8 Minute Sponges: Never Buy Sponges Again AND Reduce Plastic Waste

5-10 minute sponges, never buy sponges again, help reduce your plastic waste! Made entirely out of material you probably already have or regularly amass. These have been time tested and provide good bubble scrubbing action, ideal for casual dish washing, and more challenging scrubbing.

Mesh produce bags, or chanukah gelt bags

Scissors (or other blade for cutting)

a foot or two of string, fishing line, thick thread or similar (optional)

a large eyed needle (optional)

5-10 minutes

Gather all your meshy plastic produce bags

notes: I really like the plastic mesh that forms the felxible diamond shapes withthe raised bumps at the intersections, and think this is the best kind.

The other mesh types like the less flexible ribbony kind and the smoother mesh varieties, still have their use in this project as they make excellent filler or for tying off knots, so don't eliminate them yet.

Unknot the knots on the ends of the bags (these knots hold a surprising amount of material). Twisting and pushing the end in towards the knot helps in loosening for those stubborn knots.

Remove the non meshy parts, cut away metal clips, labels, and other non meshy bits.

For the sew/threading option:

designate your outside mesh

(I recomend using one that is already in a smallish tube shape a little longer than your intended sponge size, this gives you a better shape and cuts down on the number of sides you need to sew/tie off). Chanukah gelt/candy bags are perfect for this outside layer.

Else, Select a piece that is without holes or tears and is atleast the size of the preferred surface area of your intended dream sponge. The elasticy diamond mesh with the raised bumps I referenced earlier are the ideal outer material for your sponge.

lay out your intended inner mesh layering one over the other, two or three mesh bags is a good amount. those ribbony non flexible kind are good for this inner part, as are very torn bags, and other odd bits.

fold the rough and torn edges in towards the center, then fold over again to contain the loose edges.

continue to fold in half or thirds till your intended shape and size are formed, and it fits inside of your designated outside piece. You should have a nice little rectangle, unless you went with a wild shape.

Stuff or fold your tidy mesh rectangle(or wild shape) into your outside piece

For the non sew/ even quicker method:

Use only the tube shaped materials.

Fold/cuff the material over inside out on itself. like you are cuffing a sock, or button up shirt sleeve. (NOT like folding a napkin).

Continue cuffing material, till it can no longer be cuffed or desired width is attained. It should appear in a donut like shape.

Then cuff the next tube shaped bag over your current cuff, for added thickness and increased bubbling. (two medium bags worth is good, but I won't stop you).

Sew/threading method:

Get your bit of string, or other intended thin binding material.

(I used an old scrap of fly fishing line that was left over from another project).

I highly recommend using a large needle that can fit your bit of string, fishing line or other. like the kind used for needle point or yarn. You don't NEED one but it makes the project a whole lot easier/faster)

Tie a small knot on the first corner of your soon to be sponge

Start threading, be sure to catch a bit of the inside materials through your stitches as you go, (to prevent sliding about while you scrub). I recomend setting the stitches at a distance appropriate for the strength and thickness of your "thread" thicker or stronger can more safely be spaced farther apart.

Tie off the end and cut off the excess.

Non-sew even quicker option:

Take a bit of unused mesh material, or get fancy with a leftover ribbon strip.

Tie it through and around an end of your mesh donut.

Knot it and tuck in the loose ends.

I used a garlic bag to tie mine off. I felt the material was too slippery to be a good scrubber but didnt want to waste it.

I administered a scrubby bubble test and it held up. We got lots of meshy produced scrubbin' bubbles, ready to clean!