The best sponges

If you're trying to cut down on the use of chemicals in your kitchen, the Nano Sponge is the way to go.

The Nano Sponge claims to "lift dirt, grease, and grime like a magnet," and most impressive of all, does so without needing a whole lot of help from detergent. It's all thanks to the sponge's proprietary Nanolon fiber, which purports to clean just about any surface using just water.

When I put this claim to the test, I found it to be quite true. The Nano Sponge really did wipe down my kitchen counters and greasy pots without the need for soap, but to be perfectly honest, the thought of putting a dish away without having it touch detergent at all is still a little strange to me.

Regardless, the Nano Sponge lives up to its hype. There are two sides to the sponge: one is meant for scrubbing, while the other performs more of a liquid absorption and wiping function. The best part, however, is that the Nano Sponge does not trap odors like many other sponges do.

Even though the sponge is meant to clean a wide range of surfaces (yes, even beyond your kitchen), I found that even after multiple uses, this handy cleaning helper didn't begin to stink like many others do. In fact, Nano Sponge promises that its product will stay odor-free and fresh for 30 days, or you'll get your money back.

Indeed, customer service seems to be a major selling point for the Nano team. One Amazon buyer found that one of the sponges was not "sewn all the way around," and pointed out this defect to Nano. The company sent two additional sponges at no extra charge, which seems like the exact response you'd want to receive in this situation.

The Nano Sponge is also quite large. Oversized at 6 by 4 inches, they cover quite a large surface area, so you can clean your counters or your large pots or pans with ease.

Nearly 700 Amazon customers have given the Nano Sponge a 4.3 out of 5 stars. One buyer said, "Finally, I've found a well-made, heavy duty sponge that I can use everyday for any type of cleaning needed that does not stink." Another noted, "I am amazed at how they clean with only water, no soap or chemicals. The sponge is great for everything in the kitchen."

Pros: No smell, no chemicals needed, large surface area makes cleaning bigger messes a breeze

Cons: The softer, white side of the sponge begins looking a bit dirty quite quickly

Buy a 2-pack of the Nano Sponge Cleaning Sponges from Amazon for $10.97 (originally $10.99)

The O-Cedar sponge is recommended for Teflon coated cookware from Teflon expert DuPont, so you should have no qualms scrubbing your pots and pans with it.

You've definitely seen a variation of the O-Cedar sponge, what with its double-sided functionality and recognizable ripple design. And there's a reason that this sponge is so ubiquitous — it works. The patented scrubber sponge is actually endorsed by Teflon itself, so you know that it is decidedly safe to use on your non-stick pans.

Moreover, thanks to the rippled surface, you're better equipped to collect grease and grime and rinse it away than your traditional flat sponges. Perhaps more saliently, you won't have to work quite as hard to break up those stuck-on food particles.

While the O-Cedar is certainly tough enough to take on your stove or your oven, it's also gentle enough to take care of your delicate china. The other side of the sponge looks more like your standard cellulose sponge, though because of how thick it is, it'll last quite a bit longer than its competitors.

But perhaps the best thing about the O-Cedar is that after you're done cleaning your dishes and various surfaces, it's really easy to clean the sponge itself. As the folks from Your Best Digs pointed out, "The scrubber part doesn't trap food particles, even pesky egg and cheese residue don't stick to this sponge."

I certainly found this to be the case as well in my own testing of the O-Cedar. While plenty of other sponges manage to grab onto grease, they also tend to hold onto it. This isn't the case with this tool, which also means that it doesn't hang onto odors either.

O-Cedar sponges claim to be up to 20% hardier than their competitors, and as previously mentioned, purport to be odor resistant up to two months. While I haven't had my O-Cedar for quite so long, thus far, I'm not wrinkling my nose every time I do my dishes.

The O-Cedar is a perennial best seller on Amazon, where it boasts 4.6 out of 5 stars from nearly 1,300 customers. As one reviewer noted, "I've tried a lot of sponges over the years, with mixed results. But I find myself coming back to this one over and over." The reason? Durability.

