Plastic-Free Cleaning: My Re:gn Coconut Kitchen Scourers Review

Overall Rating:

4.8/5

Performance = 4.9

Value For Money = 4.7

Longevity = 4.8

I’m on a mission to reduce plastic in my life, which is why I have ditched plastic cleaning sponges. Now I’m trying to find the best eco-friendly alternatives.

I’ve come across these coconut dish scrubbers on one of my favourite sustainable online stores and thought I give them a go.

They’re plastic-free and compostable, so won’t add to the already huge amounts of plastic waste we all produce. But are they fit for purpose and can they replace your plastic cleaning sponges without compromise?

That’s exactly what my re:gn coconut kitchen scourers review is about. So let’s find out…

Why Re:gn?

But first I want to tell you a bit about re:gn and why I chose one of their products. For me, the company selling/making the product is just as important than the products itself. Both have to match my sustainability criteria.

Founded in 2021 and based in the UK, re:gn has sustainability at its heart. They want to be part of the solution, rather than the problem.

Their aim is to provide people, or fellow eco-warriors as they say on their website, with the resources and sustainable products they need to live more sustainably.

Reduced Environmental Impact

The re:gn range of eco-friendly products is designed to have the smallest environmental impact possible, while still ensuring they are meeting high quality standards.

But their commitment to the environment doesn’t stop there, their packaging is just as sustainable, and 100% plastic-free. isn’t that great?

Apart from their own sustainable products, they also sell eco-products from other sustainable brands. They choose these brands with a lot of care, ensuring they meet their high environmental standards.

Community Of Like-Minded People

But why do the sell their competitors’ products? Because they want to build a community of like-minded people to help as many of us to live more sustainably.

This isn’t about making money, it’s about offering people as much choice as possible to make living a more sustainable life easier.

Now that’s a mission I whole-heartedly support.

Thin But Absorbent

When I got these coconut scrubbers delivered, I admit I wasn’t sure about them, because they were quite thin. I expected them to become thicker and more sponge-like once I held them under the water, but that wasn’t so.

However, despite the thinness, they actually absorb water and hold washing-up liquid very well. In fact, just as well as my old plastic sponges did. That was a surprise, but a very welcome one.

Unlike some other eco-friendly sponges I tried, this one held enough washing-up liquid until I have finished washing my dishes. That’s great, because it means I don’t have to use more washing-up liquid than necessary.

Flexible Enough To Easily Clean Mugs & Glasses

One advantage of the thinness of this coconut scourer is that it easily fits into mugs and glasses, even thin ones. So you can reach every part of a mug to scrub away tea and coffee stains.

It adapts to any shape making it easy to reach even corners of roasting trays. Although it’s smaller than most other sponges I tried, this coconut scrubber works great for any dish you need to clean.

Because it’s a scourer it has quite a rough surface, which makes it perfect to get rid of dried or burnt-on food. At the same time, it’s safe for non-stick pans, keeping your dishes scratch-free.

Not Just For Dishes

As much as I like this sponge for cleaning dishes, I like it even better for other tough cleaning jobs. This powerful little sponge scourer makes light work of any cleaning tasks around the home.

Our white ceramic kitchen sink easily gets stained with tea/coffee splashes, so cleaning it can become a bit of a chore. Some of the other eco-friendly sponges we tried struggled, but the re:gn coconut kitchen scrubber didn’t.

It quickly got rid of any splashes and stains and left the sink sparkly clean, without having to use much elbow grease.

Oven Cleaning The Easy Way

One chore I hate is to clean my oven. Especially the oven racks that aren’t the easiest to clean at the best of times. But this scourer makes easy work of it.

It took me a while to find the right tools to get the oven and racks clean without having to spend hours scrubbing. Now I found it.

The re:gn kitchen sponge scourer and my favourite natural cleaning cream. I was dreading to clean the oven, but now, I don’t mind anymore. That’s quite a result, right?

Shiny Hob Without Scrubbing

The hob is another of those cleaning tasks that can be a bit of a chore sometimes. In the heat of cooking splashes and spills happen and when these dry onto the hot hob, my standard evening wipe clean won’t cut it.

