"I knew right away" — Shark Tank entrepreneur Aaron Krause on Scrub Daddy's cleaning empire

Shark Tank played a crucial role in the rise of Scrub Daddy, a now-iconic sponge known for its smiley face design and versatile cleaning power. Aaron Krause, the inventor behind Scrub Daddy, rediscovered his sponge after it had been rejected and forgotten. As Krause mentioned in an interview with Fortune in January 2024,

"I knew right away this was destined to be the best dishwashing tool in the world."

From a dismissed product to a $220 million business, Scrub Daddy’s growth highlights Krause’s persistence and vision. Today, it is a household name, with its cleaning empire continuing to expand globally.

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From rejection to $220 Million: How Shark Tank helped launch Scrub Daddy's success

The birth of Scrub Daddy

The Scrub Daddy sponge didn’t have an easy start. In 2008, after selling his first business that made buffing pads, Aaron Krause attempted to integrate his sponge, originally marketed as a "hand scrubber," into a new venture. However, his ideas were dismissed. Krause recalls,

“They carved [the sponge] out of the deal, and left it with me because it was so worthless.”

For three years, the product remained forgotten in a box. It wasn’t until 2011 when Krause’s wife, Stephanie, asked him to clean their moldy lawn furniture that the sponge was brought back to life.

To Krause’s surprise, the sponge worked wonders, transforming the grimy surface into a sparkling finish. This moment led to his realization of the product's potential.

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Turning the corner

The turn of events in Krause's life came when he decided to go to 3M, his former colleagues, and try to garner support for the sponge. His former colleagues were skeptical about it, but Krause did not lose hope.

“They said, 'Oh, you're crazy. It's a wasted product,'" he recalled.

However, after testing the product himself and seeing its performance, Krause was able to win over the naysayers. Investing $150,000, Krause patented the product and began selling it in local grocery stores. His initial success came quickly, with one store owner telling him,

“We normally sell two or three sponges a day, you're selling 200 to 300 in one of my stores."

In 2012, Krause decided to take his product to a broader audience by applying for Shark Tank. After a successful pitch on the show’s fourth season, Krause secured a $200,000 investment and a 20% equity deal from entrepreneur Lori Greiner.

Following the Shark Tank episode’s airing, Scrub Daddy’s sales surged, crossing the $1 million mark within 24 hours. This marked the beginning of the sponge’s national success, and Scrub Daddy quickly became one of the most successful products in Shark Tank history.

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Expanding the Scrub Daddy empire

Since its breakthrough on Shark Tank, Scrub Daddy has expanded beyond its initial product. The company, now headquartered in Pennsauken, New Jersey, boasts a wide range of cleaning products. Its new headquarters features not only a warehouse and television studio but also a koi pond and customer-facing store. Krause continues to innovate within the cleaning sector.

"We make sponges, but why don't we make mops? Why don't we make toilet cleaning products? Why don't we make barbecue brushes?" Krause explained.

In 2014, Scrub Daddy introduced Scrub Mommy, a hybrid product combining the original Scrub Daddy sponge with a traditional sponge. This marked the beginning of the company's pattern of launching new products each year.

In 2023, Scrub Daddy partnered with Unilever to expand into international markets, including Europe. Now valued at $220 million in sales, the company continues to grow globally. Krause has turned his once-overlooked sponge into a worldwide cleaning empire.

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