Getting plastic out of your kitchen: Bamboo Wok Brushes (more in description)

Find it in my Amazon storefront/link in bio or most affordably at your local Chinese grocery store/kitchen supply store

Plastic is everywhere, including inside our bodies. I’ve been trying to eliminate plastic from my kitchen as much as reasonably possible for both health and sustainability reasons. The tours that we used to hand wash our dishes are usually made out of polyurethane (plastic) and are designed to quickly degrade, forcing us to continuously buy more and throw the old ones away.

I’ve been using the bamboo brushes for decades. But only recently did I realize that it has so many more uses in the kitchen. It’s great on cast iron (raw and enameled) and carbon steel and does an excellent job of scraping food off of any pan. The only pans I don’t use it on are my nonstick pans, which you shouldn’t be using anything but the gentlest of brushes on your nonstick pans anyway (coconut fiber works). For all my handwashing needs, I just rely on bamboo and coconut fiber now and both of those brushes way longer than any of my polyurethane sponges did.

I’ve been using the same bamboo brush for over a year.

[ritikasharma]

Here in India especially in rural areas We use coconut fibre for washing our utensils

[CATKAIJU]

Important to note that if you already own an item that does the job, don't replace it! You're throwing away plastic into a landfill. It's more environmentally friendly to continue using it until it needs to be replaced. Remember, it's reduce, reuse, recycle - IN THAT ORDER!

Edit: Since people don't seem to understand what microplastics are -

1) "But I don't want microplastics in my water!" Tough, they're already there. The vast majority of microplastics originally come from industrial sources, such as from polyester used in clothing. We can make a small amount of change in our homes ourselves, yes, but use what you already have first before you make more eco-friendly changes to the products you own. The real problem is corporations encouraging us to purchase more and more, thereby creating an artificial need for more product, more waste.

2) "Throwing it away is more important than leaking microplastics into my water!" Okay. Are you familiar with the water cycle? Do you understand how plastics degrade? Do you understand how they filter into the soil, and the groundwater in that earth carries them out to sea, into our waterways, etc? Your sponge in a landfill does absolutely nothing to prevent microplastics being formed. The solution to preventing microplastics is to reduce plastic being CREATED - not plastic being used. Once it's created, it will eventually degrade into microplastic. Using it or not using it won't affect this, so you might as well get something out of it.

3) "You can't tell me what to do!" You're right, I can't. I'm simply explaining that eco-conscious movements are riddled with consumerism, which ironically goes against what they SHOULD be promoting in the first place. Being eco-friendly requires engaging less with capitalism. Buy less, throw away less, reuse what you can, and only, only throw things away when you can't get some kind of use out of them. The plastic is already there. It's not some kind of demon you need to get out of your house ASAP, lest the morality police come knocking at your door. Use it, reuse it, as much as you can possibly manage, before it finally goes to landfill. That's how this works.

4) "But this is a good idea!" Where did I say it wasn't? Quickly. What I have said is this: use the products you own to their fullest potential before you purchase something else. Reduce your waste - ALL waste, biodegradable or otherwise. You don't need this brush immediately. That's the capitalism talking. Buy it when you need to replace what you have.

[Rsalance]

“As you can see in the back my sponges are dry and shriveled up”

Idk man that scrub daddy back there looks pretty healthy

[Jaw]

imma have to look for one next time I'm at the asian market. I've been enjoying using swedish dishcloths lately but they struggle against tough stuck on food.

[cel]

If you want you can try loofah sponges too for more gentle scrubbing! They are super easy to grow if you have some space and scaffolding and they produce a lot. There are some varieties that get huge, like 2’ long and 6” across. Cut one of those up you could have one for every month, but they last longer than that! And then compost when you’re done with them.

[heehoopeanut]

Um, no, Scrub Mommy was not crusty and dried up😂 Dont lie, we can see her in the back! And she works VERY WELL😂❤

[davidallen]

Coconut fiber and bamboo 👍👍 big thanks

[gabrielgonzalez]

My issue with coconut and bamboo, are all the little specks it leaves behind, it’s like it’s constantly falling apart

[roserandomde]

I've been using a natural wood and plant fiber brush for about 3 years regularly and I love it ❤❤

[tmart]

Honestly that scrub mommy looked mint though😂

[dboot]

Nah you aint talkin down to Scrub Daddy like that.
Im buying one tomorrow out of spite.
I dont even need one.

[mdnaholi]

The fact y’all don’t realize this man is advertising something to you so you can buy it from their amazon storefront. So much better for the environment

[shadowstone]

If you are trying to get rid of plastic, I will recommend buying tawashi. I think it is a coconut fiber scrubby? Idk for sure, I just know that I've used them my whole life because they are super duper common in Japan. You can use them on non-stick surfaces, etc. If you buy ones with different shapes, you can get ones designed for cleaning cups and such.

If you get them, just make sure you hang them over the sink or something so it fully drains after you use it.

[mcstench]

are we pretending like a scrub mommy aint the best sponge? 😂

[mayav]

First person that talks about get rid of all the plastic for the planet❤😢

[Keannabliss]

You had my sensory overload self at the long handles man

[AllTheOthers]

Thank you for the recommendation, I never thought about wood fiber.

[bakerboycat]

Here in the Philippines, we use coconut husk to clean all sorts of things. But what I want to know is if you want to clean my pipes, Jon.

[l.u.c.a.s.]

I was just washing a dish 5 mins ago and thinking there must be a more effective and sustainable instrument than the disposable sponge. Algorithm read my mind. Thanks for the rec!

[superchewer]

Nah that scrub mommy is perfectly fine, cut the sponge shade