After a regular washing with soap, soak your sponges and dishrags in undiluted vinegar for a few hours. Rinse thoroughly and let dry. This straightforward procedure will help kill germs from spreading in the kitchen and keep diseases at bay from your whole family. If vinegar isn't enough, you can add a bit of lemon to increase its antibacterial properties, and according to the USDA, doing so will clean up to 80% of bacteria.