Dish It Out!
It’s just an itty-bitty sponge, it doesn’t cost that much (definitely not compared to your Bosch), you use it WAY more than any appliance, and yet it has the potential to make your life miserable. Elbow grease is a real thing, and the right sponge literally makes the difference between you crying into your frying pan or chilling on the couch.
I tested dish scrubbing sponges for you. I tried cheap, I tried knock-off, I tried standard, I tried different models. To set up for the ultimate scrubbing test, I smeared 6 plates with equal amounts of ketchup, mustard, and Duncan Hines frosting, and baked them on 350 degrees for 10 minutes to make sure they were in dire need of a good scrub.
Here’s how it went down.
Testing, Testing
1. How did the scrubber feel in my hand? Was I comfortable while using it?
2. I used Palmolive soap for all the sponges.
3. How well did it scrub? How much energy and time was needed?
4. Does it clean up after itself, or does it need its own scrub?
Scrub Daddy
Price: $3.89
Notes: Gets into crevices, easy to hold and maneuver. Its hard and soft capability is very helpful.
Stars: 4.2
Dawn Heavy Duty
Price: $1.99
Notes: Looks like a Scotch Brite dupe. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either. Comes in a 2-pack.
Stars: 3.5
Scotch Brite Wand
Price: $3.49
Notes: Could not see any suds, but cleaned and scrubbed comfortably relative to the others.
Stars: 3.7
Up & Up Sponge
Price: $2.89
Notes: Looks like any other sponge, works like any other, nothing special, nothing too bad. Comes in a 3-pack.
Stars: 3.5
Target Dish Wand
Price: $3.00
Notes: Good scrubbing capabilities, cannot hold soap long or well. It’s a uni-tasker, and you’ll likely need another sponge for regular washing.
Stars: 3
Scotch Brite – Heavy Duty
Price: $6.19
Notes: Looks and feels like any other sponge, maybe a little stiffer at first use, but it just works way better than any other. Why, I don’t know, but it does. Comes in a 6-pack.
Stars: 4.8
Overall Winner: Scotch Brite Heavy Duty
I was shocked at what a clear winner this one was. It was leagues ahead of its peers (if you can even call them that) in scrubbing power. Needed way less exertion, and it went faster. No questions here, the oldie but goodie is that for a reason.
Tip: Save yourself some trouble and soak your dishes so you never need that much scrubbing power in the first place. They also say that men have more muscle, so leave the scrubbing for them. Better yet, get a dishwasher. Kidding, KIDDING!
scotch brite dobie works best
The Scotch Brite heavy duty pads for the wand work just like the SB heavy duty sponge and you don’t have to worry about your hands/nails! The heavy duty pads(green) work better than the regular(blue) pads.