Not only do the most commonly found washing up sponges come wrapped in plastic but they’re often made of synthetic materials as well. Small fibres from the sponges can get washed down the sink and into our waterways. Using any kind of synthetic sponge, cloth or brush also risks releasing micro-plastics. What we should all try to do is use the eco-friendly alternatives to washing up sponges or dish cloths. Fortunately there are plenty of options available to make washing up environmentally friendly.
At some point we find our preferred way to wash up, for some people it’s using sponges, for others it’s using cloths and lots of people only use dish scrubbers. I think most people use at least 2 of those though, well people who don’t solely use dishwashers that is.
Here are the sustainable alternatives to the plastic versions that are for sale everywhere.
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Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Washing Up Sponges & More
There are four online shops I highly recommend for a range of household essentials.
All four offer a variety of different eco-friendly alternatives to washing up sponges, dish cloths and dish scrubbers. Do make sure to read the product description on their websites, as some products from the Ethical Superstore do contain micro-plastics (none of the ones I’ve listed below do). Here is just a sample of some of what’s currently on offer. Click on the links below the images for more information and to buy.
The above give a good example of the variety of washing up cloths and brushes that are available. The ones I currently use are below. I really like the LoofCo Washing Up Pad as it cleans the baked on food on my dishes very well. My preference is always to use simple cotton washing up cloths as well as they can be reused for months. Admittedly over time they become slightly less than white. But that doesn’t bother me.
Eco-Friendly Washing Up Liquid
In addition to using plastic free dish cloths, scrubbers and sponges, it’s important to think about the washing up liquid you use as well. It can be quite disturbing when you look at the ingredients in some washing up liquids. They smell nice, they clean the dishes well, but any of those chemicals that are included will end up in our waterways and potentially harming marine life.
Instead of traditional washing up liquids you could try and make your own washing up liquid, like I did, or you can purchase an eco-friendly version. There are loads of different types to try, some of which also come in plastic free packaging.
For example, one of the options that’s growing in popularity are washing up soap bars, which used to be very pricey but there are some much cheaper ones available now. Or you could try more traditional washing up liquid that comes in plastic bottles. The eco-friendly version is at least less toxic and likely to be cruelty free. The plastic bottle is often recyclable or made from recycled materials, but you should check each one out to double check for yourself.
Anything we use with water has the potential to be harmful to marine life. So whether you’re washing your clothes, your dishes or yourself, make sure you look into the product you’re using!
Check out some eco-friendly ways to clean your kitchen.
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Found this page as i was looking for an eco scourer. Thanks, will check these out.