A biocide-free sponge cloth prewetted with a hygroscopically acting inorganic salt is provided. The spone cloth is based on regenerated cellulose which is mechanically reinforced with fibres and/or a web and includes a hygroscopically acting salt. The sponge cloth has an aw value of less than 0.80. On account of the low aw value, the sponge cloth has an antibacterial, bacteriostatic, fungicidal and/or fungistatic effect. The hygroscopically acting salt is preferably magnesium chloride. It can be combined with further inorganic salts, with low molecular weight, mono- or polyhydric alcohols, with sugars, sugar esters, mono- or polybasic carboxylic acids, esters of mono- or polybasic carboxylic acids and/or with hydrophilic polymers. The sponge cloth is preferably produced by the viscose process.