Many of us are aware that plastic sponges are bad news for the environment and are looking for alternatives. So we ask: do compostable sponges work?
In my mission to live a more sustainable life and reduce the waste our household produces, I came across compostable sponges.
I know that traditional cleaning sponges you buy in the supermarket are made of plastic. And these plastic sponges are very harmful to our environment.
So I’m keen not to use them any more. In my search for a sustainable and plastic-free alternative I came across compostable sponges.
And I wondered if they worked. After all, if they don’t do the job then most people won’t switch to them even if they are better for our planet.
If you wonder too, then this is the right article for you. Because I will tell you if they do or don’t.
What Are Compostable Sponges Made Of?
You are probably aware that traditional sponges are made of plastic. This means they are not eco-friendly.
The good news is there are cleaning sponges available that are environmentally friendly and compostable.
These are made of three different materials, but all of them are 100% natural and can be composted at home once they reach the end of their lives.
There is the natural sea sponge, which is actually an animal. To harvest sea sponges, the top of the animal is cut off, which is like us having a hair cut.
It then takes 3–5 years to grow back. So it is important to give these organisms the change to grow back, otherwise there is a risk of overharvesting.
If sustainably sourced, these sea sponges are an eco-friendly alternative to plastic sponges that are also compostable.
But you have to be able to live with the fact that you are cleaning with part of an animal. This is not for everyone.
You might prefer the loofah sponge. This is basically the dried and peeled fruit of the luffa plant, which is in the same plant family as cucumbers.
You can even grow your own luffa plant and loofah sponges. Isn’t that a great idea?
And then there are cellulose sponges. These are made from plant fibres, such as wood pulp. From all three, this is the least natural, because the plant fibres have to be turned into a sponge, which is done via manufacturing processes.
While this makes cellulose sponges less natural than the other two types, they are still a great eco-friendly alternative. And as they are compostable, they are also zero-waste.
Now that you know the different types of compostable sponges, let’s look at each of them in turn to find out if they work.
Sea Sponge
To make this as useful as possible, I will look at different criteria to establish if sea sponges are effective for cleaning. Including, absorbing and cleaning ability, durability and other benefits.
So let’s see how this compostable sponge squares up.
Ability To Absorb Water And Clean
A sponge that doesn’t absorb water isn’t a sponge, right? Sea sponges actually hold more water than synthetic ones, up to three times more. So they definitely score points in this area.
This is good news if you are looking for an eco-friendly cleaning sponge to clean your car or windows. With a super absorbent sponge you don’t need to go back to the water bucket as often.
But what about its ability to clean? Sea sponges have been used by humans for thousands of years because they are versatile.
They are super soft once wet, so are ideal to use on your skin. But they also work really well as a cleaning sponge.
People using natural sea sponges for cleaning say that they are great for getting your bath tub and sink shiny. Their cleaning power is apparently superior to mass-produced synthetic sponges.
So much so that they clean away dirt and soap residue twice as quickly. At the same time, their softness means that they won’t scratch your kitchen or bathroom surfaces or non-stick pans.
So all in all, in this category the sea sponge is certainly pulling its punches and overtaking the classic sponge that is made of plastic.
Durability
One of the worst things about plastic sponges is that they don’t last very long. Especially if you are using them to scrub dirty surfaces.
That means you have to replace them regularly, which is neither good for our planet nor for your purse or wallet.
One problem with traditional sponges is that they start to shrink, fall apart and start to smell, due to the build up of bacteria.
Sea sponges are really robust and won’t fall apart in a hurry. And if you take good care of it, such this compostable sponge can last many months or, as some say, even years.
And these natural compostable sponges also have their own, built-in antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. They don’t need to be drenched in bleach or tricolsan like plastic sponges.
They are saturated with enzymes that stop bacteria and mould from growing on the sponges. This means they are more hygienic but will also not start smelling.
To ensure your sea sponge lasts as long as possible, all you have to do is to give it a short bath in 240ml of water mixed with 1 tbsp of bicarbonate of soda (also called baking soda).
