Mom always kept a pair of brightly colored kitchen gloves by the sink when I was growing up. Made of latex or rubber, they protected her hands when she washed dishes with hot soapy water or scrubbed the sink with scouring powder. She also used kitchen gloves when she had to wash something with bleach or to wring out a dirty mop. She used them over and over until they got a hole, and then she would get a new pair. I always have a pair or two of kitchen gloves at home. Although I usually don’t use them for dishes, they are great for protecting my hands when I scrub a messy grill or pot. I keep a pair under the sink to wear when cleaning out the mop or scrubbing the tub with something abrasive like baking soda paste. And you can’t beat latex gloves for giving you a good grip when opening stubborn jar lids. Even when the gloves get a hole in them, they can still be useful. You can keep a pair in the car to wear when pumping gas or clearing snow from the windshield. Put a little duct tape over the hole and, although it’s not pretty, you will have a nice, watertight seal. I also keep a pair in the gardening bag I take to the community garden. I can easily rinse them off when they get too dirty.