We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A powerful dish-washing spray that, honestly, if you buy anything from this list, this should be it. I always keep one at my sink because I can spray down pots, pans, and plates cakes in sauce and stuck-on food, let them sit, then wipe, and rinse off the mess. I should honestly buy stock in it.
I live in an apartment without a dishwasher, and I honestly use that as an excuse to order takeout food instead of cooking. But, as soon as I got my hands on a bottle of this stuff (regular Dawn is my go-to dish soap, BTW), I put it to use on both a saucepan I used to make homemade enchilada sauce *and* the casserole dish I baked those enchiladas, which had a ton of caked-on food. It really does work like I say it does! Like, scary well.
Get one spray and three refills from Amazon for $9.02.
2. A long-handled beechwood dish brush with two replacement heads that'll keep your paws out of the flow of hot water and make for a super effective scrub. I have one of these and put it to WORK every single day. (Or at least every single day I cook something, which is most days lately.)
3. Scrub Daddy sponges who, if you're a frequent BuzzFeed Shopping reader, you'll recognize as the hardest lil' worker in anyone's kitchen. When used with cold water, it turns hard and will really get in for scrubbing. And when under hot water, it's soft. So, he really pulls his weight at the kitchen sink.
Promising review: "I used to save these little gems for 'special projects' (what projects, I don't know because I ended up not ever using them!). Then one day I decided 'what the heck, just use one in the sink for dishes, you can always buy more.' Lo and behold, I LOVE them! They remove food off of dishes more easily than a sponge and I just throw them in the top rack of the dishwasher and they come out spotless! They never smell and always rinse out nicely in between washings. These little gems even take off hard water build up from my shower doors! (I also use regular cleaners with them to do the trick.). I love these so much I bought a bunch and used them as stocking stuffers last Xmas! Everyone loves them!" —DivaGranny
Get three from Amazon for $9.99.
4. Or an antimicrobial silicone scrubber perfect for anyone who prefers the look and shape of a traditional sponge, but are tired of mold and gag-inducing smells.
Each scrubber resists odor for up to three months.
Promising review: "This is the only sponge I have used for many years now. It is made of silicone instead of the usual cellulose, gets the job done, and smells like peaches! Even when the peach smell wears off it does not get stinky and I usually get several months use out of one. Last but not least they are manufactured by a family business in Georgia. I do not see myself ever using a different sponge. Try them — you will not be disappointed!" —lilvawoman
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $11.95.
5. And, because we love options here, a washable, reusable sponge in case you feel like you have to buy new dish sponges every time you go to the grocery store. Because, well, you tend to go through them faster when you have to hand-wash everything. You can simply throw it in the washing machine once it gets icky enough and then start using it again.
Porter Lee's Reusables is a Portland, Oregon-based small biz specializing in handmade reusable goods for your home. Feel free to rave to your friends *with* dishwashers about these lil' guys because reviewers say they find success by washing them in the dishwasher too.
Promising review: "Love these sponges. They are well made, work amazing, and pretty. Shipping was fast and I received the items in a timely manner. So glad I purchased them!" —kristinanarrod
Get it from Porter Lee's Reusables on Etsy for $9 (available in 1-, 3-, 5-, or 10-packs, and four colors).
6. Bottle Bright cleaning tablets to revive the look (and taste!) of the stainless-steel thermos you use every dang day (whether you're WFH or not) but aren't so great at hand-washing like you should.
Promising review: "Finished using it five minutes ago and it’s the best! My husband uses a Stanley thermos daily to take coffee to work. He tries to remember to rinse it out every day, but that doesn’t always happen. I got the package today, filled the thermos with water, dropped a tablet in, and let it sit. I promptly forgot about it for a few hours. Initially, I was disappointed when I dumped the water, as it was barely tinged brown. Then I put fresh water in, covered the top, shook it, and OMG. The crap that came out was disgusting, yet fascinating. I looked in the thermos and saw almost nothing but sparkly silver! There was a little crud left in the top third of the thermos, but it’s a really tall one, so I wasn’t surprised. Got the bottle brush, swished twice, and bam! All clean! No fumes, no smell, no nothing, just clean. I used to struggle cleaning it with baking soda, vinegar, the brush, soap, and elbow grease. Screw that. I will forever use only these tablets! Here’s to better tasting (and way less gross) coffee!" —BranchingOut
Get 36 tablets from Amazon for $17.19.
7. A fast-drying sink stone caddy that can sidle up against your sink and make your dish brushes and sponges air out incredibly quicker — like, in less than two minutes!
Momo Lifestyle is a small business that specializes in family-friendly homewares.