Another buyer noted, "These are alarmingly good sponges," applauding O-Cedar's ability to last through several uses.

Pros: Teflon-endorsed no-scratch capability, supreme durability, great price point

Cons: Some customers have noted that the scrubbing side of the sponge is tough on hands

Buy a 6-pack of O-Cedar sponges from Amazon for $9.99 (originally $8.99)

If you're looking to cut man-made materials out of your life where possible, the Natural Sea Sponge is a great place to start.

If you're looking to do right by the planet, you'll want to take a close look at the Natural Sea Sponge. As its name suggests, this sponge is, in fact, a real sea sponge harvested from the bottom of the ocean. Yes, it was an animal at one point. No, it's no longer alive. But because it is 100% natural and organic, it's very eco-friendly and completely biodegradable.

The Natural Sea Sponge is probably best suited for jobs that involve mopping up a lot of water or any other liquid. If you've spilled your bottle of wine or need to soak up all the leftover juice in a pot, this is the way to go. Because sponges themselves are adapted to encourage the maximal efficiency of water flow while they're alive, it comes as little surprise that when they die, they are just as absorbent.

While you may think that these sea sponges are best suited for your shower or washing your car or your windows, I've found that they certainly have their place in the kitchen, too. Sure, they're probably not going to be your go-to sponges for scrubbing away stubborn remnants of your dinner, but because they're so absorbent, they're excellent for working up a full lather to get your dishes to really sparkle.

Seeing as people have been using sea sponges for more than 2,000 years for a wide range of purposes, I'm sure that you'll be able to find a place in your home for the Natural Sea Sponge, too.

This particular brand collects is sponges from the Floridian coast, and don't worry — sea sponges are not endangered animals. When you buy a Natural Sea Sponge, you may be a bit intimidated by its large size. But fret not! You can simply turn that one large sponge into several smaller ones by taking a pair of scissors to it. Really, it's just more bang for your buck.

Happy buyers have pointed out that the Natural Sea Sponge will last you for years, and further noted that they don't retain odor like many other sponges might.

Pros: 100% eco-friendly and biodegradable, can be cut into multiple pieces for greater value, incredible absorbency

Cons: Because these guys are totally natural, they're not necessarily harsh enough to do serious cleaning on stuck-on food for your dishes

Buy a Natural Sea Sponge from Amazon for $17.99 (originally $12.99)

Made out of silicone, Kuhn Rikon's silicone sponges are non-porous, which means they don't stink, dry quickly, and are a whole lot less gross than traditional options.

Even if you constantly nuke your sponges in the microwave or throw them in the dishwasher for a quick spin, there's still something a little ... gross about them. And if you're a germaphobe, rather than using cellulose sponges, you'll probably want to take a look at the non-porous Kuhn Rikon silicone sponges instead.

They don't feel anything like the sponges that you're accustomed to, nor do they hold onto and disseminate germs like traditional options do. Rather, these silicone sponges are designed to be used for a long time. Silicone, after all, is much hardier than cellulose, and because it's not being constantly inundated with germs, you don't have to worry about the health risks associated with keeping them in your kitchen for several months on end.

If ever a sponge can make cleaning fun, the Kuhn Rikon can do it. The sponge takes some getting used to because it has supremely soft bristles, and is extremely flexible. Honestly, it may feel like you're holding a bowl of jelly. As Apartment Therapy puts it, "the sponge itself is wiggly like a sturdier-than-usual Jell-O mold." The reviewer actually ended up preferring it for cleaning countertops and other surfaces versus dishes.

And because of this wiggliness, you'll want to be careful when soaping the sponge up for its cleaning purposes. If you use too much soap, it'll be hard to hang onto the Kuhn Rikon. That said, I didn't have a ton of trouble getting a decent clean with this silicone sponge.

If you're accustomed to a traditional sponge (which I assume you are), this will take some getting used to, but once you've familiarized yourself enough with the feel and the abilities of the Kuhn Rikon, it's a much less smelly and germy way to take care of your dirty dishes.

