The Tipnut mailbag pulls in an idea for avoiding a problem that drives some people (including a certain wife of mine) insane: Keeping the sponges and clothes used for really dirty work separate from those you run over your eating implements—especially if you buy same-colour sponges in bulk. To do so, use a knife or scissors to nick a corner off the grimy ones (presumably when they’re dry). This could also prevent getting counter/surface-cleaning chemicals and grime into the same sink as your dishes, though perhaps disinfecting your sponges in the microwave could prevent that as well. Photo by Conor Lawless.