Washing up sponges can be used to make your garden grow this spring, says expert (2025)

Believe it or not adding your old sponges to compost can nourish your soil

If you're looking for ways to improve your garden this spring, the answer could be sitting next to your kitchen sink.

The humble washing up sponge could be the key to making your garden bloom as well as getting your dishes sparkling, says one gardening expert.

The cleaning staple is one of the unusual things gardeners are being told to add to their compost heap to help flowers, fruit and vegetables grow and even bolster hedges.

Richard King, a gardening expert and director at Dino Decking, said natural, non-synthetic sponges can be a great addition to the usual compost material of old food, leaves and dead flowers, all of which improve the quality of your soil to help your garden look its best.

He said: “As we start spring coming in with longer days and warmer temperatures, gardeners will now see their compost piles thrive and for those who are just starting theirs, now is a great time to get recycling.

"Compost heaps are great for the soil, feeding plants rich nutrients and are a great way to give back to nature. By composting these often-overlooked materials, you’re reducing waste while enriching your soil with diverse nutrients.

“Instead of chucking away old sponges, you can chop them up and add them to your compost. Provided they are made from natural sources such as loofah or cellulose they are great for balancing the nitrogen-rich materials and absorbing water keeping the compost nice and damp for microbial activity."

Richard also offered advice on how to make the most of your waste by revealing unusual things you can compost that your garden will thank you for, reports The Express.

But he did warn: “Synthetic kitchen sponges, however, should never be composted as they can add toxins to the compost.”

Other items that can be added to a compost pile include some food items you might not think of but they can actually improve the compost.

Richard added that breads and pastries can also help your compost. He said: “Plain bread, cracker crumbs, and even stale mince pies (minus the foil obviously) can be composted as long as they aren’t covered in butter or dairy.

Baked goods are carbon-rich “browns” that balance out the “greens” from fruit and veg scraps, helping to maintain a healthy, diverse compost mix.”

Spring is the best time to start a compost heap as warmth is required to allow the material to decompose.

It can take a few months to allow materials to break down to be able to be used on your soil.

If you start your compost heap in the summer months, it will benefit from the heat and fast decomposition but it could dry out because of the temperatures. You may have to water it and keep it in a shady spot in the garden to stop moisture from escaping.