The only way to keep a kitchen counter. That is the reward for keeping counters bare – getting to clean them 😉 The Italian panno in lattice, a latex-rubber reusable slim sponge, is just the ticket for the final wipe down of your kitchen counter. It practically vacuums up the remaining moisture, meaning your kitchen is clean, dry, and igienico, just like the Italians like it. And yes, Clendy*, it is a magic sponge:
They are so wonderful these things. Cost about a dollar, but only available in Italy – I’ve run out of the stock I brought back from my last trip. They soak up water so well (where does it go?) and then wring out, keeping their cheery color. There are some (pale) substitutes I’ve found in the States, like a reusable white number from Big Lots. The key is to designate a clean, reusable, absorbent sponge or towel to handle the final pass-over to keep your counters sleek and bone dry. Your kitchen should always be ready to cook in when you return – to place food on counters, wash veggies in the sink, and begin cooking on the stove.
Try to give the cabinets a once-over at the end of cooking, too. An Italian lady I know in the South had a step ladder in her kitchen so that she could scrub her cabinets, floor to ceiling after each meal with a bleach solution. Makes me tired just thinking about it! But a quick once-over, and making sure the counter is dry to the touch is a terrific way to make sure your kitchen is ready for the next scrumptious Italian dinner. 
Emilia :)
*Clendy = Clean + Trendy? Who knows? Italians love putting random English words on products and clothing. There’s a picture of me in my school yearbook wearing a sweatshirt with “Mostly” emblazoned on it (??). And we once accidentally bought my toddler niece a cute little green romper with – I kid you not I wish I were making this up – “#1 Mistake” written across the belly!
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