The Cheap and Easy Way to Keep Your Makeup Sponges Clean

Remember when I got one of those little mats to help clean makeup brushes faster and easier? Still use it, it’s fantastic. But I started using sponges to apply my base makeup and if you try to clean a makeup sponge on a cleaning mat? It’ll rip your sponge to shreds. But just washing them with soap (I use Dr Bronner’s) wasn’t getting them clean enough. So I found a new method.

I love cleansing oils and balms to get all the makeup and sunscreen off my face at the end of the day. It made sense to try it out on my sponges, which were just NOT getting clean enough from Dr Bronner’s alone. When I started using this method, I was using Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, which I think even more highly of now that I know it’s multi-use.

Fun cameo from the thumb that I slammed in a car door.

You don’t need a lot, just a little bit, and then work it into the wet sponge. Then rinse it and repeat until the water runs clean. I also like to really get the water out of the sponges by pressing them against the heels of my palms. But I live in a humid climate. I washed sponges in California over Christmas and was shocked that they completely dried overnight.

When you’re done, your sponges will be clean and ready to use again. I used Clinique Balm because that’s what I had, but now that this system works I’m thinking of buying a cheaper cleanser for sponges. Here are a few I’ve found that are much more affordable.