Canstar Blue’s sponges and cleaning cloths review has seen ALDI Power Force, Vileda, Oates, Coles Ultra, Chux, Scotch-Brite, Sabco and Woolworths Essentials compared and rated on effectiveness, durability, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction.
See our Ratings Methodology.
ALDI Power Force was rated best in Canstar Blue’s first-ever review of sponges and cleaning cloths, scoring five stars for effectiveness, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction.
Whether it’s the kitchen bench, bathroom sink or windows, keeping surfaces in your home clean is hard, especially when you add kids, pets and messy houseguests into the mix. But even harder is finding the right tools for the job. Are cleaning cloths as effective on oil stains as with dust? What about scrubbing off dirt? It’s no wonder nearly half of our survey respondents (45%) have tried multiple brands of cleaning cloths, sponges and brushes.
To make it a little easier to navigate the supermarket’s cleaning aisle, Canstar Blue has produced a quick guide to the best-rated sponges and cleaning cloths. The results (in the table above) are based on the feedback of more than 1,500 Australian consumers who’ve purchased and used cleaning cloths, sponges and/or brushes in the last 12 months. Brands were rated on effectiveness, durability, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction. Those that received at least 30 responses are featured in our report.
ALDI Power Force was rated best for overall satisfaction, and also received five stars for effectiveness, packaging design, value for money.
Here are the best brands of cleaning sponges, cloths & wipes in Australia, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s 2021 review:
ALDI Power Force topped our cleaning sponges and cloths ratings, after earning the only five-star review for overall customer satisfaction. Most other brands achieved four stars overall, except Woolworths Essentials which got three stars for overall satisfaction.
Notably, Vileda and Oates managed to edge out ALDI Power Force on durability, both scoring five stars, with Oates also getting full marks for effectiveness.
Cult discount supermarket ALDI is known for cheap groceries, Special Buys and has also recently earned a solid reputation for its household cleaning products, including bathroom cleaners, antibacterial surface wipes and more. The ALDI Power Force range includes scrubber sponges in bulk packs of 20, antibacterial thick sponges in packs of eight, that can be used for quick ‘wipe up’ and tough cleaning jobs, as well as assorted absorbent sponge cloths (10-pack).
Studies suggest there are upwards of 300 different species of bacteria on sponges, meaning kitchen sponges could have as much bacteria as a toilet bowl. Therefore, keeping sponges and cloths clean is crucial to avoid spreading more bacteria and germs on your surfaces. Here are some tried and tested methods to keep your cleaning gear in top condition.
It’s recommended to throw away your sponges every two weeks at least, although some experts advise that you should change your cleaning cloths and sponges every week. As a general rule, if your cleaning wipes start to smell funky, it means they’re contaminated and you should get rid of them. That’s why it’s wise to buy those in bulk.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Lead, Megan Birot. She’s an expert on household appliances, health & beauty products, as well as all things grocery and shopping. When she’s not writing up our research-based ratings reports, Megan spends her time helping consumers make better purchase decisions, whether it’s at the supermarket, other retailers, or online, highlighting the best deals and flagging anything you need to be aware of.
Picture credit: Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased and used cleaning cloths, sponges and/or brushes in the last 12 months – in this case, 1,579 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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