Never considered the sponges, picked up some last night to try.
I have always used a flat screw driver with the tip bent to scrape the crud out followed by a stiff stainless steel wire brush.
Dents get worked out with a screw driver.
Burs and Knicks get the file, Emory cloth and then a Scotch Brite pad or a small wire cup brush on a die grinder. The cup brush is great for taking rough edges off especially on aluminum.
WD-40 works good as a cleaner, a little scrubbing with a course scrub pad and it will take off the emulsion, ink and tape residue.