Are you my sponge?

Best for: Dishes, countertops, spills

Materials and finishes: Any, including Grandma’s china and other delicate pieces

Soft and absorbent, cellulose sponges are what most of us picture when we’re asked to “think of a sponge.” Cellulose is a naturally derived material made of wood pulp, biodegradable, compostable and suited for many household tasks.

Best for: Dishes and other household jobs

Materials and finishes: Any, including Grandma’s china and other delicate pieces

Made of compressed cellulose, these flattened sponges expand when soaked in water and are highly absorbent when activated. They are nonabrasive, compostable (if made from 100 percent cellulose) and get bonus points for the novelty factor.

Best for: Scouring non-coated pots and pans, oven racks, cleaning tools and outdoor surfaces

Materials and finishes: Safe for non-coated cookware, concrete, brick

Scratch Warning! Test this product on an inconspicuous area to ensure it won’t cause damage to scratch-prone materials and finishes.

Typically made from plastic and resin, abrasive scrub sponges are suited for tougher cleaning jobs.

Best for: Scouring, scrubbing and burnishing

Materials and finishes: Safe for tempered glass and porcelain, and for removing rust from metal

Steel wool sponges, also called wire sponges, are made from flexible steel filaments. Some steel wool pads are infused with soap for household cleaning uses.

Best for: Copper and aluminum cookware

Materials and finishes: Not safe for cast iron, including cast-iron stove burners and griddles

Primarily designed for use in the kitchen, these scouring pads are ideal for heavy-duty jobs like scrubbing broiler pans, oven racks, barbecue grills and stovetop burners.

Best for: Cast-iron cookware

Materials and finishes: Designed for scrubbing cast-iron cookware and fixtures such as stovetop burners

Chain mail scrubbers allow you to safely scour the surface of a cast-iron skillet without removing the layers of seasoning that give cast iron its nonstick property — in fact, these scrubbers are said to improve the top layer of cast iron’s all-important seasoning by gently scuffing it, giving the next layer of seasoning you apply a more textured surface to cling to.

Best for: Scouring dishes and other delicate surfaces; beauty contests

Materials and finishes: Safe for stone, plastic, porcelain, glass, wood, nonstick pans

These non-scratch scrub sponges are best for jobs where gentle scouring is called for — cleaning the microwave, for example. Their sparkly exterior sets them apart from similar non-scratch scrub sponges and lends a bit of flair to mundane chores. Warning: Sparkle sponges contain metal and cannot be cleaned in the microwave, but they are dishwasher safe.

Best for: Daily dishes; cleaning major household appliances and countertops

Materials and finishes: Safe for plastic, nonstick cookware, glass cooktops, granite, marble, soapstone, Grandma’s china and other delicate pieces

This non-scratch scrub sponge, made of plastic mesh-wrapped polyurethane foam, presents an alternative to abrasive sponges, providing scouring power without posing the risk of damage to scratch-prone surfaces like plastic.

Best for: Heavy-duty household cleaning tasks and restoring stained pots and pans

Materials and finishes: Safe for ceramic, concrete, glass, granite, marble, nonstick, stainless steel, wood

Viral sensation Scrub Daddy and his bride, Scrub Mommy, feature several design elements that set them apart from other non-scratch scrub sponges. Eye holes allow users to insert fingers into the center of the sponge for a better grip, and the smile is designed to clean both sides of utensils like spoons in one pass. The Scrub Daddy is made from a temperature-controlled FlexTexture that gets soft in hot water and remains firm in cold water to accommodate different types of cleaning tasks; Scrub Mommy features FlexTexture on one side and highly absorbent and sudsing ResoFoam on the other.

Best for: Daily dishwashing, picking up pet hair, avoiding smells

Materials and finishes: Safe for glass, plastic, porcelain, stone, wood

Nonporous silicone sponges enjoy a few advantages over their more traditional cellulose counterparts. For one, they will not develop an odor. They are also incredibly durable, and can be cleaned in the dishwasher and reused for six months to a year. While they lack the scouring power of, say, steel wool, they do have a bonus use: When dry, silicone sponges can be run over upholstered furniture, bedding and even clothes to quickly pick up pet hair.

Best for: Scouring non-coated pots and pans, oven racks and outdoor surfaces; cleaning tools; scrubbing grime off sinks and tubs

Materials and finishes: Safe for non-coated cookware, concrete, brick

Scratch Warning! Test this product on an inconspicuous area to ensure it won’t cause damage to scratch-prone materials and finishes.

Sponges that combine cellulose and abrasive materials are popular for washing dishes, allowing you to scour away stuck-on food without having to reach for a separate cleaning tool.

