APPROACH & OPTIONS:

BRUSH VS. SPONGE

Although the sponge is normally the “default” tool for cleaning dishes in the US, we discovered the use of a brush from our Swedish friends when we were trying to help wash the dishes but there was no sponge in sight. It felt awkward using a brush at first, but by the end of our stay, we appreciated the benefits:

  • Better at cleaning: The bristles on the brush can more easily scrape off food from dishware and pans vs. a sponge, and is less abrasive than the scouring side of a sponge. In addition, as your hands are further from the cleaning action, you can use much hotter water to clean without scorching or drying out your hands.

  • More sanitary: Food residue coupled with the moist conditions inside of a sponge makes it ideal for harboring bacteria and microbes. Brushes are easier to clean because they don’t have deep crevices where bacteria can grow, and can air dry faster after use.

  • Longer lifespan: In order to keep your sponge sanitary, you are required to deep clean it (e.g. heating it in a microwave) or replace it frequently. As brushes are more sturdy and easier to keep clean, they can last a long time.

However, there are things that a sponge is better at, such as wiping down kitchen surfaces and tables. In order to limit the area in which bacteria can accumulate, we cut a regular rectangular sponge in two or three pieces and use one piece at a time, which also extends the life of the sponge. Another alternative are cellulose sponge cloths (a.k.a Swedish dishcloths) which are easier to clean and dry. In addition, they are convenient to pick up spilled liquid as they cover a wider area than a sponge and can soak up more water than paper towel.

 

Introduce a brush for washing dishes, which works well whether you use a bar soap or a liquid detergent. Keep the sponge for wiping surfaces, or better yet switch to a cellulose sponge cloth.

 

Do the same for bathroom cleaning as well!

 

Make your own recycled or natural cleaning tools - below are some examples:

  • Cut old towels or clothing into squares that you can use as disposable wipes (especially handy for dirtier jobs such as wiping lawn furniture or decks).

  • Use broad leaves from the “weeds” in your lawn to wipe off or remove debris from buckets or kitchen compost bins before washing (e.g. burdock leaves are especially great). Similarly, an evergreen tree branch has been helpful to remove spiderwebs or reach far corners.

  • Grow your own natural sponge! This video and article show how it is done.

SUGGESTIONS:

The following lists some of the products that we have tried and liked, not only because they perform well, but also because they are more eco-friendly. Many of these products are accessible online or at chain stores, making shopping convenient.

Brushes

  • Wooden cleaning brush with handle: We just bought one of these from a kitchen store and it is now our favorite brush. The angle of the brush works well for cleaning dishware, glasses and pots, and the wooden handle feels nice to the grip (vs. plastic). In addition, the brush head and handle are compostable, while the steel parts can be recycled. This link offers a similar brush to the one we bought (which is not branded).

    And while on the topic of wooden brushes, consider switching to bamboo toothbrushes to reduce the amount of plastic waste. This link outlines some recommended brands which are available online or at large department store chains such as Target.

  • Plastic cleaning brush with handle: The first brushes that we bought were from Ikea, and they lasted for a couple years. The suction cup is very handy in helping keep the brushes clean and dry, and whenever a deep clean was needed we just tossed the brushes into the top shelf of the dishwasher. This link offers the brush set on Amazon (we couldn’t find the ones with suction cup from the Ikea site). However, we generally prefer wooden vs. plastic handled brushes as the wood is biodegradable.

Sponge Cloths

  • Cellulose sponge cloths (a.k.a Swedish dishcloths): Although these dishcloths were invented in the late 1940s, they are making a huge comeback due to their effectiveness as an eco-friendlier alternative to sponges and paper towels. Made from a hybrid of cotton and wood cellulose, it enables these cloths to be pliable when wet and hard when dry, making it a less hospitable environment for bacteria. Use the cloths to wash dishes, wipe down counters and tables, and soak up spills. The assortment of colors and patterns also make it easy to categorize what the cloths are used for (e.g. dishwashing vs. bathroom cleaning). This link offers Swedish cloths available on Amazon, but many eco friendly online stores also offer fun options.

ADDITIONAL TIPS:

  • When hand-washing dishes with a brush, we found it more efficient to first use the brush to rinse and remove remaining food debris from all dishes, then rinse the brush and use it for the soap round.

  • Use soiled napkins, paper towels or even paper/mail from your recycling bin to wipe off greasier dishware, pots or baking sheets. To help save water, these are then placed in the sink while we rinse or wash other dishes so that the runoff water can start to soak the greasy items.