=September 2020}} They are considered more eco-friendly than polyester sponges as they are [[biodegradable]] and made of natural materials.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/questions/whats-the-difference-between-cellulose-sponges-and-those-other-kitchen-s|title=What's the difference between cellulose sponges and those other kitchen sponges?|last=Hickman|first=Matt|date=2017-08-21|website=Mother Nature Network|access-date=2018-04-14}}</ref>

==Harboring bacteria==
[[image:20100404_205709_BacteriaFromKitchenSponge.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Bacteria]] from a kitchen sponge]]
A sponge can be a medium for the growth of harmful [[bacteria]] or [[fungus|fungi]], especially when it is allowed to remain wet between uses.<ref>{{cite journal | url = https://www.proquest.com/openview/8508f6cdd54d5692d03ff82c87ed844f/1?pq-origsite=gscholar | volume=62 | title=Reducing bacteria in household sponges | journal=Journal of Environmental Health | pages=18–22}}</ref> Studies have found some sponges can harbor  ''Salmonella'' bacteria for more than seven days.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Møretrø |first=Trond |last2=Moen |first2=Birgitte |last3=Almli |first3=Valérie L. |last4=Teixeira |first4=Paula |last5=Ferreira |first5=Vânia B. |last6=Åsli |first6=Anette Wold |last7=Nilsen |first7=Charlotte |last8=Langsrud |first8=Solveig |date=2021-01-16 |title=Dishwashing sponges and brushes: Consumer practices and bacterial growth and survival |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168160520304220 |journal=International Journal of Food Microbiology |volume=337 |pages=108928 |doi=10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108928 |issn=0168-1605|hdl=11250/2688710 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

===Cleaning===
Several methods have been used to clean sponges. A 2009 study showed that the microwave and the [[dishwasher]] were both effective ways to clean domestic sponges.<ref name="sciencedirect.com"/> Leaving sponges soaking in a dilute solution of dish detergent discourages bacterial growth.

Studies have investigated the use of the [[microwave oven|microwave]] to clean non-metallic domestic sponges that have been thoroughly moistened. A 2006 study found that microwaving wet sponges for two minutes (at 1000 watt power) killed 99% of [[coliform]]s, ''[[E. coli]]'', and [[MS2 phage]]s, but ''[[Bacillus cereus]]'' spores required four minutes.<ref name="sciencedirect.com">{{cite journal | doi=10.1016/j.foodcont.2013.07.026 | volume=35 | title=Hygiene in the home kitchen: Changes in behaviour and impact of key microbiological hazard control measures | journal=Food Control | pages=392–400| year=2014 | last1=Taché | first1=J. | last2=Carpentier | first2=B. }}</ref> After some fires were caused by people trying to replicate the results at home, the study's author urged people to make sure their sponges were wet before treatment.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6293735.stm "Microwave 'sterilisers' warning"]. 24 January 2007. BBC News.</ref> 

== Economy ==
Countries around the [[Caribbean]] and the [[Mediterranean Sea]] are the largest sea sponge exporters, whereas the largest importers are developed [[Europe]]an and [[North-America]]n countries. [[Tunisia]] is the world's main sea sponge exporter, exporting 90% of its sponge production.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/20/tunisian-fishermen-driven-to-perilous-depths-by-mystery-sea-sponge-blight | title=Tunisian fishermen driven to perilous depths by mystery sea sponge blight &#124; Environment &#124; the Guardian }}</ref> [[France]] is the main importer, being supplied by Tunisia, but France's sponge demand has fallen in recent years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/AC286E/AC286E04.htm|title=SPONGES: WORLD PRODUCTION AND MARKETS|website=www.fao.org|access-date=2018-04-14}}</ref> 
{| class="wikitable"
|+Main sponge exporters (in metric tons exported)
!Exporters
!1981
!1982
!1983
!1984
!1985
!1986
|-
|{{flag|Tunisia|1959}}
|74
|71
|84
|81
|91
|88
|-
|{{flag|Cuba}}
|36
|33
|38
|33
|41
|41
|-
|{{flag|France}}
|25
|26
|33
|31
|35
|30
|-
|{{flag|Greece}}
|32
|42
|36
|27
|32
|22
|-
|{{flag|Bahamas}}
| -
|8
|21
|8
|3
|14
|-
|{{flag|Turkey}}
|11
|8
|7
|8
|1
|1
|-
|{{flag|Egypt}}
|5
|4
|4
|2
|4
|8
|-
|{{flag|Japan}}
| -
|6
|4
|1
|1
|6
|-
|{{flag|Philippines|1986}}
|9
|4
|5
|6
|6
|4
|-
|{{flag|Libya|1977}}
| -
| -
| -
|6
|3
| -
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''192'''
|'''202'''
|'''232'''
|'''213'''
|'''245'''
|'''225'''
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
Image:Sponge Macro.jpg|Macro photograph of the porosity in a synthetic cleaning sponge
File:Chania - Markthalle - Schwämme.jpg|Natural sponges for sale in [[Crete]]
Image:Luffa sponge.png|Plant fiber sponge: A [[luffa]] sponge whose coarse texture helps with [[skin]] scrubbing and exfoliation 
Image:Spongegourd.jpg|A ''[[Luffa aegyptiaca]]'' sponge section magnified 100 times
Image:Urethane sponge2.jpg|A close-up of one corner of a urethane abrasive sponge with a top layer used for more intense dish scrubbing
Image:Spugna sintetica.jpg|A close-up of a synthetic sponge's openings
Image:Alceesponja.JPG|A souvenir made out of an artificial sponge
</gallery>

==See also==
{{portal|Housing|Technology}}
*[[Dishcloth]]
*[[Ethylene-vinyl acetate]] – material that craft foam is made from ethylene-vinyl and acetate
*[[Holy Sponge]]
*''[[Luffa aegyptiaca]]''
*[[Sponge metal]]
*[[Capillary action]]
*[[Shower puff]]

==References==
{{Commons category|Cleaning sponges}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Cleaning tools}}

[[Category:Cleaning tools]]
[[Category:Cleaning products]]
[[Category:Domestic implements]]