I Finally Found a Sponge That Doesn’t Totally Gross Me Out

I’ve long struggled with dishwashing tools. Dishwashing brushes never last long before their bristles become matted. I can never find just the right tool for long-stemmed vessels, like vases. And forget figuring out how to store any of these items.

So I’ve resigned myself to the humble sponge. It’s malleable and stays so nice and sudsy. The abrasive side allows for switching to something scrubbier when needed. The one lingering problem: I can’t get past the fact that they’re basically small rectangular germ incubators. And with all the new-ish info that microwaving or boiling them could, rather than disinfecting them, just kill off the weaker pathogens so the stronger ones multiply even more? No, thank you.

These silicone dish sponges seem like the perfect solution. They’re small enough to get a good grip and flexible enough to push into the corners and rounded sides of frying pans. But what I love most is that they’re completely non-porous.

Because silicone dish sponges aren’t porous, they dry as quickly as any hard surface does. Since bacteria thrives in moist environments, having a dish-washing tool that dries as quickly as possible means it’s a less ideal breeding ground for germs than a sponge or rag, which take longer to dry.

In addition to drying quickly, silicone sponges allow you to see with a quick glance whether there’s food stuck on them. Nothing sticks inside of—or even on—a silicone sponge, since the surface is nonstick. And if anything does get lodged between the bristles, they can be “tapped” or rinsed off in seconds.

When it’s time for a deeper cleaning, the silicone sponge can be tossed in the dishwasher or soaked in a bleach solution, again with no nooks and crannies where scary stuff can hide.

Best of all? These silicone sponges don’t gross me out at all, which makes daily dishwashing sessions feel a little more manageable.