Review: Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber

I think we've all tried SCJohnson's Scrubbing Bubbles products before, and while they do work about the same as most of the other cleansers available on the market, you still have to scrub your arm off to get rid of the really tough grime. Honestly, I've usually been able to get similar results with some baking soda, lemon juice, and a dash of good dish soap. When the folks over at BzzAgent asked me if I'd be willing to review the newest product in the family, the Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber, I was a bit apprehensive.

The Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber is a bright green foam handle with some Velcro, which you attach a scrubby pad to with a press & wiggle motion.

The trial kit I received from BzzAgent included one firm-yet-flexible, durable green foam handle, one reusable storage tub for the scrubbing pads, and four disposable cleaning pads. What I received is exactly what you can buy in the store, and refills are available, cutting down on packaging and landfill waste.

Would this be hard to clean with? Would I be sore after using it? Would it smell horribly chemical? Would it be safe for my enamel tub and vinyl shower surround? Would the pads fall off all the time? How many pads will I have to use to get my shower truly clean in the worst of messes? Are they reusable? Will it rinse clean and not leave any filmy residue? Will it leave a nice shine? Those questions and many more ran through my head, but I figured it would at least be worth a try, and I'm really glad I accepted their offer to try it out.

The short and sweet; it's a really great product, and almost does more than what it advertises. Definitely a good buy.

Now for the details.

You know I'm not one to test a new product without making it run the paces and testing it on the hardest jobs I have, so I waited three weeks without washing my tub or shower, so I could see how good these thin little scrubby pads would work on my family's worst messes. We haven't been able to get the shower truly clean since we move in in May, and heaven only knows how long it went without a true clean before we got the place, as it was covered with soap scum and hard water stains when we moved in. With less abrasion than my usual cleaning utensil and products, I assumed it would be a harder scrub just to do the job we'd been doing, and quite the workout to get the shower and tub truly clean like I was hoping for.

Not so! After getting the pad wet, we used a simple circular wiping maneuver with a little pressure, it formed a rich, non-gritty foam, and most of the grime was gone immediately. It was a quick once-over, and over half the job was done. But we had let it sit and accumulate, and you know that second layer, and all that hard water and soap scum was going to be harder to remove, right?

Not by much. Yes, the second go-over needed a little elbow grease, but not nearly what I'd been used to using. It was even able to get into the hard-to-reach spots. A little pressure on the tough spots, and we were done, soap scum and all, leaving a beautiful, freshly-installed look to the entire bath area. That's one scrubby pad!

My arms and back didn't hurt, my hands weren't cramped up like they usually are after the bathroom chores, and it took about 1/2 the time it usually does to finish the shower and bathtub.

A week later, we used the same pad again, and it still had enough soap on it to use it again with great results.

We've reused it again a third time, as it still smelled like it has some cleanser on it, and it easily managed a third go-round in the tub.

The pad stayed firmly attached throughout the cleaning process, and it was really handy to not have to have to juggle a separate cleaner bottle and dedicated bathroom scrubby for the job, so it saves on storage space too.

As for smell, it does smell like a bathroom cleaner, but it's not anywhere near as strong as anything you have to spray or squirt onto a pad or the shower surround, because there's no mist or residue floating around in the air, getting sucked into the ventilation system, and traveling into the kitchen or other areas of the house. The smell all but disappears as soon as you do the final rinse, leaving the entire bathroom smelling fresh and clean, but not overly chemical.

The biggest bonus to the Action Scrubber though? The kids enjoy using it when they get out of the shower, so that's one less chore for mom or dad to do!

Regular price is about $6.68 for the starter kit, and $4.17 for the refill pack of 6 extra cleaning pads.

Just for you: Save $2.75 on the scrubbing kit with this printable coupon.

Want to save money and have it delivered right to your door? Get a starter kit for only $4.99, or a refill pack for as little as $3.29 and save yourself the time and trouble of making a stop at the store!