These sponges are also great for a number of other purposes around the house, like scrubbing potatoes, picking up lint, or even cleaning your makeup brushes. And because you can just throw this sponge in the dishwasher to get it clean, you can technically use the same sponge for all these purposes (though you might as well just buy a few).

A "serial sponge hater" on Amazon has been converted by the Kuhn Rikon, while another happy customer noted that this silicone version "lasts much longer than a traditional sponge."

Pros: Super sanitary, silicone has a strange but oddly comfortable texture, practically odorless, long lasting

Cons: Some customers have noted issues with using the Kuhn Rikon in a traditional dishwashing setting, but have found other effective applications of the sponge

Buy the Kuhn Rikon Silicone Sponge from Amazon for $5.99 (originally $7.99)

The best bathroom cleaning products you can buy

Your bathroom always needs a good cleaning, and having the right tools on hand is essential if you want it to be squeaky clean. We've tested tons of cleaners to find the best bathroom cleaning products you can buy.

Whether you need disinfecting wipes, a new scrub brush for the tub, an excellent shower cleaning spray, or an effective mop, we've got you covered.

Here are the best bathroom cleaning products to buy:

• Best wipes: Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
• Best toilet cleaner: Clorox ToiletWand Disposable Toilet Cleaning System
• Best tub cleaner: The Bucko Soap Scum & Grime Cleaner
• Best scrub brush: OXO Good Grips All-Purpose Scrub Brush
• Best mold remover: Mold Armor Instant Mold & Mildew Stain Remover
• Best shower cleaner: Method Daily Shower Spray
• Best squeegee: OXO Good Grips All-Purpose Squeegee
• Best all-purpose cleaner: Puracy Natural Multi-Surface Cleaner
• Best cleaning cloths: Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
• Best mops: Swiffer SteamBoost Steam Mop and Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop

The best dish soap you can buy

A top-quality dish soap has a pleasant scent if it has a scent at all, cleans the most stubborn pots and pans, and is eco- and hand-friendly. Puracy Natural Liquid Dish Soap is our top pick because it's effective on grease, safe for the environment, and gentle on your hands.

Here are the best dish soaps to buy in 2019:

• Best dish soap overall: Puracy Natural Liquid Dish Soap
• Best dish soap for baked-on foods: Dawn Dish Soap Platinum Power Clean Dishwashing Liquid
• Best dish soap on a budget: Seventh Generation Dish Liquid
• Best multi-purpose dish soap: Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner
• Best dish soap for your hands: J.R. Watkins Liquid Dish Soap

The best dish racks you can buy

A top-quality dish drying rack has a large capacity without taking up too much space, is designed for easy water run-off and efficient drying, and is easy to clean. The Premium Racks Professional Dish Rack is our top pick because it is customizable and can hold all of your odds and ends.

Here are the best dish racks to buy in 2019:

• The best dish rack overall: Premium Racks Professional Dish Rack
• The best roll-up dish drying rack: Surpahs Over the Sink Roll-Up Dish Rack
• The best foldable dish drying rack: OXO Good Grips Convertible Foldaway Dish Rack
• The best dish drying rack for small households: Chef'n CleanGenuity Garden Dish Rack
• The best dish rack for large households: Simplehuman Kitchen Steel Frame Dish Rack

The best kitchen towels you can buy

Top-quality kitchen towels are durable, absorb the biggest spills, and handle easily. The Aunt Martha's Flour Sack Dish Towels are our top pick because they can get into hard-to-reach spots, dry quickly, and they won't leave any lint behind.

Here are the best kitchen towels to buy in 2019:

• Best kitchen towels overall: Aunt Martha's Flour Sack Dish Towels
• Best kitchen towels for absorbency: Fecido Classic Kitchen Dish Towels
• Best budget kitchen towels: Cotton Craft EuroCafe Waffle Weave Terry Kitchen Towels
• Best kitchen towels for glassware: Williams Sonoma All Purpose Pantry Towels
• Best microfiber kitchen towels: Gryeer Bamboo and Microfiber Kitchen Towels