Promising review: "We got this for the bathroom that the kids us. Anybody with little kids will know that they make a constant mess. We had water all over the counter, mainly around the soap dispenser, and it was causing problems. This has helped a great deal. There is less water on the counter and I even like to put water on it sometimes just to watch it evaporate within about 60-90 seconds. It was totally worth the money." —David P.
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
8. Or if you have a postage stamp size of space by your sink, a small corner sink caddy to corral the necessary evils of hand-washing dishes for a tidier kitchen.
Promising review: "This caddy sits perfectly at the corner of our sink, keeps my cleaning supplies organized and doesn't use up my working space. It's easy to install and easy to remove for cleaning. Mom-in-law also thought it's great when she saw ours so we bought another one for her. Highly recommend!" —MrsTrinidad
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
9. A silicone sink strainer — it will easily catch all the food particles before they go into your pipes and turn into a mess that requires a plumber. I use this in my sink where, yes, I have to hand-wash everything and it does an excellent job of catching everything. Then I'm able to easily dump all the bits out into the trash bc of the flexible silicone construction.
Promising review: "Fits the sink drain perfectly! Catches anything before it goes down the drain. Easily remove with the stopper, push it inside out to clean out into the garbage. Washes by hand well. Can go in the top rack dishwasher for a good thorough cleaning. Very happy with my purchase." —Go/NoGo
Get it from Amazon for $7.95.
10. A set of four biodegradable, machine-washable Swedish dish cloths that are a blend of cotton and wood for super effective scrubbing. Plus! Each one is made to replace more than a dozen paper towel rolls.
Skoy Enterprises is a woman-owned, California-based small business established in 2007 that specializes in unique kitchen items.
Promising review: "I saw these on TikTok and had to order them as I love products that reduce my carbon footprint! I am very impressed and recommend 100%!" —Emilia
Get a set of four from Amazon for $7.99 (available in 14 color variations).
11. Some XL dishwashing gloves so you don't end up drenching your sleeves in soapy hot water. *And* your manis stay looking perfect.
Promising review: "These are the best gloves that I’ve ever used for washing dishes. They stay up which prevents water from getting into the glove so I don’t even need to dry them because they’re not even wet inside so they protect my hands from the drying soap and protect my nails. I highly recommend them." —Hawaiian Gurl
Get three pairs from Amazon for $12.99.
12. A touchless soap dispenser and huge jug of dish soap to make juggling dirty dishes so much easier.
Promising review (for soap dispenser): "The dispenser is larger than I thought it would be, but that’s because it holds a ton of soap. I filled with Sam’s Club liquid soap, and it dispenses very well and doesn’t drip. I use it in my kitchen where the automatic dispensing is a much neater solution for germy hands. You’ll need a small Phillips-head screwdriver to open the battery compartment for the four AA batteries (not included). I debated between this brand and Simple Human, which I’d used in a vacation home. Liked their styling more, but this one feels sturdier overall. Easy adjustment to get just the right amount of soap to dispense." —Beth Bennet
Get it from Amazon for $28.99.
13. A sling sponge holder to conjure some storage out of nowhere and stick to sinks that can't handle suction-cup holders.
14. A dish brush and base you can also use as a soap dispenser to scrub a dub in style.
Promising review: "I love this little scrub set. I used to find my scrubber down the drain. Now it has a home and stays away from the garbage disposal. The pump action agitates the soap water in the cup and creates a nice suds to scrub dishes. Saves running so much water before loading dishwasher." —K Mac
Get it from Amazon for $12.49 (available in two colors).
15. And a solid bar of dish soap that'll pair perfectly with the aesthetic brush if you're looking to switch to a formula free of dyes, fragrance, and wasteful plastic containers.
No Tox Life is an Austin, Texas-based small biz specializing in vegan bath, body, and home care.
Promising review: "This soap is perfect. Cleans nicely, looks good sitting in my counter, comes in low waste packaging, and fit perfectly in the bamboo container I already had. Purchasing again right now!" —Shaun
Get it from No Tox Life on Etsy for $11.98.
16. A set of bottle brushes to help get your tallest water bottles get squeaky clean because there's only so much you can do with just your human hands.
Promising review: "This set certainly handles all my water bottles. And I'm still finding other things that handles as well. Great price, very happy with it." —Andrea Bradford
Get them from Amazon for $8.99
17. A reusable weighted bottle cleaner for getting into all the parts of your sports and water bottles that you can't access with a sponge and your mere human hands. Those clumps of protein powder? No problem.
Each sponge should last around four months.
John, the founder, invented the Cleanzy sponge after having trouble cleaning drink containers without bulky tools and a lot of scrubbing. The Cleanzy sponge requires cleans while using very little effort on your part.
