It's a cruel fate when your beautiful kitchen falls victim to an ugly necessity.
You've seen it happen a thousand times, and it's not just limited to kitchens, of course, but there is something particularly painful about the way your carefully selected kitchen countertops can so quickly become cluttered up with bulky appliances and other practical eyesores.
One of the worst offenders of this is the dreaded drying mat. Soggy, uninspiring rags left on the counter, with no ounce of style behind their microfibre design. Sure, they get the job done, but at what cost? The price of your chic, elegant kitchen. And is that worth it?
I don't think so, which is why I was thrilled to find this clever stone drying mat for kitchen counters from Amazon trending on my digital screen, that costs less than £12.
With the appearance of a marble slab, this is the most luxe-looking drying mat we've ever laid our eyes on. But it's not only delivering on aesthetics, the diatomaceous earth material boasts exceptional absorption and moisture-wicking properties, allowing this mat to absorb and evaporate water in a matter of minutes.
The mat is large enough to provide space for a healthy load of washing up, without overwhelming your countertop. Additionally, the self-adhesive pads that come with it ensure it stays in place at all times, so you won't have to worry about it slipping around.
As it's made from a completely natural material, this mat is both eco-friendly and sustainable, unlike other popular plastic options on the market. It also has strong heat-resistant properties, making it a great surface to rest your pots and pans on.
How Does it Work?
These smart, stone drying mats started going viral around last year, but their appeal is yet to die down.
While most drying mats on the market are typically made from an absorbent material like microfibre towelling or a similar material, these stone mats are made from a natural material known as diatomaceous earth. Although these slabs may resemble different types of marble, their structural makeup is more akin to that of sand, composed of millions of microscopic diatom fossils. These diatoms can be best understood as tiny, glass-covered algae. The silica-shelled organisms play a crucial role in our ecosystem, responsible for over 50% of the global oxygen production.
Diatomaceous earth, or DE, is known for its highly absorbent nature, to the extent that it's commonly used as an insect repellent. It's able to absorb the oils and fats from the exoskeletons of insects, drying them out until they are no longer able to survive. So you can only imagine what it's able to do to your wet plates and cutlery.
Although your regular drying mat is well suited for absorbing moisture, it tends to retain this moisture for a longer time, often leaving it with an unappealing, consistently soggy feel. These stone drying mats completely mitigate this issue, absorbing and evaporating water in a matter of minutes, so the surface is always dry to the touch.
"This drying board looks so much better on my kitchen counter than the soggy dish towel I had. I can leave this out all the time," agrees one reviewer, "It's made of diatomaceous earth, so it looks like stone. It's very porous, though, and absorbs water. I find my dishes dry super fast on it. "
Additionally, unlike the plastic-based materials used to create other similar products, this sustainable material and eco-friendly, further enhancing the item's enduring appeal. It would seem TikTok got something right with this one.
FAQs
Can You Use This Mat for Other Purposes?
Of course! In fact, one of our favorite things about this mat is the huge breadth of tasks it's capable of helping out with.
Its super absorbent nature makes it well-suited for various different roles and locations. One of our favorite ways to use them beyond your kitchen is on the floor of your bathroom, as a chic bath mat. Or, if you're passionate about your houseplants, why not use this as an underplant surface, where it can absorb any excess moisture from watering?
Another clever trick is using these as fridge liners, so they can absorb any excess moisture from your fruit and veg and keep your produce fresher for longer.
Alternative Finds
A major upgrade to the typical towel bath mats, which require constant washing and swapping over, this stone design, with its ridges and grooves, will dry instantly, so you can say goodbye to slippery floors.
This clever, ridged drying mat maintains all the same impressive qualities as the other DE mats, with the added appeal of a completely foldable design, so you can easily hide it away when it's not in use.
Perfect for kitchen and bathroom sinks alike, this splash guard will keep your sink area neat and tidy, providing a resting spot for all your cleaning products. Plus, the grooved surface allows for even faster drying.
Diatomaceous earth is just one of several sustainable materials taking over design, and we couldn't be happier for it. Hopefully, we'll be seeing it pop up in more and more sustainable homes over the coming years.
