Meet your new hot and steamy cleaning BFF, the microwaved dish rag

It’s no secret that microwaving your kitchen sponges on the reg can help rid ’em of bacteria. But there’s another reason to include the appliance your your healthy cleaning routine: It also makes removing tough-to-scrub-off stains a zillion times easier to handle.

Apparently, tossing your cleaning rag in the microwave powers it up with superhero-level grit-and-grime-fighting abilities, Apartment Therapy reports. By soaking a rag in water, gently squeezing it so it’s not dripping everywhere, then putting it in the machine for around 30 seconds—or however long it takes to make the towel hot but not burning hot—you’ll end up with a power-cleaning tool.

Tossing your cleaning rag in the microwave will power it up with superhero-level grit-and-grime-fighting abilities.

It might not seem like a hot rag will do anything particularly amazing, but that extra heat and steam is exactly what you need to tackle your especially frustrating kitchen and bathroom woes. Not only does hot steaminess help you get through that built-up grease on your pretty granite countertops, but it’s also great at removing caked-on food and soap scum.

Given that the hack that works equally as well on food residue left on your backsplash as it does on your shower fixtures in the bathroom, heat up your rag, stat. Because who knew something so simple could make such a big (and time-saving!) difference?

This multitasking DIY cleaning ingredient is about to be everywhere. Or find out how cleaning the house is the latest longevity hack.