Scrub Daddy makes high-performance cleaning products by combining exclusive materials with fun, functional designs. Texture changing scrubbers, smell resistant sponges, scratch-free scour pads are just a few reasons we make you smile while you scrub!
Aaron Krause was 37 years old and running an international manufacturing company. An average workday meant tending to paperwork in the front office while also repairing machinery in the back. Dirty hands were a constant annoyance, and over time, so became the only product available to clean them with (a slurry of rocks and lotion known as GOJO). Using his 14 years’ experience making urethane foam buffing pads, Aaron embarked on a mission to invent a more comfortable way to clean his hands
A highly engineered polymer foam proved to be the perfect solution. In fact it worked so well Aaron knew he couldn’t keep it all to himself. He patented the design which was round in shape, grooved on one side, and featured two holes punched out of its center. He began marketing the hand scrubber to body shops where he was met with overwhelming opposition. They felt the product was nonessential and overly priced. Without the support of his target market Aaron had no choice but to surrender the idea, tossing the yellow foam into a box and writing the letters S-C-R-A-P across its side.
By 2007, Multinational conglomerate 3M had their eye on Aaron’s buffing pad company. They acquired it in August of 2008 taking everything. Well, almost everything. A handful of boxes considered to hold no value were left in his possession.
It was fall and the lawn furniture needed cleaning. Aaron starting using a traditional dual-sided sponge but it immediately scratched the paint. He decided to try the old hand scrubbing foam which had been stored away slowly collecting dust. It worked shockingly well and didn’t scratch! As he continued cleaning, Aaron noticed the cold air temperature was causing the foam’s texture to change, becoming firmer.
The more rigid consistency delivered an extra oomph of scrubbing power. Each time he then dunked the foam back into the soapy water, it softened and conformed more easily. After the furniture was clean he brought the scrubber in to the kitchen sink. With little effort and some running water, the mucky scrubber looked practically unused sparking its next test subject, the dishes. It was a match made in heaven. A smiling mouth was added to better clean utensils opening the door for another patent.
Later that year, persistent grassroots marketing paid off when a featured article was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The write-up caught the eye of an independent broker whose mission, he declared, was to book Scrub Daddy’s first live QVC show. It was at this point Aaron realized Scrub Daddy needed to be its own entity and separated the product and patent IAP. In 2012 Scrub Daddy, Inc. was officially established. Shortly thereafter, Scrub Daddy was the subject of 4 successful on-air QVC shows.
Despite having some sales, the smiling scrubber tool still wasn’t able to secure presence in any major retail store. One night while watching ABC’s Shark Tank, Aaron realized partnering with one of the “Sharks” could be the key to opening those retail doors. Backed with newfound TV confidence, he applied to the show. After 3 long months of auditions, filming finally took place in July of 2012. On October 25th of that year, Scrub Daddy premiered on season four, episode seven of the show. Aaron’s infomercial-like presentation grabbed the attention of celebrity “Shark” and prolific inventor, Lori Greiner, who secured the winning deal.
Exposure from national television was colossal and as a result, the company quickly outgrew its rented space. A larger facility was purchased and the crew relocated to its current residence in Folcroft, Pennsylvania. The move fostered even more growth, allowing the development of powerful partnerships with leading retailers such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Kroger, Target, QVC, Meijer and many more.
In May of that year, ABC aired a 20/20 special entitled “Swimming with Sharks” in which Scrub Daddy was named “Shark Tank’s most successful product to date”. A title which has held true to this day!
Despite sentimental appeal, the Scrub Daddy logo had become dated looking. Meanwhile, the ever expanding product line lacked overall unification. With several new products on deck to debut, a full-on brand makeover was needed. Modernized artwork and a fresh approach to packaging were instated over a 4 month period. The change would signify not only the brand’s staying power amongst industry leaders, but a seemingly limitless future for the now not-so-underdogs.
The patented Scrub Daisy Dishwand System is the twelfth unique product in the Scrub Daddy family. She (yes, she) serves as a significant milestone for the company due to the sheer complexity of design. The system, which is comprised of seven plus collaborating parts, took 4 long years to move from conception to completion. Scrub Daisy was first offered to customers via home shopping network QVC where she sold out upon her first two airings.
Since airing on Shark Tank in 2012, a continuous stream of media opportunities gifted the team by way of episode re-runs, follow ups, national interviews and magazine articles. The time had come, however, to create some original media buzz. And so the decision to develop Scrub Daddy’s first ever commercial was made. Two uniquely lovable scripts multiplied the project which materialized as the Fishwaffle and Mudball videos.
More products (screen cleaners, sponge Caddies, seasonal colors!) and presence in every major US retailer (plus several internationally!) meant it was again necessary to expand headquarters. To do so, they purchased the adjacent building which in turn doubled their footprint to 80,000 sq. feet. To compare, the company first operated within 5,000 sq. ft.
Scrub Daddy makes their first viral video post. Little do they know that in just 2 years they will amass 100M+ views, 80M+ likes and 4M+ follows on Social.
What was once a team of 20 now exceeds 100, necessitating yet another relocation! The new Pennsauken based campus boasts over 185k sq. ft., public retail store, and on-air studio.
Scrub Daddy expands further, adding 177k sq. ft. in NJ and establishing a manufacturing hub and a HQ in Hungary. They are now in 47 countries!
