Which Kitchen Sponge Can Your Pans and Glassware Take?

Nonstick frying pan, cream enameled cast iron pot and glass baking dish on a folded linen cloth beside a stainless steel sink

All three makers we read advise against steel wool and metal scouring pads, and all three accept a soft sponge or cloth. They split on what sits between those two. All-Clad's use and care guide (page copyright 2026) accepts nylon scrubbing pads on several surfaces. T-fal's care page (copyright 2025) says nonstick pans must not be cleaned with scouring pads and calls a nylon sponge ideal. Pyrex's use and care page (page copyright 2026) allows plastic or nylon pads on glass only when scouring is necessary.

Which kitchen sponge is safe on which surface?

The table lines up the three pages, surface by surface. Where a maker is not named in a row, its page does not cover that surface.

What All-Clad, T-fal and Pyrex say about sponges and pads, by surface
Surface	What the makers accept	What the makers advise against
Nonstick pans	T-fal: a nylon sponge, which it calls ideal for the inside and outside of the pan. All-Clad (nonstick-coated stainless): nylon scrubbing pads or a soft sponge.	T-fal: scouring powders and scouring pads. All-Clad: steel wool and steel scouring pads.
Ceramic nonstick	All-Clad: a soft sponge or cloth. Pyrex (ceramic cookware): a non-abrasive sponge or dishcloth, or a sponge or nylon cleaning pad after simmering soapy water for stubborn residue.	All-Clad: steel wool and abrasive scouring pads. Pyrex: steel wool, metal or heavy-duty scouring pads.
Stainless steel pans	All-Clad: a sponge or soft cloth, and a nylon scouring pad for more difficult cleaning. T-fal: warm soapy water for daily cleaning.	All-Clad: steel wool and steel scouring pads. T-fal: steel wool, a steel brush or a scratchy cleaner on the polished surface.
Hard-anodized pans	All-Clad: nylon scrubbing pads or soft sponges.	All-Clad: steel wool and steel scouring pads.
Enameled cast iron	All-Clad: nylon scrubbing pads or a soft sponge.	All-Clad: steel wool and steel scouring pads.
Glass bakeware	Pyrex: non-abrasive cleansers, with plastic or nylon cleaning pads only if scouring is necessary.	Pyrex: hard objects such as metal.

Which sponge should I use on nonstick pans?

A nylon sponge or a soft sponge, and no scouring pad. T-fal says nonstick pans must not be cleaned with scouring powders or scouring pads, and its FAQ lists cleaning with a scouring sponge among the causes of scratches on nonstick cookware (T-fal, copyright 2025). On its nonstick-coated stainless pans All-Clad recommends nylon scrubbing pads or a soft sponge. For ceramic nonstick it narrows that to a soft sponge or cloth and names abrasive scouring pads among the things that can damage the surface (All-Clad, page copyright 2026).

T-fal and All-Clad word the nonstick advice differently, and neither page explains the gap. When two makers differ, the softer reading is the safer one.

Which sponge should I use on stainless steel pans?

A sponge or soft cloth for everyday washing, a nylon pad only for harder jobs, and never steel wool. All-Clad says to wash stainless steel pans with a sponge or soft cloth after a soak, to use a nylon scouring pad for more difficult cleaning, and to avoid steel wool and steel scouring pads (All-Clad, page copyright 2026). T-fal says warm soapy water is enough for daily cleaning and does not recommend steel wool, a steel brush or a scratchy cleaner on the polished surface (T-fal, copyright 2025).

Which sponge should I use on hard-anodized and enameled cast iron pans?

A soft sponge or a nylon scrubbing pad. For its hard-anodized exteriors All-Clad calls nylon scrubbing pads or soft sponges safe, and for enameled cast iron it recommends nylon scrubbing pads or a soft sponge. It advises against steel wool and steel scouring pads on both (All-Clad, page copyright 2026).

Which sponge should I use on glass bakeware?

A soft sponge and a non-abrasive cleanser, with a plastic or nylon pad only if the dish needs scouring. Pyrex says not to clean glassware with hard objects such as metal. For its ceramic cookware it says to use a non-abrasive sponge or dishcloth and not to use steel wool, metal or heavy-duty scouring pads. Its stainless steel mixing bowls and metal bakeware carry the same ban on steel wool and metal scouring pads (Pyrex, page copyright 2026).

What do "scouring pad," "scrubbing pad" and "nylon sponge" mean on the pack?

None of the three pages defines them, so the pack is the only place to check. The pads the makers accept are described as nylon or plastic. The pads they advise against are described as steel or metal. T-fal rules out "scouring pads" for nonstick without naming a material, while All-Clad accepts "nylon scrubbing pads" on several surfaces. We read that as a difference in wording as much as in material, but the pages do not say, so this part is our reading and not the makers'.

A practical rule follows. If the pack does not name what the rough layer is made of, treat it as the stronger kind and keep it off nonstick, ceramic and glass. If the pack says nylon, the surfaces in the table above that accept nylon pads are the ones to try it on.

Where should a wet sponge wait between jobs?

Not in the sink basin, if the sink is stainless steel. Moen's stainless steel sink guide (updated April 2025) says to avoid leaving rubber mats, wet sponges, cloths and cleaning pads to sit in the sink, because food particles and deposits can cause discoloration (Moen, updated April 2025). Our guides to cleaning a stainless steel sink and a porcelain sink cover what sink makers say about the basin itself.

That is the job of a holder. The HAPPY SiNKS® Magnetic Sponge Holder in steel sits inside the sink, with a second magnet on the other side of the sink wall. Its product page says the open design lets air circulate around the sponge, so it dries quickly instead of sitting wet. It measures 7 x 5 x 7.5 cm (about 2.8 x 2 x 3 in) and weighs 0.19 kg (about 6.7 oz). It also comes in biocomposite, in the same size, and the two are a choice of material and not two tiers.

Check your sink before you order. The product pages list steel and metal sinks, and composite sinks with a wall of 3 mm (about 1/8 in) or less, and they say the holder is not suitable for ceramic or stone sinks. For those, and for cast iron, we recommend the Magnetic Holder Adapter, which is not listed in every country's store. Our guides to the main types of kitchen sink and to whether a stainless steel sink is magnetic show how to tell which case is yours. If you are unsure, send us a note with your sink type.

Quick answers

What kind of kitchen sponge is safe on a nonstick pan?

A nylon sponge or a soft sponge. T-fal calls a nylon sponge ideal for nonstick pans and rules out scouring pads, and All-Clad names a soft sponge or cloth for its ceramic nonstick pans (T-fal, All-Clad).

Can I use steel wool on stainless steel pans?

No. All-Clad advises against steel wool and steel scouring pads, and T-fal does not recommend steel wool, a steel brush or a scratchy cleaner on the polished surface (All-Clad, T-fal).

Is the rough side of a kitchen sponge safe for pans?

It depends on what the rough layer is made of and what the pan is. The makers write about pads, not two-sided sponges. All-Clad accepts nylon scrubbing pads on stainless, hard-anodized and enameled cast iron pans, T-fal rules out scouring pads on nonstick, and Pyrex allows plastic or nylon pads on glass only when scouring is necessary. If the pack does not name the material, use the soft side.

What can I use instead of a kitchen sponge?

A soft cloth. All-Clad lists a sponge or soft cloth for stainless steel, Pyrex lists a non-abrasive sponge or dishcloth for its ceramic cookware, and T-fal lists a soft sponge or a dish cloth for its HybridMesh pans. The Magnetic Dishcloth Holder in steel hangs a cloth clear of the sink, and its product page says the cloth dries quickly that way. The installation guide shows the two-part setup.

Where should I keep a wet sponge?

Out of the basin if your sink is stainless steel, according to Moen. A holder gives it a place where air can circulate around it, as the Magnetic Sponge Holder product page describes.

The short version

On every surface the makers cover, steel wool and metal pads are advised against and a soft sponge or cloth is accepted. Nylon pads are the open question, so match the pad to the pan and check the pack for what the rough layer is made of. When the sponge is not in use, it is better off anywhere but the bottom of the sink. Next step: see the Magnetic Sponge Holder in steel.

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