Make sure you wring it out well and let it air dry. And that’s it!
So no more throwing away your sponges after a few days or weeks. Imagine the amount of waste you are preventing.
Again, the sea sponge tops the plastic sponge in our category of durability.
Disposal
The cheap plastic sponges commonly used are not recyclable. This means they have to be chucked in the general waste bin and end up in landfill.
Given that plastic can take hundreds of years to break down, this is not good news for our environment.
So what about the sea sponge? Well, because it’s 100% natural, it will naturally break down into harmless components. This means sea sponges are 100% biodegradable and also 100% compostable (biodegradable and compostable aren’t the same thing).
A compostable sponge is therefore zero-waste, which is great. Once you have finished with your sea sponge, after many months or even years, you can just cut it up and throw it on your compost heap.
Just give it a good clean to get rid of any unwanted dirt particles and cut it up to help speed up decomposition.
I would recommend only composting sponges that haven’t been used with harmful chemicals though.
If you don’t have a compost heap or bin at home, you will have to put it in the general waste bin, because most UK councils won’t accept it in their garden waste bins.
But even if your sea sponge ends up in landfill, it will break down quickly and cause no harm to wildlife or the environment.
Compostable sponges are always preferable to plastic ones, as they reduces plastic waste.
Other Benefits
We have already touched on this, but one big advantage of sea sponges is that they are naturally antibacterial and anti-fungal.
This means using them is healthier for you and the environment, because there is no need to drench them in harmful chemicals to keep these microorganisms at bay.
But it also means that you don’t need to worry about bacteria build-up, especially when using your sea sponge for washing dishes.
As long as you always rinse your sponge properly after use to ensure no residue of the cleaning product you use is left. Then wring it out and let dry naturally.
What To Look Out For
If sea sponges are your chosen compostable sponges then there are two things to look out for before buying one.
First, make sure that the sea sponges are harvested sustainably. This will ensure that you are not contributing to the loss of biodiversity and destruction of ecosystems.
Secondly, buy a sea sponge that hasn’t been soaked in bleach. Some companies do that for the colour. Not sure why this is necessary, but it will defeat the object of having a compostable sponge.
Because being a sponge it will absorb the bleach and that means you can’t compost it as this could contaminate your compost heap.
If you look out for these things, you can be sure that your sea sponge is eco-friendly.
Loofah Sponge
Let’s move on to another type of compostable sponges, the loofah sponge.
You might know it from your beauty routine, as it is used as exfoliator for your body. But you can also use them to clean your home.
Let’s see how loofah sponges compare to plastic ones and if they do a good job.
Ability To Absorb Water And Clean
When you first take a natural loofah sponge into your hands, you might question if it is a sponge. It doesn’t feel soft and squishy, like the plastic ones we are used to.
It feels coarse and hard when it’s dry. But once you submerge the loofah sponge in warm water, it transforms into a sponge.
It’s quite surprising how much liquid a loofah sponge can absorb. This is great, because it means you can use it like any other traditional plastic sponge, minus the environmental impact.
Because of the coarse texture, loofah is great at removing stains from surfaces or burnt on food from dishes. At the same time, it isn’t abrasive, so won’t cause any damage.
This means it can be used on delicate surfaces and for non-stick pans and trays. After all, it is often used for cleaning your skin.
This natural scrubber will work just as well, if not better than any synthetic one, but it’s 100% natural.
Durability
Unlike a classic plastic sponge, a loofah sponge will last several months. Especially, if you take good care of it.
A loofah sponge won’t fall apart quickly, if maintained well. Make sure you thoroughly rinse and wring it out after every use and let it air dry on a dry surface.
This way, you will be able to enjoy this compostable sponge for many months.
To counteract the build-up of bacteria and mould, just pop your loofah sponge in the dishwasher on the top rack. Make sure you use eco-friendly dishwasher tablets tough.
If you using your loofah to clean your bathroom, throw it in the washing machine with your towels. Again, use eco-friendly laundry detergent.
Alternatively, you can just boil these natural sponges in water to get rid of any bacteria or germs.
This will make your loofah sponge last longer. So less waste and less money spent. Perfect!
Disposal
But even with the best care, you will reach a point when your loofah sponge had it. The good news is, you can then throw it on your compost heap, as long as you haven’t used any harmful chemicals with it.
Because it’s plant based, it will turn into soil and provide nutrients for your flowers, fruits or veggies. Or your luffa plant, if you are growing your own.
Cutting the sponge up beforehand will help it to decompose quicker.
If you don’t have access to a home compost heap, then check with your local council. Some of them will accept loofah sponges in their garden waste bins.
Otherwise, you have to put it in the general waste bin. This is not ideal, but at least it won’t cause harm to the planet in landfill.
Other Benefits
Unlike the sea sponge, the loofah sponge is 100% vegan as it is plant based. So you don’t have to worry about moral implications.
A natural loofah sponge has antimicrobial properties, which means that bacteria and mould will take longer to build up than on a plastic sponge.
So you can use them for longer. Plus you can chuck them in the dishwasher or washing machine to get rid of any microbes that have built up.
All this makes this plant-based compostable sponge a great eco-friendly alternative to classic plastic-based sponges.
What To Look Out For
Make sure that you only buy loofah sponges that haven’t been soaked in bleach or other harmful chemicals. These aren’t good for you or the environment.
It’s also not necessary, so make sure you are buying 100% loofah with no additions.
Cellulose Sponge
Now let’s look at the final compostable sponge and see how it holds up under scrutiny.
Ability To Absorb Water And Clean
Cellulose is made from plant fibres, such as wood pulp or bamboo fibres. But the plant material has to undergo processes to turn them into a sponge.
Because of this, cellulose sponges resemble plastic sponges the most. Although they tend to have bigger holes, and they don’t feel as soft when they are dry.
Once you put in water, this compostable sponge can absorb several times its own weight. Spills are no problem.
So they can hold their own when compared to the traditional sponge.
A cellulose sponge will clean just as well as a regular plastic sponge, if not better. And if you are wondering if you can get them with a scouring pad attached, the answer is yes.
More course fibres such as sisal or coconut husk make short work of any stubborn stains, while keeping the sponge 100% natural.
So you don’t have to compromise on efficiency if you swap to cellulose sponges.
Durability
Like the other compostable sponges, the cellulose sponge is more robust and therefore lasts longer.
With the right care, you can use a single cellulose sponge for several months. Rinse and wring out your sponge after every use and make sure it can dry out naturally.
To further prolong the life of a cellulose sponge, just wash them in the dishwasher or washing machine. This will freshen it up and get rid of any germs and bacteria.
Treated like this, your cellulose sponge will last much longer than any plastic one. So you can save the environment and money.
Disposal
As this is a compostable sponge, you can throw it on your compost heap once you are done with it.
Make sure you only use it with eco-friendly cleaning products though so as not to cause problems for your compost heap or plants.
Like loofah sponges, some councils will accept cellulose sponges in their garden waste bins.
If you have access to neither, you have to dispose of your cellulose sponge in the general waste bin. A shame, but at least it will biodegrade quickly into harmless components.
Other Benefits
Cellulose sponges are plant-based, so are suitable for vegans.
There are also different sponges for different uses. They are made by using different materials. Cotton might be added if a softer sponge is needed.
Coconut husk will make the sponge rougher and suitable for scrubbing. The combination of the different materials can create a variety of different sponges that are ideal for different cleaning tasks.
These plant-based sponges also come in different shapes, so they are really versatile.
What To Look Out For
There are cellulose sponges out there that have plastic added. Often manufacturers will add a plastic scouring pad. Keep away from these, as this makes them no longer compostable.
Also, it makes them unsustainable and bad for the environment.
Another thing to look out for is that the sponges haven’t been soaked in any chemicals. If they are, they can’t be composted, and they are no longer eco-friendly.
As long as you look out for this, your swap to a cellulose sponge will help you to live a more sustainable life and reduce the waste you produce.
My Experience Using Seep Compostable Sponges
I wanted to stop using plastic sponges, so decided to give a compostable sponge a go. I’m not comfortable using a sea sponge, because it’s a part of an animal. So I decided to go for a sponge that is a mix of cellulose and loofah.
Seep – A UK-Based Company
I found these sponges from seep when I was looking for eco-friendly cleaning accessories. Seep is a small UK-based company that was created because the founder couldn’t find plastic-free sponges. So she decided to make them herself and founded seep.
While I was a little bit disappointed that their sponges were made in China, I understand that in order to compete with cheap plastic sponges, plastic-free alternatives can’t be too expensive. Otherwise, nobody will buy them.
And unfortunately, this very often means making them in China. It’s far from ideal, but I couldn’t find any that weren’t.
Because seep‘s main focus is on producing plastic-free and eco-friendly cleaning tools, they are putting the planet at the heart of what they do. That’s the kind of business I want to support. At the same time, they make products that work too, which is equally important.
The Seep Cellulose And Loofah Sponge
The first thing I noticed when I took a seep sponge out was that it was much firmer than a plastic one. I know that’s because it’s not drenched in chemicals to make it softer. And that’s a good thing.
Once you hold it under running water, it quickly absorbs it and becomes as soft as a conventional sponge. And the absorbancy is really good, no different to a plastic sponge.
The loofah scouring pad feels odd at first, because it’s rather sturdy. But once it gets wet, it becomes softer.
I use the sponges for cleaning dishes and the bathrooms. They start off in the kitchen and when they become a bit tatty, they move on to the bathroom. I used to do the same with plastic sponges.
However, now it takes ages for one sponge to move on, because they last longer than plastic ones, and you can pop them in the dishwasher to clean them.
While a plastic sponge only lasted a matter of weeks, the seep compostable sponges last for months. When the sponge gets a bit discoloured from the food, I just wash it in the dishwasher, and it’s as good as new.
And after many many months, when the sponge is no longer usable, I cut it up and add it to our compost bin. No waste at all. I do put it through another wash in the dishwasher first though, because I don’t want to add any unwanted food particles to our compost.
Performance
Having used these sponges now for over a year, I can say that they work really well to clean dishes with. The scouring pad gets rid of the tougher dirt, although you need to scrub a bit harder. But that’s OK, I count it as exercise.
Cleaning the bathroom is also no problem. I use the cellulose part for general cleaning and the loofah pad for tougher stains. The roughness of the loofah works well for that.
One area where the seep sponges didn’t work well was the kitchen sink, unfortunately. To get the sink clean, we would have to scrub for ages, which isn’t really viable. Unless you love cleaning and prefer it to any other activity. That’s not us.
So we are looking for an eco-friendly solution for that, as I don’t want to go back to plastic sponges. But apart from that, the seep sponges work great.
What I Love About The Seep Sponge
There are many things I love about these little compostable sponges. The fact that they work for most of my needs is one.
That they are eco-friendly, zero-waste and great value for money are another. But what I love the most is that you can put them in the dishwasher or washing machine to freshen them up.
This kills the bacteria and makes them last so much longer. And while they seem expensive at first, being able to freshen them up makes them great value for money.
I bought a 4-pack over a year ago, and I’m still using them. One in the kitchen and two in the bathrooms. So I only composted one so far.
That’s excellent. Not only because it means the seep sponges are cost-effective, but also because it means I need to buy less, which is better for our environment.
All in all, I can warmly recommend the seep compostable sponge to anyone wanting to move away from these awful plastic sponges.
Conclusion
To conclude, I am happy to say that compostable sponges do work. They are just as good, if not better, than traditional plastic sponges.
Wether you choose a natural sea sponge, the loofah sponge or a cellulose sponge, you won’t have to compromise on results.
Your home will be as clean as it was before, even cleaner, because they are all plastic-free and eco-friendly alternatives.
What are you waiting for? Ditch your plastic sponges and switch to a compostable sponge and save the planet for the next generations.