So after an especially messy cooking session, I whip out the re:gn kitchen scourer and give the hob a good scrub. This leaves it sparkling without scratching the glass. Fabulous!

Shower screens, baths, and taps are equally easy to clean with this little coconut sponge. I would say it’s great for anything around the house when stains are tougher.

Plastic-Free & Compostable But Not Reusable

One of the benefits of this kitchen scrubber is that it’s 100% plastic-free as well as compostable. Made from coconut fibres, it’s completely plant-based so will break down naturally on a compost heap.

So if you’re making your own compost for your garden, this sponge becomes a zero-waste cleaning tool.

That said, it isn’t reusable like other compostable sponges. Many of them you can refresh by washing them in the dishwasher or washing machine. This gives them a new lease of life and it means you can keep using them for several months.

Last Longer Than Plastic Scourers

Because you can’t refresh these coconut kitchen scourers, they won’t last for months. Once the coconut fibres start to break down, it’s time to replace it.

In that respect, they are a straight swap for a plastic sponge. But minus the microplastics the synthetic sponge releases during use and without creating harmful plastic waste.

However, it has to be said that these re:gn scrubbers are very durable and last longer than your average plastic sponge. How long will depend on how often and what you use them for.

Oven Rack? – No Problem

That said, these scrubbers are quite heavy duty. I scrubbed my oven racks with them and even that didn’t break them. When I used plastic scourers sponges before, this would destroy them.

It’s quite impressive how durable the coconut scourers are, so you can expect them to last quite a bit longer than plastic sponges, even if you use them to do some proper scrubbing.

I can’t put a timeframe on how long exactly they will last, but if you take good care them, rinse them thoroughly after use and let them dry between uses, you should get a reasonable amount of time out of them.

Antibacterial Properties

One big benefit coconut fibres have over plastic is that, like many other natural plant-based fibres, they have antimicrobial properties. (Zamora-Mendoza et al., 2022)

This means they can be used for longer than plastic sponges, which are known to harbour harmful bacteria. So as long as you keep your biodegradable coconut kitchen scourer clean and let it dry out fully between uses, you can use it as long as it holds its structure and is effective.

In the case of the re:gn kitchen scrubber this can be several weeks. So while it’s not the type of cleaning sponge that will last for months, it will still last longer than a plastic one, so there is less waste, and you save money.

Potential For Zero-Waste Disposal

And even if you have to throw the scourer out, you can put it on your compost heap, where it will break down naturally, providing nutrients for your plants. It should be said that this should only be done if you have used chemical-free, natural cleaners/washing-up liquid.

Also make sure you rinse the sponge thoroughly before disposing of it on your compost heap. If you don’t have a compost heap, you can bury the sponge in your garden, where it will break down naturally.

If you don’t have that option either, you have to dispose of it in the general waste bin, which isn’t ideal, but at least it won’t leak toxic chemicals and microplastics in landfill like a plastic sponge would.

Value For Money

Because there is an assumption that eco-friendly products are more expensive, I want to cover this topic in my re:gn coconut kitchen scourers review.

And a straight price comparison between a non-scratch plastic scourer and this coconut scourer does show that the eco-friendly option is more expensive. However, this doesn’t tell you the whole picture.

If you have to replace the biodegradable kitchen scourer less often, the price difference becomes smaller, which isn’t that huge to begin with. We’re not talking about pounds but pennies.

Better For You And The Planet

Besides, there is more to value for money than just price. You get plastic-free cleaning pads that work just as well as plastic sponges, but without the harmful chemicals and microplastics.

That’s better for the planet, but also for you, as you won’t have the risk of tiny plastic-particles in your home that you and your family might eat or breath in.

The natural coconut coir fibres, on the other hand, aren’t harmful in any way and are also home compostable, potentially reducing the amount of waste your household produces. All of this contributes to value for money, in my opinion.

Verdict – Is This A Worthy Swap?

Let’s get to the crux of my re:gn coconut kitchen scourers review: would I recommend them? The answer is, yes, definitely.

Although they aren’t reusable and won’t last as long as other compostable sponges, they do a great job even with though stains. And their potential to being home compostable means they can help with waste reduction in your home.

As plastic-free scrubbers they are an ideal eco-friendly swap that won’t cost the earth. So give them a go, you won’t regret it.