The tawashi (たわし or 束子, lit., a bundle) is a Japanese popular scrubbing brush to wash off dirt. The typical tawashi is Kamenoko Tawashi.
The Kamenoko Tawashi (亀の子たわし or 亀の子束子, lit., the tawashi like a young turtle) is a kind of tawashi made of fiber of a hemp palm. Because the Kamenoko Tawashi is hard, durable and waterproof, it is suitable for washing kitchen equipment, bathtubs, shoes and so on. It should not be used for delicate items.
The Kamenoko Tawashi is a registered trademark of Kamenoko Tawashi Nishio Shoten Co., Ltd. (株式会社 亀の子束子西尾商店, Kabushikigaisya Kamenoko Tawashi Nishio Shōten) in Japan.
A tawashi is made of various materials besides fiber of a hemp palm, and sponges used for rubbing and washing are also called tawashi in Japan.
metallic tawashi
A
metallic tawashi (金属たわし, kinzoku tawashi) is a tawashi made of any metals (steel, stainless steel, brass and so on). Sometimes it is used for removing scorching and rust.
acrylic tawashi
An
acrylic tawashi (アクリルたわし, akuriru tawashi) is a tawashi made of acrylic, typically knitted or crocheted.
sponge tawashi
A polyurethane sponge is sometimes called
sponge tawashi (スポンジたわし, suponji tawashi).
nylon tawashi
A nylon sponge is sometimes called
nylon tawashi (ナイロンたわし, nairon tawashi). it is suitable for washing tough stains, but it should not be used on delicate items.
luffa tawashi
A luffa sponge is called
luffa tawashi (ヘチマたわし, hechima tawashi). It is used as a body scrub.
Eco-friendly tawashi
Crocheted from 100% cotton yarn, the
eco-friendly tawashi (エコたわし, eko tawashi) is scratch-free, and is used for dishes and small cleaning jobs. The prefix eco- (エコ) indicates that it creates less pollution because it can be used without soap or other detergents.:
