Some number of years ago, I read a tweet about how many kitchen gadgets are designed for people with disabilities, but aren't marketed this way for a number of reasons. I've been thinking lately about how many kitchen tools are indispensable to me as an ADHD person

I love cooking, but I could never stand doing dishes—it ruined it. I have fifteen kinds of pots and pans and all different utensils, but I've been doing dishes with a soapy sponge since I was a kid. Here's how I hacked dishwashing for #ADHD with a robust set of tools

Reusability is key. I hate dirty sponges and can't keep tabs on how many I have left. I also hate waste in theory, so I don't throw them away on time and I just live in a denial state where I stop doing things that will make me do dishes. So now I optimize for longevity

Item 1: a stiff-bristled brush. I usually go for Quickie since it's ubiquitous. This is your step 1 of attacking a gross thing like a pan full of scrambled eggs. It dislodges everything, but it rinses clean. It doesn't smell and you can toss it in the dishwasher when you're done

Item 2: a softer bottle brush. Also non-porous so it doesn't generate smells like a scrubber sponge. Awesome for getting into dirty pots and things without triggering sensory stuff around water immersion or dirty water. 360 degree coverage means it's also easy on the wrists.

Item 3: steel-bristled scrub brush. I use this to avoid soaking things which would sit in the sink all day, causing things to accumulate around the sink. *Incredible* for whisks or other irregular objects with caked-on stuff. Also great for wood cutting boards (go with the grain)

Item 4: scrubber sponge. I like the Scotch-Brite ones, but Scrub Daddy makes an amazing one that is very resistant to picking up odors on the scrub side. The key is to use it on things that are almost clean: pasta pots and things like that. No food bits/no grease = no odors.

Item 5: plastic dish scraper. Some have handles like putty knives and some don't, but these are great for transferring force and getting really stubborn, burnt-on bits of food. They're even more effective if you wrap the end in something very mildly abrasive, like a paper towel.

Item 6: a set of straw cleaner brushes. These are obviously great for reusable straws, but just as useful for the elusive and very frustrating inner parts of thingamajigs like potato peelers, apple corers, graters, or other things that can chew up brushes/sponges.

Item 7: a pile of cloth dish drying mats. I hate putting stuff away even a little bit damp, even stuff I use regularly, because I get weird about mildew growth. Having enough drying space for nearly everything I could use in a day helps me regularly empty the dishwasher