A tawashi (たわし or 束子; lit. a bundle) is a scrubbing brush for wet cleaning, of a style that is popular in Japan. Tawashis are traditionally made from hemp palm. In Japan, sponges used for scrubbing are now treated as forms of tawashi.
Types Several synthetic polymers are frequently seen:
A polyurethane sponge is sometimes called sponge tawashi (スポンジたわし, suponji tawashi). An acrylic tawashi (アクリルたわし, akuriru tawashi) is made of acrylic, typically knitted or crocheted. Kameno tawashi (亀の子束子) is the traditional tawashi made from palm fiber. Kinzoku tawashi (金属たわし), used to describe brass or stainless steel scrubbers. Some tawashis are now crocheted from cotton yarn, producing the eco-friendly tawashi (エコたわし, eko tawashi), which is scratch-free, and used for dishes and small cleaning jobs.
See also Sponge (tool)
References
External links How to Use Tawashi, Japan's Scrub Brush