These sponges are incredibly cheap and are often considered disposable. I’ve heard horror stories about people using a single sponge each day to avoid germs.

They are trying to work out what that means for our health, but studies of this nature take a very long time. It is made from bamboo or FSC-certified wood and has vegan, plant-derived bristles. Once they’ve finally worn out you can take the head off the handle and replace it separately, saving yourself a bit of money (it’s home-compostable too). I love the handle - it’s lightweight and easy to hold. You can wash up without getting your hands wet and the bristles get in all the nooks and crannies. Crude oil (and other fossil fuel) corporations are the biggest contributors to climate change. Oil is used to make plastic and other synthetic materials.

Scouring Pads & Scourers

Add to your traditional kitchen sponge collection with any of our scourer sponges. Making the tougher cleaning jobs a little easier, scourer sponges for cleaning usually have a softer sponge side and a more textured abrasive side that help you to remove harder to budge and baked-on food and grease. This kind of washing up sponge is ideal when you have burnt-on food or extra greasy pots and pans but can also be used on lots of flooring for tougher dirt and stains. Conventional plastic sponges are mass-produced without a second thought about the impact they have on the environment. By choosing handmade products, you know it was made intentionally and your money isn’t going to a billionaire CEO of a faceless company.

A loofah is a plant-based sponge that is part of the cucumber family. It is hard when dry but when you get it wet it turns soft and expands. In Australia, you can get scrubbers made from cellulose with a recycled plastic scouring pad attached from Nourished Life.Handheld dish brushes are ideal for tough dried-on food residue and for cleaning pots. They are easy to hold, clean effectively, and last a long time. I keep mine clean by washing it in hot soapy water and sterilising it by placing it in a mug of boiling water. You could also use Milton tablets. There are also brands that have got creative by designing eco-friendly sponges that have a mixture of cellulose and different sustainable materials to replicate the conventional sponge-scourer style. The only downside is the wooden ones need to dry out properly in between uses and after some time the wood starts to go dark (as seen in photos). I’ve used both Eddington’s and EcoLiving. The bamboo option is more expensive but it may last longer. There are also brands getting creative with handles made from more durable materials, like metal. Or if you’d prefer natural bristles, Zero Waste Outlet have chosen sisal bristles (from the agave plant) with the option of a three-piece set. They sell loofah sponges with a little handle on them and cleaning pads that have been sewn around the edges to make them tougher. The washing-up pad is flexible and can be squashed down into smaller spaces whereas the washing pads are stiff.

For several months I’ve been trying out Swedish dishcloths from Ethical Superstore which are made from cellulose and can be put in the home compost at the end of their life.These sneaky, little microplastics, which are barely visible to the naked eye, are swallowed by sea creatures. The toxic chemicals that have been absorbed eventually cause liver damage in fish, birds and other coastal wildlife. The only flaw is that some brands aren’t as hard-wearing as a synthetic sponge and they don’t last as long if you put them in the washing machine (dishwasher, microwave or boiling is fine for sterilising them though).

A popular UK brand is Loofco; their products are handmade in Sri Lanka where employees receive fair wages. Need something smooth and straightforward? You’ll find simple everyday cleaning sponges. Got a baked-on dish that a traditional sponge just won’t solve? Discover our scourer sponges with a little extra toughness for those persistent dishes. You can also shop for cleaning cloths for everything from microfibre to biodegradable options. Washing up sponges Sadly they are not biodegradable. I can’t even imagine how many synthetic sponges must be living inside landfills or polluting the oceans.

Scourers and Cleaning Sponges

I’ve just changed the head on mine again so I snapped a photo to show you how simple it is (see above photo). It just slots on and stays firmly in place. There are naturally antibacterial options, and even sustainable sponges for those of you that love plastic sponges and would prefer an eco-friendly alternative.