It’s maddening.
You use a steel-wool pad once, put it in a dish by the sink, and the next day you find a rusty mess fit only for the trash.
To prevent rust and get your money’s worth from a pad, wrap it in foil and toss it into the freezer.
You can also lengthen the life of your steel-wool soap pads by crumpling up a sheet of foil and placing it under the steel wool in its dish or container.
(Don’t forget to periodically drain off the water that collects at the bottom.)