skoy cloths

i hate kitchen sponges. they're bacteria amusement parks, and they start smelling bad after two days and never recover no matter how many times you run them through the dishwasher.

a few years ago i swore off sponges and started using plain washcloths in the kitchen. they're thinner so they dry faster, and i could run them through the washer.

even so, after using them for a few months, the mildewy smell started to linger, which required bleaching. and the bleaching broke down the fabric and led to their quick demise.

i contemplated a solution for a few months until i saw my friend maria mention skoy cloths on her blog. or maybe she mentioned it here. or here. maria is a busy woman.

i checked for them at whole foods to no avail, so i opted to go the online route and bought two packages (four cloths per package) for $6.99 each on amazon.com. they're made of mixed cotton and cellulose (wood) pulp. when dry, they're stiff, like extremely thinly sliced sponges. based upon the amazon.com reviews, i wasn't really clear whether i would get 2 or 20 or 200 uses out of them.

when you wet them under the faucet, they become like a super-thick paper towel. i love them! they dry out lightening fast and it takes several days for them to get smelly. then i just throw them into the washer and run them through with the rest of the laundry - including the dryer cycle as well. admittedly, they would probably last longer if i let them air dry, but who has time to sort their wet laundry for dishrags?

i have been circulating four of them for the last month or so and they are holding strong. they're fading a little, but they have plenty of life left in them. and they don't stink. i'm sold.