Ditch The Dish Rack: There's An Amazon Find That Looks Stylish & Keeps Countertops Dry

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Space can be precious in a kitchen, and the area around the sink is not an exception. Dish racks can be a nuisance once you've stacked all your dishes on top, plus they're not the most aesthetically pleasing. While you can say goodbye to cluttered dish racks with stone dish drying mats, an aesthetic alternative, there's another simple solution you can try. Fabric dish drying pads, like the Cuisinart Dish Drying Mat for $19.99 on Amazon, offer a soft option for drying plates, cups, and more. This particular set is available in 11 different colors, including dark gray, sage, pink, and black. They also come in stylish, modern patterns. Each mat's surface area measures 24 inches long by 18 inches wide, but the material can be rolled up or folded flat when not in use.

An effective drying tool such as this one can be a cleaning strategy to make washing dishes less miserable. To absorb water from your wet dishes, this mat is made out of ultra-absorbent microfiber. A mesh layer on the back of the product helps with airflow to encourage quick drying. The fabric is machine washable and does not lose its shape due to a quilted design. As one reviewer notes, "The quality is really nice, and the mat feels durable while still being soft enough to protect dishes and glasses." Another customer explained that these mats were great, as they didn't have enough room in their kitchen to store a rack. While these dish drying mats may help keep your countertops dry, it's important to follow steps to properly maintain them hygienically.

Just like sponges, fabric dish drying mats can be one of the germiest places in your kitchen and full of bacteria. They are designed to absorb the moisture left on cups and plates, and many reviews note that the Cuisinart one does this job very well. But that also means that these types of mats may stay wet well after the dishes are done, sometimes taking between 6 and 12 hours to fully dry. The result is that, like sponges, they could pick up dangerous bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella. While this product has a thinner design to speed up the drying time, it's important to avoid any bacterial growth.

Even though you place clean dishes on the mat to dry, it is important to launder them regularly. Bacteria easily grow in damp, humid conditions, making a freshly used fabric dish drying mat prime territory. To ward off pathogens, it is necessary to wash them at least weekly. Depending on how often you do the dishes and how many dishes you wash, you might need to wash your mat sooner. This two-pack of dish drying mats from Cuisinart can help you make this easier, allowing you to switch to a clean mat while the dirty one is in the wash. And after washing your dish drying mats, ensure that you dry them thoroughly before putting them away.