Dishcloths do have longer lifespan than regular sponges since they are not easy to fall apart. However, both dishcloths and sponges get stinky and dirty easily so you need to change both of them frequently. If you always wash and sterilize the dishcloths after use, you can prolong the lifespan of your dishcloth. Besides, there is a new type of scrubber which is durable and antibacterial. It's silicone scrubber. This type of scrubber has compact structure, easy to clean and dry. Not good enough for heavy duty washing but do work great for light duty washing!