Features
Different from traditional scrub pads for dishes, the GreenHug multi-purpose cellulose and loofah fiber sponges are made from all natural materials. One side is a soft cellulose sponge while the other is a dish scrubber loofah sponge. The two components are stitched and no glue in used, the sponge is therefore more resistant and eco-friendly. They are perfect scrubbers for cleaning dishes, counters, pots, pans and many more. They are an essential purchase for any household looking for an eco friendly, effective alternative to plastic sponges.
Plastic kitchen sponges are likely some of the most wasteful products in our kitchens, releasing micro-plastics, filling up landfills, being made from oil-based plastic and often treated with harsh chemicals like triclosan.
According to several University research institutes, a kitchen sponge is exposed to hundreds of different types of bacteria and researchers recommend change them every week. That’s problematic, because plastic kitchen sponges and scouring pads aren’t easy to recycle.
Furthermore, when you wash your dishes with a sponge, it sheds tiny fibers, a type of microplastics, which can’t be filtered out by water treatment plants. Therefore, they make their way into the water cycle, ending up in our rivers, the ocean and even drinking water.
Sponges promising antibacterial or odor-removing benefits are loaded with toxic chemicals including triclosan, an antimicrobial agent (and pesticide) that has been linked to cancer, developmental toxicity and skin irritation.
Your best bet is to substitute plastic or metal sponges with a more eco-friendly alternative, such as our natural loofah and wooden pulp sponge.
A natural loofah scourer is a great alternative that can substitute plastic or metal scourers and decrease your environmental impact drastically. It is 100% biodegradable, which means that it can be returned to the earth with no negative effects on the environment. Put that together with their biodegradability and non-toxicity and we think we have found the best sustainable alternative to kitchen sponges there is.
Useful Tips
After using the scourer, make sure to wash out any leftover dish soap or food residue with clean water.
Store it in a dry spot, such as a soap dish, where it will not sit in water.
House-cleaning experts advise that you to sanitize dish sponges every few days in a variety of ways, from soaking it in a bleach solution to zapping it in the microwave or running it through the dishwasher. Good Housekeeping compared these three methods and found that the bleach and water solution worked best in removing 99.9% of salmonella, E. coli and pseudomonas bacteria they added to test sponges. They created a solution of 3 tablespoons of bleach to a quart of water and soaked the germy sponges for five minutes, then rinsed them out. But no matter how diligent you are about cleaning, your kitchen sponges won't last forever. Clean them weekly, and toss shabby ones every two to three weeks, depending on use.