Best for: Daily dishes and surface cleaning

Materials and finishes: Safe for dishes, pots and pans, ovens and glass stove tops; hard, nonporous surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen; stainless steel.

Scratch Warning! Test this product on an inconspicuous area to ensure it won’t cause damage to scratch-prone materials and finishes

While matching or nearing the effectiveness of traditional two-sided scrub sponges or plastic scrubbers, coconut or walnut sponges are made of 100 percent natural materials, and are biodegradable and compostable.

Best for: Hestia cosplay, bathing, detail work, windows

Materials and finishes: Glass, including mirrors and windows; window tracks and sills; walls

Sea sponges are the original sponges: First used in ancient Greece for personal and household cleaning, these multicellular organisms have pores and channels through which water can circulate. Today, sea sponges can be farmed under controlled circumstances or collected by divers, but have been replaced largely by sponges made by manufactured or synthetic materials.

Best for: Dishes and regular household cleaning jobs

Materials and finishes: Any, including Grandma’s china and other delicate pieces

Made of cellulose and cotton, Swedish dishcloths are larger and flatter than traditional kitchen sponges. These highly absorbent, quick-drying cloths are somewhere between a sponge and a paper towel, but because they can be machine washed, they have a longer lifespan. And, when they wear out, Swedish dishcloths are biodegradable and compostable.

Best for: Dishes and regular household cleaning jobs

Materials and finishes: Any, including Grandma’s china and other delicate pieces

The precursor, in a sense, to the Swedish dishcloth craze, knitted dishcloths are typically square-shaped and larger than a traditional kitchen sponge and act as a paper towel substitute. They can be laundered and used over and over for washing and drying dishes, as well as for wiping down surfaces, but they are not as absorbent as a traditional sponge.

Best for: Dust, dirt, lint, pet hair and soot on dry surfaces

Materials and finishes: Anything, including things you might never have thought to clean in the first place (books, car interiors, computers, televisions, workout equipment, projection screens, speaker grills, fire places, lampshades, paintings, painted walls, upholstery, vents, fan blades, wallpaper)

Made of vulcanized latex rubber, dry sponges can also be used wet or dry, though they are most commonly used dry to avoid smearing or smudging. They can be washed and reused and, in addition to soot and dirt removal, can be used on soft surfaces to pick up pet hair.

Best for: Removing stains

Materials and finishes: Hard, nonporous surfaces; sneakers. Do not use on nonstick coatings, granite, marble or high-gloss surfaces.

Scratch Warning! Test this product on an inconspicuous area to ensure it won’t cause damage to scratch-prone materials and finishes. Eraser sponges can be used on painted walls, for example, but you must test it first.

You probably know the eraser sponge by its stage name, Magic Eraser. Made from melamine foam, these abrasive sponges work almost like very fine sandpaper and can be used to remove stains, scuffs and dirt from hard surfaces including baseboards, doors, light switches, bathroom surfaces and refrigerator interiors. To use, wet the eraser sponge and wring it until just barely damp. After testing it in an inconspicuous area to ensure it will not damage the surface, gently rub it on the stain; as you work, the sponge will disintegrate — it is akin to a pencil eraser in that way.

Best for: Dust, dirt, hair, crumbs

Materials and finishes: Baseboards, blinds, glass, plastic, porcelain, radiators, stone, vents, wood

Soft, slightly tacky sponges designed to be used when slightly damp, dusting sponges grab and trap dust, dirt and other particulates. They can be rinsed under running water and reused; they should be stored slightly damp in an airtight container, zip-top bag or plastic wrap to maintain their sponginess.

Best for: Outdoor cleaning jobs, including patio furniture, play sets, pool toys and sporting equipment

Materials and finishes: Ceramics, glass, grout, metal, plastic, stone and wood

These oversize cellulose sponges, designed to cover large flat surfaces in fewer passes, are not the best choice for washing a car (that would be a microfiber mitt or sponge) — the sponge’s small holes can trap dirt and debris that can scratch the car’s clear coat, leaving the paint vulnerable to the elements. Instead, car wash sponges are recommended for other outdoor cleaning jobs, such as washing patio furniture, children’s play sets or sporting equipment like kayaks, bikes and horses (yes).

Best for: Dust, dirt and hair, wiping bathroom and kitchen surfaces

Materials and finishes: Safe for glass, plastic, porcelain, stone and wood

Microfiber should not be used or washed with chlorine bleach or cleaning agents that contain it; additionally, when laundering microfiber, avoid the use of liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets.

These absorbent, machine washable sponges can be used wet or dry for a number of household cleaning jobs (probably not washing dishes). When dry, microfiber cleaning cloths and sponges use an electromagnetic charge to attract dust and other particulates. Warning: Microfiber can melt when exposed to heat or hot surfaces.