Why we're all ditching our soggy dish draining mats for this stylish alternative that's going viral on TikTok

We know all too well not to get caught up in every trend that emerges out of TikTok, but once in a while there comes along a good one, like the viral stone dish drying mat. After all, when experts bare supporting a trend, it's worth at least a second look.

Unless you have one of the best dishwashers at home, regular hand washing is part of your daily routine. Chances are that you probably use one of those fabric dish drying mats, even if below a plastic option. Now, we don't have to tell you how prone these are to getting wet and soggy, but did you know they also harbour a lot of bacteria?

Enter the stone alternative. TikTok users have recently been obsessed with an Amazon mat made of stone, which naturally absorbs water and dries in a matter of minutes, while looking aesthetically pleasing on your kitchen worktop owing to its chic marble-effect finish.

The viral stone dish drying mat

The humble dish drying is something many an invention have been trying to make quicker and easier – whether it’s the traditional Finnish dish drying cabinet or the roll-up dish rack. 

So this £24 natural stone mat from Amazon is taking off as the latest way of drying your dishes, popularised by social media videos like this one from @copycatsstyle. 

@copycatsstyle

♬ Ooh La La - Josie Dunne

And yes, we did mention that experts are equally as gung-ho for this stone mat alternative. ‘The stone drying mat is composed of non-toxic and naturally occurring materials with antimicrobial and antibacterial properties,' says Petya Holevich, cleaning expert at Fantastic Services.

'Because of this, the “drying stone” eliminates germs through a rapid dehydration process when it comes in contact with the surface of the dishes and utensils and improves their hygiene.’ What’s not to love about that?

And even if you are a fan of the dishwasher over handwashing the dishes, you might still want to manually wash a couple of dishes here and there if you need them straight away. And for that, this diatomite mat is perfect.

We’re trying to find reasons why not to buy it, but honestly, we just can’t. So we’ll be adding this one to cart.