Save money and be eco-friendly by making your own DIY sponges. Learn how easy it is to make them, plus get ideas for what you can use them for around the house.
Looking for an easy way to save money and be eco-friendly? Try making your own DIY sponges! They’re easy and inexpensive to make, and you can use them for all sorts of tasks around the house.
It’s surprisingly easy, and you can customize them to fit your needs. You can customize them for all sorts of tasks around the house, from scrubbing dishes to mopping up spills on your floor.

Homemade sponges are easy and cheap to make, and they work just as well as a regular sponge. Plus, you can customize them to your own needs by choosing the type of sponge material.
So why not give zero waste sponges a try? Your wallet and the environment will thank you!
Keep reading for instructions on how you might go about making these DIY sponges at home with scraps of fabric pieces or old towels in just a few minutes time.

How to Make Reusable Sponges (Makes 3)
Supplies:
- ¼ yard mesh fabric
- ¼ yard cotton fabric
- ¼ yard cotton batting
- Sewing Machine
- Matching thread
- Fabric marking pen
- Sewing pins or clips
- Scissors
- Turning tool
- Cutting mat and ruler, measuring tape or ruler

Skill Level: Beginner
- Approximate time to complete: 15-20 minutes
- Approximate cost to make: $0.91 per sponge (each ¼ yard can make 3 sponges)

Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1: Cut (2) 4 ½” x 6” sponge strips from your cotton fabric and mesh fabric. For the cotton batting, cut 2-4 pieces into your desired size, depending on how thick you want your whole sponge to be.

Step 2: On your flat work surface, layer your pieces as follows: one piece of cotton right side up, the two pieces of mesh next, the other piece of cotton right side facing down and the cotton batting on top. Pin or clip the layers together.

Steps 3-4: Using a 3/8” seam allowance, sew all the layers together, leaving a 3-4” gap for turning on one of the long sides. Clip the corners to remove bulk, being careful not to clip through the stitching.


Steps 5-6: Using your turning tool, turn right side out between the mesh layers and push out the corners. Tuck in the raw edges of the opening and pin or clip closed.


Step 7: Topstitch around the entire sponge. Next, topstitch around the finished sponge again 1/4-inch to the left from the first topstitch line.


If you’re looking for the best way to store your homemade sponges, we have a few tips! Keep a dry sponge in an airtight container that can keep out dust as well as humidity and avoid storing near any porous materials (like wood cutting blocks) because they’ll absorb moisture from these surfaces which could not only ruin their shape but also cause mold growth.
When your sponge is dirty, toss in the washing machine with a load of towels and dry on low.

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