How to make a zero waste sponge, not throw away old clothes, and have fun?
The KissPlanet bloggers are here to always highlight the best alternatives for the environment while making your daily life easier. Today, I decided to introduce you to the Tawashi sponge.
Tawashi comes from Japanese and means "washing brush" or "mop". The first sponge appeared in 1907 and was made by Seizaemon Nishio from palm fibre. Today, they are made from old clothes or recycled textile materials.
This is a good alternative for reusing used socks with holes in them or tights that you no longer wish to wear. It also allows you to replace old sponges or dishcloths on the edge of the sink that are starting to degrade. The Tawashi sponge is therefore zero waste and helps to extend the life of our clothes. Of course, it will wear out over time and once it is no longer usable, you simply take another pair of socks that are no longer in use and make a new one. And the old one you give to fibre recycling of course (want ideas? That's the subject of a future blog, or share your good tips with us!)
The type of fibre used will determine the cleaning effect: cotton fibres absorb moisture well; nylon or lycra fibres have good friction but absorb less or no water. In any case, it is effective for scrubbing surfaces. You can of course use it in addition to your natural cleaning products (vinegar, bicarbonate, black or Marseille soap, etc.). I tried it with ties, and it didn't work... 😉
This sponge is "coarse-meshed", which can be a disadvantage. When you clean the crumbs on the table after eating, they get stuck in the grooves and need more attention when rinsing. If this bothers you, you can simply run it through the washing machine or reserve it for cleaning the house or your car.
It's a single, multi-purpose sponge made from waste. You can even make it with your children, it's a fun craft!
To guide you in making it, here is a little tutorial:
What you need :
A space big enough to work comfortably
A square wooden board, 20 cm on a side
A hammer
A marker or pencil
Des ciseaux
A square
28 nails
Old clothes (of course!)
Easy, you just have to ...
Step 1 : Draw a 16 cm square on the board
Step 2 : Make small marks every 2 cm on each side
Step 3 : Put a nail on each mark
You can keep this board afterwards to make others later.
Step 4 : Cut your socks into 14 small rings 2 or 3 cm wide
Step 5 : Attach the first 7 rings vertically
Step 6 : For the other 7, you must pass by alternating below and above the first 7
Step 7 : Remove 2 adjacent rings from the nails and pass the second one through the first one, then drop the first one and keep the second one and do the same with the following ones (this is where the video becomes useful 😉 ).
Step 8 : The last ring is the knot that will hold the whole construction in place.
Your songe is ready!
