If you’re on TikTok (or other social media platforms), then you’ve probably seen the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster all over your feed. It caught our attention because dusting is a frustrating household chore. Many people dread it because it’s such a tedious, detail-oriented cleaning job. So we were curious to see how well this reusable duster works — and how it stacks up against other cleaning tools for dusting.
To put the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster to the test, we used it to dust a variety of household surfaces, from bookshelves to blinds to outdoor furniture. Here’s my honest review.
Scrub Daddy's reusable dusting sponge, the Damp Duster, quickly picks up dust, hair and other buildup. I was impressed by its versatility, low price and small, easy-to-store size.
What I liked about it
It picks up dust without spreading it around
The standard rule of cleaning is to dust first and sweep or vacuum second. The order is important because traditional dusting methods (like handheld feathers, microfiber dusting wands and disposable dusting cloths) can send dust flying everywhere.
The Damp Duster solves this problem. Because it’s slightly tacky, it picks up the dust rather than spreading it around. Its ridged design also helps trap dust, leaving surfaces and the air around you free from airborne particles.
It’s reusable and super easy to clean
The Damp Duster is made of flexible polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foam — the same material used in makeup sponges. To use PVA foam sponges for cleaning, wet the sponge and wring it out very well so that it is just barely damp, then wipe the surface in need of dusting using straight, overlapping lines. After dusting, rinse the sponge clean with water, squeeze it out and reuse it over and over again.
It’s fantastic for dusting small, tight and awkwardly shaped spaces
The Damp Duster is flexible, so it allows you to easily get into tight spaces where dust can build up. I found the tool especially useful for removing dust and other buildup on furniture because it allowed me to get into joints and fretwork that other dusters typically miss.
The Damp Duster is also perfect for small tasks, like dusting the TV and its console or wiping residue from personal care products (like dry shampoo) from bathroom surfaces.
It also worked wonders on outdoor furniture
If you have a patio or backyard, then you know the second you wipe off your outdoor table or favorite lawn chair, a gust of wind comes by to blow dust all over it. So that’s why the biggest surprise in my testing was how well the Damp Duster worked for cleaning outdoor furniture — including cushions, plant stands, railings and other fixtures.
The PVA foam sponge made quick work of removing a significant buildup of pollen and dust, and it was much easier to use than the handheld vacuum I’d been using to keep my outdoor furniture clean. And while the need for frequent rinsing added a bit more time to the job, being able to quickly and easily clean outdoor surfaces without having to launder rags or throw away a bunch of single-use paper products felt like a big win.
The low price and small size make it an attractive buy
At $4, the Damp Duster is an excellent value, especially for a cleaning tool that can be reused over and over and replaces disposable dusting cloths and wands like the Swiffer Duster. And, because it is so small — roughly the size of a kitchen sponge — it’s easy to store and does not take up a lot of space.
And because of its small size, the Damp Duster would be the perfect item to stash in a desk drawer for quickly cleaning dust magnets in the office (like computer monitors) and for keeping work surfaces free of dust, hair and crumbs.
What I didn’t like about it
The need for frequent rinsing can be annoying
The Damp Duster needs to be rinsed off frequently when cleaning, and having to stop and start can be annoying when tackling bigger dusting jobs. Additionally, the Damp Duster does need to be damp to work — if it dries out while in storage or while in use, you will need to rewet it to activate the PVA foam.
If your household has pets, or humans who shed a lot of hair, make sure to use a drain protector in the sink where you rinse the Damp Duster to avoid clogging the pipes with debris from the sponge.
Disappointing results on blinds, vents and window tracks
On social media, there is no shortage of videos showing the Damp Duster’s efficacy at cleaning blinds. However, in my testing, I found that the Damp Duster fell short, leaving streaks and clumps of dirt on the slats. Using vertical strokes helped to improve the Damp Duster’s performance on blinds somewhat, but overall I found the results disappointing.
The same issue cropped up when using the Damp Duster to clean vents and window tracks. While the sponge did pick up a lot of grimy buildup, it left streaks and clumps of dirt behind.
It’s not ideal for dusting hard-to-reach places or for big jobs
The Damp Duster is a small, handheld cleaning tool so its uses are limited to places that you can reach. While it worked well at picking up dust, hair and other buildup from baseboards, it can be tedious and, if you have physical limitations that make bending or crouching difficult, those will be a barrier to use. Similarly, if you are short, you will not be able to clean high-up places with The Damp Duster without the use of a ladder.
Bottom line
The Scrub Daddy Damp Duster is a fantastic dusting tool for small tasks, so I think it deserves a spot in just about every home. While its performance on slatted items like blinds and vents was disappointing, it was a standout for dusting furniture and proved especially useful for cleaning dirt and grime off outdoor surfaces.
It’s not the best tool for cleaning hard-to-reach places, but for small jobs and day-to-day maintenance around the home or office, this $4 tool quickly removes dust without anything more than a little water.