Revealed! Is Scrub Daddy Eco-Friendly?

Have you ever wondered if the famous smiling sponges are actually eco-friendly? Let’s unveil the truth.

Scrub Daddy is not eco-friendly because it is made from a type of highly engineered polymer foam. However the company offers a recycling rewards program (in the USA). Smile Shop customers can recycle their old scrub daddies through a process that converts it to fuel.

Scrub Daddy exploded the market after Shark Tank with its smiley face design. The sponges change texture based on water temperature; hard in cold water and soft in warm water.

Yet they retain incredible scrubbing power for hard surfaces and even delicate surfaces as well.

The smiling sponges became instantly popular, but are not eco-friendly. Eco-friendly sponges are typically made from organic, natural materials found in nature. Although synthetic materials that have been recycled are sometimes referred to as eco-friendly .

In this article, we will be focusing on sponges that are made from nature and are compostable.

It’s worth mentioning that Scrub Daddy now offer an eco friendly alternative to their famous sponges.

Scrub Daddy Products That Are Eco Friendly

Scrub Daddy now offer an alternative sponge called Eco-Daddy that they say is 100% bio degradable. The Eco Mesh Scrubber is made from natural coconut fibre and post-consumer plastic.

Even though it is made from recycled plastic, they claim it degrades 12x faster than untreated plastic due to an exclusive process.

The EcoMesh Sponge still bears the famous Scrub Daddy smile but is much thinner than the regular Scrub Daddy or Scrub Mommy sponges. For this reason they offer two sponges in one pack.

It is a great eco-friendly alternative to the regular Scrub Daddy and is tough scrubbing. Unfortunately, not many people like the size and it is not readily available in shops and supermarkets.

Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Scrub Daddy

If you are not convinced that Eco Daddy is truly eco-friendly due to the fact that it is partly made from recycled plastic, there are different types of sponges on the market made from 100% eco-friendly materials.

There are materials to look out for when hunting for eco-friendly cleaning products. The most important thing to look out for are products made out of natural materials. Bio degradable sponges are usually made out of materials like:

• Coconut husk: Coconut fibers from the protective outer shell of coconuts. They are processed into durable sponge material that is also antibacterial.

• Sisal: These compostable sponges are made from the durable fibres of the Sisal plant

• Bamboo: Grown in nature, bamboo fibres are processed and made to resemble textile which is then heat-processed and shaped into a sponge.

• Wood pulp: Similar to bamboo, wood is cut and shredded into a pulp that is processed into sponges.

• Jute: This material is far more durable than many synthetic sponges.

• Hemp palm: These are made from the fibres of hemp plants

• Luffa gourd (natural loofahs): These are made from the fibrous interior of the luffa gourd.

• Cellulose: This is very popular and typically made from wood pulp or cotton. Unlike other eco-friendly sponges, cellulose sponges can take a longer time to decompose.

• Sea Sponge: These are grown naturally and harvested in the sea. They are 100% compostable but far more expensive than most sponges.

• Agave: Very commonly used in Mexico, agave plant fibres are obtained from different plants in the agave family.

• Tampico: Similar to Agave sponges, Tampico, also called Mexico fibre, is obtained from the Agave lechuguilla plant. Tampico is more popularly used in brush making.

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An example of compostable sponges would be cellulose sponges with coconut husk or sisal for the scrubbing side. Many brands have done this to mimic the regular sponge made of plastic.

It’s worth noting that a brand’s eco-friendliness can’t be judged primarily by the natural material used in its production. The production process, practices, and even packaging add up to determine if it’s truly eco-friendly.

These are the best bio degradable alternatives to Scrub Daddy:

Please note that this article may contain affiliate links.

• Loofah Washing Up Pad

• Bamboo Dish Brush

• ecoLiving Compostable Sponge Cleaning Cloths

5 Ways To Reuse Scrub Daddy

While Scrub Daddy may not be the most eco-friendly cleaning product, there are many ways to lengthen its lifespan:

1. Vegetable wash: Old Scrub Daddies can be used to get dirt and sand off tough vegetables like potatoes.
2. Garden tool cleaner: Scrub Daddy that has fallen apart can be reused to clean stainless steel and wooden garden equipment.
3. Foam Stamp: Kids will love dipping the smiley face into paint to create gorgeous sunny paintings (if it’s not too worn and holds its shape).
4. Slime Daddy: Pouring slime on Scrub Daddy is extremely satisfying, and it’s a unique way to reuse old sponges.
5. Stuff packages: Old sponges can be cut up and used to protect fragile items in packages.

FAQs about Scrub Daddy

Are Scrub Daddy sponges recyclable?

Scrub Daddy sponges are mostly recyclable. Recycling the sponges is exclusive to Smile Shop Account owners in the U.S. The recycling process uses magnets to remove any unwanted metal fragments from the sponges. What’s left over is then converted into Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF), a type of engineered fuel used to power cement kilns and other industrial machines.

Is Scrub Daddy made from plastic?

Unlike your traditional sponge which is made from cellulose or plastic, Scrub Daddy is made of a type of polymer sponge. The Scrub Daddy patent reveals the sponge is made of a thermoplastic called polycaprolactone. The combination of ingredients now dubbed FlexTexture, is only known to Aaron Krause, the founder.

Is Scrub Daddy recyclable in the UK?

Scrub Daddy sponges are not recyclable in the UK. The recycling rewards program is only available in the US.

Does Scrub Daddy create microplastics?

Unfortunately, Scrub Daddy is made from polycaprolactone, a polymer has been shown to produce a amount of microplastic particles. Therefore, Scrub Daddy does create microplastics.

Is Scrub Daddy biodegradable?

Due to the material that Scrub Daddy is made of, it is not biodegradable. Only materials made from natural organic materials like wood pulp, plant products like wool and rubber, as well as excreta from humans and animals, are considered biodegradable. These organic materials can be broken down into carbon dioxide and other organic molecules.

Is Scrub Daddy nylon?

Scrub Daddy is not a nylon but polyester. It is made from polycaprolactone which is a very tough plastic that has similar look to nylon.

Are Scrub Daddy sponges non-toxic?

Yes and no. The main ingredient polycaprolactone (PCL) used to create Scrub Daddy sponges is petroleum based. Whilst many petroleum based products are toxic, some of them are like PCL are non toxic.

However, the other ingredients used in creating these sponges are not publicly known and we therefore cannot confirm the toxicity of the products.

Based on the main ingredient publicly known, PCL, Scrub Daddy can be regarded as non-toxic.

Is Scrub Daddy cruelty free?

Yes, Scrub Daddy is cruelty free as none of their products are tested on animals.

Do Scrub Daddy sponges have chemicals in them?

Yes, the materials used in making Scrub Daddies are made from a type of polymer and polymers are organic chemicals

Is Scrub Daddy reusable?

Yes, Scrub Daddy can be used for other things around the house when it’s well worn. They can be used to wash potatoes, as foam stamps for kids paintings, stuff packages, and so much more.

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