Get it from CleanzySponges on Etsy for $7.50.
18. A roll-up drying rack you can place on top of your sink and stash away later because your counter space is precious!
Promising review: "I use this to gain extra space for pots and pans to dry over my sink. It is also handy for setting veggies on while preparing food. Doesn't leave marks on my new countertops. Handy and well priced." —The Avid Reader
Get it from Amazon for $22.88+ (available in three sizes).
Check out a similar over-the-sink rack with racks for plates and cups from Amazon for $29.99.
19. A Boon bottle-drying rack that looks like a patch of grass and provides a designated spot for all the baby bottles and accessories to dry.
Former BuzzFeed editor and mother of two Chandni Reddy is a big fan of this drying rack:
"Is it possible for a drying rack to be life-changing? Why yes, it is. I caved and bought this grassy patch after my kitchen started to look an episode of Hoarders. This thing instantly organized my kitchen by creating a dedicated spot for baby stuff. Bottles, pump parts, sippy cups...this bad boy can hold a LOT (at least six bottles and four cups at once) and dries everything quickly. Did I mention it's a heck of a lot more cheerful and stylish than your regular drying rack?"
I *also* have this drying rack! We keep it next to our full-sized drying rack and as my son has gotten older we've also started using it to dry reusable food pouches (and all the pieces that go along with that) as well as his sippy cup and any teethers we've washed.
Promising review: "Newborn twins are a mess. They took over our house within moments of coming through the door. For this type A mama, it was a horrifying side effect of the two most precious things in the world. A friend gave us one lawn at our shower and we promptly hopped on Amazon and bought a second to manage the sheer volume. The lawn and the accessories are a convenient and cute way to keep your bottles and pump parts organized. There is ample space in one for one baby's needs." —Lacey
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two colors).
20. A bottle brush and nipple cleaner to prep your baby's BFF for its next round.
Promising review: "I love that this was available in a neutral color, so when it's sitting on my counter it doesn't scream baby bottle brush. The brush itself is really nice, I like having the nipple brush included but it is a bit of a pain to remove from the body of the brush. It also leaves the top part of the brush unable to stand or rest upright, so I have to lay it across my countertop which I don't like doing. The included base is convenient and the bottom cap is removable to clean/drain out any residual water that has made its way into the base. All in all, I would purchase this brush again, and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this brush." —ERO_foto
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
21. And if you're open to some kitchen products that'll make hand-washing way easier, consider a handy pancake batter dispenser and mixer that'll guarantee you'll get mess-free, beautifully blended, perfectly portioned pancakes every time. The silicone tip is even heat-resistant, so you can get up close and personal with the pan if you wanna flex some pancake art skills. Plus? Cleanup is as easy as shaking soap and water into it.
Promising review: "My 8-year-old is a huge fan of making pancakes. He saw this on TikTok and just had to have it. We absolutely love this product!! Easy to clean and use. I love that it’s an all-in-one. No more messy bowls, and he can squeeze out the perfect amount for his pancakes." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
22. Plus a pack of reusable drinking straws that snap open for super easy hand-washing. Yes, we all have those metal reusable straws and straw brushes, but they always seem to go MIA whenever you need 'em.
At 10.5 inches in length and 8.5 mm in width, this straw works with bottles, tumblers, cups, mason jars, and more...It’s also compatible with all major brands including new Yeti lid with magnet and 20- and 30-oz extra-long tumbler.
Promising review: "Rain Straw is quite possibly THE BEST reusable straw I have ever purchased. I was previously using bamboo as they were the most environmentally friendly product; however, there is a certain...wood-taste to water that I'm not keen on. Also there is so much frustration not being able to thoroughly clean the middle of reusable straws. I'm not a huge user of dishwashers and simply running water and soap does not make me feel at ease. Who knows whats hiding in there??? It's the small things in life that give me happiness and I will most definitely be giving recommendations to my family and friends! So simple to use and so simple to clean!" —Ellie Kim
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two color packs).
23. Fridge bin liners can absorb extra moisture in an effort to keep your produce fresher for longer. PLUS, they'll catch the brunt of messy spills and will be so much easier to clean than taking a drawer out of the fridge and awkwardly scrubbing it down in your sink (or the dishwasher you do NOT have). I've done that before and it's not great!
Promising review: "Keeps my refrigerator looking clean and fresh. Especially like the gray pattern which goes nicely with a stainless steel refrigerator. When something spills, It's much easier to wash these pads than scrub your refrigerator. The pads don't last forever but they can be washed three or four times before I recycle them into cleaning rags." —CardFan133
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $9.49.
Future You washing dishes:
