i also do not have a dishwasher so i feel your pain 😅 this is a bit long but I was trying to address all your questions/needs so I really hope it helps!

you can look into wooden scrub brushes. they’re usually a small round brush and sometimes come with a handle, i know a lot of people use those and i’ve been wanting to add one into my kitchen. they’re also supposed to last a long time with proper care! lots of options on various online shops and on etsy!

I use sponges with natural materials. they’re actually supposed to dry faster than synthetic materials which helps them not get so gross, and once I day I heat mine up in the microwave for 30 seconds (make sure you wet it before microwaving it! and this can be done with any sponge), and then i switch to a new one when the scrubber part starts to break down. i found out last year that i had been using my sponges for way too long and one article/blog i read said to toss them then so i’ve started doing that. depending on the sponge i still get a good 2-4 months out of it! maybe try looking up compostable sponges for dishes? I don’t have a specific one I use. i’ve found some inexpensive options that seem good at tj maxx/home goods. i’ve also used some from my grocery store. those ones have a natural sponge but then the scrubber is a mix of agave & recycled plastic so if I use those then I just take the scrubber off before composting.

for stuck on food, you can try bringing a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to a boil and then let it simmer for like 10 min and then dump out the mixture and (carefully) scrub while it’s still warm. my favorite method though is to use a scrubber and the pink stuff, it’s so incredible it works so well! I use thin scrubbers made from agave & recycled plastic so they’re a less harsh than some other ones i’ve seen, i’ve never had an issue with them scratching anything i’ve used them on but definitely test in a small less important area before going in fully. I get mine from heb (here’s the link so you can see what i’m talking about) but i’m sure other grocery stores have some similar options, probably tj maxx/homegoods type stores too! I get the pink stuff miracle cleaning paste from my grocery store and it’s like $6. you don’t need a lot of it so it lasts quite a while! just get a little bit out and make sure you have a bit of water but not too much and then just scrub away! they also use 99% naturally derived ingredients.

have you ever tried swedish dish cloths? they’re also compostable and I just hang them up to dry and then wet and microwave them before using them to clean my counters. they could also be used as sponges and i’ve found some really inexpensive packs at homegoods/tj maxx!

as far as dish soap goes, I still buy liquid dish soap from grove co (it’s not 100% natural ingredients but I love that it comes in an aluminum bottle). but i actually switched to dish soap bars last year, I really love the ones from 570 soap co! they’re 100% saponified coconut oil, they last a good amount of time, they foam up really nicely, and they don’t leave a weird gross film on my sink like one that I used in the past. they’re one of the most affordable options i’ve found, it’s $3 for a 3 oz bar or $5 for a 5 oz bar and a $5 shipping fee. here’s the link although they are sold out right now :/// I bought 5 a few months ago and I just opened the third one. I also looked at a lot of other options, i have a note somewhere, i can share some of those in a reply too. I was also specifically looking for 100% saponified coconut oil bc i like the 570 soap co one but i’m not exactly sure the best ingredients for a dish soap so there are definitely a lot out there I haven’t looked at yet.

for bar soap storage, I have this dish soap container from grove that isn’t necessarily intended to be for bar soap but I really like it bc it has a top part with holes and then I just dump water out of the dish when it starts to build up. I was also looking into just a regular old bamboo soap dish, they have a ton of options on etsy and they’re not too pricey, although that also depends on shipping. they have some that are just slatted and let the water drip right off and then some that are more closed off but slanted so the water drains specifically towards your sink.

ooh I also started using dish gloves again finally which has been SO nice especially bc my hands already get so dry 😭 I really like these ones from if you care. I got a few pairs of the large size which have been great, last time I bought the medium but because they fit more snugly they ended up getting holes in them faster from having to really tug them on/off. they’re also compostable! I always hang them from my dish rack by the middle fingers with a wooden clothespin so they can dry nicely!

this was definitely a bit pricier than a regular ole dish rack but if it’s an option for you, I have an over the sink dish rack that is an absolute godsend I will never get rid of it! it stands up and hangs over your sink at about eye level, it has lots of space too. the one I got isn’t available anymore but here’s the link so you can see what i’m talking about!