I’m a recovering user of store-bought kitchen scrubby sponges. They were great, if you bought the right one. With the right sponge, you can clean more delicate dishes and glassware while still having the ability to scrub stuck-on or baked-on food off your other dishes.
But they have their drawbacks.
For one, they get stinky fast. They also become a breeding ground for bacteria, which in my unscientific opinion, is probably the cause of the stinky factor. I was able to extend their scrubby little lives by tossing them in the microwave once or twice, and I could get away with running them through a cycle on the top rack of the dishwasher. They also break down over time. So at some point, and not too long into its use, you’re forced to toss it. Not very eco-friendly, especially with their man made materials.
I needed a new option, and I created one!
Strolling through the craft store with my daughter last fall, I spotted something new in the yarn department – scrubby yarn.
A friend had told me years earlier that the Lily Sugar n’ Cream yarn was good for dish cloths, but I never made one. But this… this scrubby stuff had potential. I started out with pot scrubbers made out of 100% scrubby yarn, but quickly adapted to something more versatile. After some trial and error of other patterns that mix worsted weight yarn and the scrubby stuff, I came up with my own version – and I love it.
Why are these things awesome? Well for starters, they don’t get smelly as quickly as a sponge. Plus, you can toss it in the washing machine to get it clean. You can wash it over and over again, and it comes out clean and fresh each time. Nothing to throw in the garbage. And they work. This past summer I realized, while on the road, that I had forgotten to pack a pot scrubber or dish cloth for a camping trip. Luckily I had materials in my backpack – and we had a new scrubber sponge before we got to camp that night.
Without further ado, here’s the pattern for my favorite new kitchen helper. Seriously, you can rock one of these out while catching up on your DVR recordings of the Real Housewives or Project Runway.
Materials Needed for this Project
• Size G or H crochet hook (either will work)
• Worsted weight yarn (Lily Sugar & Cream or equivalent)
• Scrubber yarn (Red Heart Scrubby or equivalent)
• Needle
• Scissors
Instructions
Chain 17.
R1: HDC in second ch from hook. Repeat until the end of the row, 16 sts.
R2: Ch 1, turn. HDC in next st. Repeat HDC until the end of the row.
R3 – R8: Repeat Row 2.
R9: Ch 1, turn. SC in next st and repeat until the end of the row. Finish off and weave in ends.
That’s it. Super simple! You can easily adjust this to fit a wider or a narrower hand by reducing or increasing your rows. I like to pick colors that will hide any tomato, coffee or other foods that could stain.