I Tried a Sponge vs. the Scrub Daddy, and There Was a Clear Winner

05.05.2024 - 11:27 / thespruce.com

I'm that person—the one who has no problem giving the silent treatment to the stack of dishes piling up in my sink. Cold, globby textures and grimy water gross me out to no end, so any tool out there that can speed up the process and get it over with is a win in my eyes.

I've tried quite a few dishwashing sponges and brushes, but all took roughly the same amount of time (and none lessened my overstated hatred). But then came the Scrub Daddy—could this smiley sponge really rid me of my dishwashing disdain?

I quickly found out the hype was very, very real. Here was the verdict after putting a regular sponge and a Scrub Daddy head-to-head.

The Spruce / Melissa Epifano

I was always a fan of the big smile and colorful options Scrub Daddies were available in, especially since it reflected the opposite mood that washing the dishes puts me in, but I never actually tried one.

Once my order arrived, I noticed that the sponges were much harder than a traditional sponge, but the box promised they soften in hot water. I found the texture a little strange—it felt more like a pumice stone than the original dishwashing utensil.

I liked that it's made to be odor-free (a claim that did hold up after a large collection of stinky dishes) and that you can toss it in the dishwasher to clean. Even better, it's scratch-free, so you can use it on non-stick pans and other items that you'd avoid touching with a scouring sponge.

Then came the Scrub Daddy—could this smiley sponge really rid me of my dishwashing disdain?

The Spruce / Melissa Epifano

Although I own a few nonstick pans, depending on the meal that was cooked in them (or how long they've been sitting around), it's not always easy to get them clean.

One curry can instantly render a