Laura usa una spugna per strofinare il lavandino.

Usa is the third-person singular form of the verb usare (to use) in the present tense.

• usare = to use
• io uso = I use
• tu usi = you use
• lui/lei usa = he/she uses

Since Laura is she, the sentence uses usa.

Per + infinitive often means in order to or for the purpose of doing something.

So:

• per strofinare = to scrub, in order to scrub

In this sentence, it explains why Laura is using the sponge: she uses a sponge to scrub the sink.

It is in the infinitive because it comes after per.

A very common Italian pattern is:

• per + infinitive

Examples:

• per mangiare = to eat / in order to eat
• per studiare = to study / in order to study
• per strofinare = to scrub / in order to scrub

So strofinare stays in its basic dictionary form.

These are the articles that match the gender and number of the nouns.

• spugna is feminine singular, so it takes una
• lavandino is masculine singular, so it takes il

So:

• una spugna = a sponge
• il lavandino = the sink

Italian articles must agree with the noun.

In Italian, definite articles like il, la, i, le are used more often than in English.

Here, il lavandino means the sink.
Italian usually includes the article where English also would, and sometimes even where English might omit it.

So strofinare il lavandino is the normal way to say to scrub the sink.

It can mean either, depending on context.

The Italian present tense often covers both:

• Laura usa una spugna... = Laura uses a sponge...
• Laura usa una spugna... = Laura is using a sponge...

If you specifically want to stress an action happening right now, Italian can also use:

• Laura sta usando una spugna... = Laura is using a sponge...

But the simple present usa is completely natural.

Yes. Italian often expresses this idea in more than one way.

For example:

• Laura usa una spugna per strofinare il lavandino.
• Laura strofina il lavandino con una spugna.

Both are natural. The difference is mainly focus:

• usa una spugna focuses on the tool being used
• strofina il lavandino con una spugna focuses more directly on the action of scrubbing

Not exactly.

• strofinare = to rub / scrub
• pulire = to clean

Strofinare describes the physical action of rubbing or scrubbing a surface.
Pulire is more general and means making something clean.

So if Laura is using a sponge on the sink, strofinare gives a more specific image of the action.

The sentence follows a very common Italian word order:

• Laura = subject
• usa = verb
• una spugna = object
• per strofinare il lavandino = purpose phrase

So it is:

Subject + Verb + Object + Purpose

This is natural and straightforward in Italian.

Italian word order can be more flexible than English, but this version is the most neutral.

Because Italian often omits subject pronouns when the subject is already clear.

Here, the subject is explicitly given as Laura, so there is no need to add lei.

• Laura usa una spugna... = natural
• Lei usa una spugna... = would mean She uses a sponge...
• Laura lei usa... = generally unnecessary and awkward in a normal sentence

Italian relies a lot on the verb form and context to show who is doing the action.

Usually, yes: nouns ending in -a are often feminine, and spugna is feminine.

So we get:

• la spugna = the sponge
• una spugna = a sponge

But remember that noun endings are helpful clues, not absolute rules.
In this case, though, spugna is definitely feminine.

Spugna is pronounced roughly like SPOON-ya, but with a shorter u sound.

The key part is gn, which in Italian makes a sound similar to ny in canyon.

So:

• spu-gna → spu-nya

That gn sound is very common in Italian, as in:

• lasagna
• signore
• ogni

Usually, yes. Lavandino commonly means sink, especially a household sink like a bathroom or kitchen sink.

Depending on context, Italian may also use related words such as:

• lavello = sink, often especially kitchen sink
• lavabo = washbasin / sink, often bathroom-related

But lavandino is a very normal everyday word for sink.