Caldrea Sponges Product Review…Definitely Sponge Worthy
I have to say one of my favorite parts of greening up the house is trying out new products.I am finding it a tremendously authentic teaching opportunity for myself and my little ones. The whole house seems to take interest in the smallest details that would otherwise go completely unnoticed. What does it come in? What is it made of? How does it smell? Does it work? And best of all, can I try to clean with that? 
I am a clever clever gal. So here it is….
Caldrea Pop Up Sponges, 10 count $10...Recommend… Very cool looking. The kids, and maybe even the spouse, will be fighting over who gets to “inflate” the next sponge. The package of ten is only about the depth of a deck of cards. These are made from cellulose and cotton, completely biodegradable. I wonder if they can go in the compost? They do come in a plastic wrapper, but because they are able to fit ten in the space of one, it is about…well…ten times less then our usual Scotchbrites. They definitely feel like any other sponge. It could be just me, but they seem to dry faster too, meaning less stink. The only big potential drawback is that they do not have a scrubby side. This isn’t a huge deal for us because we mostly only wash our stainless steal pots by hand and the scrubber isn’t the best for them anyway. Replacing sponges with something more earth friendly would be a huge step in our house. I confess. I am an anti-spongite. I have a serious skeeve issue with anything used for multiple cleanings and throw them out at the slightest whiff of mildewiness. And yet…I like these. So…dirty up some dishes and get yourself a pack.
Something new… The Husband Haiku Review
profile grows and grows
and yet the footprint smaller
smiles grow and grow too
I love these too… though I think mine might be a different brand, I buy whatever is at the TJs. My only thing is, that the ones I have? Can be kind of hospitable for mold. I don’t know why. So now I’m not SO sold on them anymore though I still use them.
I get mine from TJ’s as well. I wonder about the compostability as well, since it does say “made from plant cellulose” on the package. I suppose instead of wondering, I could just ask. I have a bit of sponge-phobia as well, very slight. Every so often I wonder about what lives in the little holes (doesn’t happen often, since I am usually too lazy to think about these things). I zap it in the microwave for a few seconds instead of throwing away.
btw, orgie (oh dear, I think that name has stuck, bad burban mom) I was thinking of you this weekend, and I remembered reading about how you were addicted to french wine and a light bulb went off in my head! I just recently read in an article that if you live in new york, french wine has a smaller footprint than california wine! so now you can drink guiltlessly.
Maybe you could try soaking the sponge for a bit in hot water and vinegar before chucking it out. My very precise recipe for this is hot water to cover, a good slosh of cheap vinegar (I like to have enough that you can smell it, so I know it’s there) and leave until next time I need to do dishes. Or I notice it. Hanging it outside in sunlight occasionally should also kill off anything nasty. Failing that, see if they survive a trip through the washing machine.
If they don’t survive washing and reusing, I’d be disinclined to describe them as ‘green’. The manufacturing process would still be pretty energy intense.
You make a good point Kate. Fast disposal isn’t the greenest method. I have done the dishwasher thing…but don’t use heated dry because of the energy thing…which means it still comes out a hot wet little breeding ground for cooties. I have not tried the vinegar trick but am def. going to now.
I’m totally disgusted by sponges, but I let my husband use them ever since I read that you can microwave them for two minutes in a bowl of vinegar or boil them on the stove (in water or vinegar) for a few minutes. You can then use the hot vinegar to clean the microwave, which, in my house, pretty much always needs cleaning. So now I don’t have to flinch every time I see my husband reach for one of the germy little devils.