I Tried a Sponge vs. a Scrub Daddy, and the Winner Left My Dishes Squeaky Clean

I'm that person—the one who has no problem giving the silent treatment to the stack of dishes piling up in my sink. Cold, globby textures and grimy water gross me out to no end, so any tool out there that can speed up the process and get it over with is a win in my eyes.

I've tried quite a few dishwashing sponges and brushes, but all took roughly the same amount of time (and none lessened my overstated hatred). But then came the Scrub Daddy—could this smiley sponge really rid me of my dishwashing disdain?

I quickly found out the hype was very, very real. Here was the verdict after putting a regular sponge and a Scrub Daddy head-to-head.

My Initial Thoughts on the Scrub Daddy Sponge

I was always a fan of the big smile and colorful options Scrub Daddies were available in, especially since it reflected the opposite mood that washing the dishes puts me in, but I never actually tried one.

Once my order arrived, I noticed that the sponges were much harder than a traditional sponge, but the box promised they soften in hot water. I found the texture a little strange—it felt more like a pumice stone than the original dishwashing utensil.

I liked that it's made to be odor-free (a claim that did hold up after a large collection of stinky dishes) and that you can toss it in the dishwasher to clean. Even better, it's scratch-free, so you can use it on non-stick pans and other items that you'd avoid touching with a scouring sponge.

"Then came the Scrub Daddy—could this smiley sponge really rid me of my dishwashing disdain?"

Scrub Daddy vs. Regular Sponge for Washing Dishes

Although I own a few nonstick pans, depending on the meal that was cooked in them (or how long they've been sitting around), it's not always easy to get them clean.

One curry can instantly render a sponge stained, smelly, and useless. It was time to see if the Scrub Daddy differed from my usual experience.

I first swirled the Scrub Daddy around my favorite extra-large coffee mug. The water was lukewarm and it stayed relatively stiff, but with only a few swishes, all remnants of my latte were gone. It felt easy!

Then came dinner. After accidentally pouring sauce straight into a too-hot pan, I was left with a very burnt, crusted-on mess. It was time to put the Scrub Daddy to the test, and long story short, I was blown out of the (dish)water.

I took a breath and pressed down hard into the crusty pan, only to find that the Scrub Daddy slipped and glided right through, cutting a perfectly clean path through the mess. Confusion was my first emotion, then glee.

I swirled it around the pan, reveling in disbelief that this sponge could tear through nasty grime like it was nothing. It took a mere 30 seconds to get the gunk off.

I rinsed the pan and went through it one more time with clean soap. It wasn't arguably—the Scrub Daddy beat my sponge flat-out.

I tried to find some downside with the Scrub Daddy, but none appeared when it came to efficiency. There was only one area outside of this where it lost points for me: sustainability. It came in a recyclable cardboard box, but that's where the eco-friendliness ended.

The sponge is made from a "highly engineered polymer foam called FlexTexture," according to the brand's website. It may be high-tech, but that's also another word for plastic.

While I've used plastic-based sponges in the past, I gravitate towards biodegradable sponges or those made of cellulose and walnut fibers. It's a small thing, but it makes me feel a little better about the impact on the planet.

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An Extra Perk: Cleaning Shoes with a Scrub Daddy

I initially purchased the Scrub Daddy to compare it to a traditional sponge, but on the box it had listed shoe cleaning as an alternative purpose for the sponge.

I love shoes, but I live in the UK—meaning with all the rain, my footwear is endlessly muddy and grimy. I was very impressed with the results after taking two minutes to wipe them down with a Scrub Daddy and a little dish soap. It felt comparable to using a melamine eraser and had a similar texture.

Other uses? We have white countertops in our apartment kitchen that sadly stain very easily. Because of the nature of the Scrub Daddy, I've tried it on these surfaces too, and have managed to exorcise a few more ghosts of stains past, lessening the damage.

The Verdict

While it loses out in the sustainability department, I have to say that it's a sacrifice I'd make again.

At the end of the day, purchasing a set of these sponges is more sustainable and cost-efficient than replacing pots and pans that are difficult to clean, getting professional cleaning services for my countertops, or replacing my shoes.

The Scrub Daddy managed to remove the stickiest, burnt-on messes from my pots and pans with effortlessness. It normally takes me ages to do the dishes and get every little smear and crusty bit off each item. I don't think I'll be pulling my regular sponge out of retirement any time soon.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.