The $11 Amazon Find That Made My Cleaning Routine Easier

There were also a few murmurs in the reviews section that these were capable of scouring cast iron cookware and I was instantly sold. I've grown to love cast iron cooking pots and pans. But I've also learned that my distaste for dishwashing increases tenfold when these pans are in the cleaning lineup. Mine haven't earned their good seasoned layers yet and cleaning is a bit trickier. A sponge rarely does the trick and soaking the pans is a major no-no.

Fortunately, these bamboo brushes really are powerhouses and pick up burnt-on bits and sticky leftovers from this kind of cookware with no issue. They also excel at cleaning other oddly-shaped tools like my milk frother, potato masher, and round pizza baking tray with holes. Even after a hardcore scrubbing session, their bristles remain intact and in two years I've only needed to replace them once, mostly for cleanliness.

For anyone questioning if another kitchen tool is really needed for the under-sink arsenal, I'd enthusiastically say yes. These aren't reserved solely for the dishes, in fact, they go far beyond the kitchen sink.

I learned this the hard way, and hopefully my lack of time management leads to solid preparation for someone else. When I was getting ready to host guests for a couple of weeks at my apartment (and leaving my bathroom deep clean to the very last minute), I hadn't thought ahead and was lacking the right cleaning supplies. The shower door was covered in a pale residue from hard water and shampoo, and a paper towel and cleaning solution just wasn't working. I decided to test out the scrub brushes and couldn't believe how easily they sloughed off the watermarks. I scrubbed down the entirety of the shower as well as all of the faucets in the bathroom, getting them to a gleaming state just before the knock on the door.

Since the set comes with two brushes, one can be reserved for bathrooms and the other for your kitchen. Dishes and shower glass aren't the limits of their cleaning capabilities. There was a recent marinara sauce explosion one night (it happens) and the scrub brush quickly whisked away spots from the walls and countertops. I also use these bristly tools to deep clean the sink, scrub baking powder into kitchen counter stains, and even bought a set to use on shoes that have collected too much mud and dirt on their soles.

Sure, large investments in cleaning and home products are often the most memorable, but I've found that this small scrub brush purchase has ended up having the biggest impact on my day-to-day routine. I still hate doing the dishes, but at least everything gets sparkling clean much faster.