Collection: Sustainable Kitchen Sponges

Read about Sustainable Kitchen Sponges

For centuries, kitchen sponges have been confined to specific tasks like cleaning dishes, spills, and surfaces. Don’t get us wrong; they do a great job with these tasks. However, you’re not exactly exploring the full potential of these sponges. 

Outside of dishes, one can do a great deal with sponges, like arts and crafts, gardening, and more. However, the sponge’s quality influences its functionality and degree of versatility. 

As a maker of compostable and highly effective sponges, we at Bower Collective are well aware of the versatility of a sponge. Because of our sponge’s efficacy, we also know the qualities to look out for when shopping for kitchen sponges. Thus, we’ll be divulging industry secrets to facilitate your next sponge purchase. Here they are:

How to Choose the Best Kitchen Sponge

1. Material

Sponges can be made of different materials. Some are made from plastic-derived polyester, while others come from plant-based cellulose. Plastic-derived sponges are often stiffer than their naturally-made counterparts. The latter also feels more gentle than the former. These naturally-derived kitchen sponges are plastic-free, compostable, eco-friendly, and contain no synthetic adhesives, unlike their plastic-derived counterparts. 

Moreover, eco-friendly sponges are perfect for cleaning dishes and non-stick pans. They can function outside this jurisdiction, and with Earth’s plastic pollution problem, using a compostable kitchen sponge is a mindful step to flattening the pollution curve.

2. Abrasiveness

Most kitchen sponges have two sides, the softer, more-absorbing side and an abrasive side to scrub off the gunk. While you want the abrasive side to be gritty, you shouldn’t opt for sponges that are so harsh they ruin your china. This is why the best kitchen sponges are moderately abrasive and high-absorbing. 

3. Cleanliness

Sponges are hotbeds for bacteria, and because of this, the best kitchen sponges are easy to clean with minimal bacteria-wiping products. Ideally, you shouldn’t use a sponge for more than three weeks, and if your sponge deteriorates before this timeframe, you’ve purchased an inferior sponge. 

Unusual Ways to Use a Kitchen Sponge

The average kitchen sponge can perform several activities outside of doing the dishes. They include the following:

1. Removing wallpaper

Wallpaper can be hard to remove, but you can use this life hack for speedy wallpaper removal. Mix hot water and fabric softener, soak your sponge, wring out the excess, and wipe all over the wallpaper. This loosens up the adhesive and makes removing said wallpaper easier. 

2. Protect your valuables

You can protect your delicate valuables like expensive glassware and imported china by padding them with sponges before storing them. The cushioning nature of sponges makes this a highly effective hack.

3. Lift pet hair

Pets often shed on surfaces like couches and carpets, and a dry sponge is just the thing to help you get the pesky hair out. Simply sweep the sponge across the affected surface, and it should be good as new.

4. Arts and crafts

Sponges have interesting textures and hollows that transform into beautiful patterns when used to paint. If you fancy a DIY creative outlet for you or the kids, have them dip the kitchen sponge in watercolours or paint to create murals. 

5. The ultimate ice pack

Ice cubes might relieve your pain, but not without the inconvenience of dripping everywhere. You can fix this problem by freezing your sponge. Call it the handy ice pack! 

Conclusion

Kitchen sponges can be so versatile, depending on the material and durability of the sponge. You can lift pesky pet hair from rugs and carpets, pad your delicate glassware, and even start a herb garden with a sponge. However, to get the best use out of your kitchen sponge, go for the naturally-derived, compostable sponges. Bower Collective has a great collection of eco-friendly kitchen sponges to check out.