Scrub Daddy accuses 3M of ‘sponging off’ invention
Delaware plaintiff best known for top-selling polymer sponges shaped in a smiley face that change texture in water | 3M bought another business founded by Scrub Daddy owner in 2008 | Complaint says industrial and consumer goods giant infringed by marketing and selling its toilet cleaning system.
3M, the multinational company known for producing Post-It notes and industrial goods, is facing a lawsuit over its sale of the Scotch-Brite Scrub & Drop toilet cleaningsystem.
Scrub Daddy filed the complaint on Wednesday, April 24, at the US District Court for the District of Delaware, alleging the infringement of US patent numbers: 11,779,171, 11,944,242 and 11,963,643—all of which are titled “Scrubbing Tool Having a
Dissolvable Cleaning Head”.
The complaint alleges that 3M’s products—the Scotch-Brite Scrub & Drop Toilet
Cleaning System and the Scotch-Brite Scrub & Drop Toilet Cleaning System Refill—infringe at least claim 1 of the ’171 patent, claims 1 and 6 of the ’242 patent, and claims 1 and 10 of the ’643 patent.
$220 million and smiling
The origins of the dispute can be traced back to 2008 when Aaron Krause invented a line of buffing and polishing pads after damaging the exterior of a vehicle while cleaning it. He sold his newly-created buffing pad company to 3M in August 2008 but stayed on at the consumer goods giant as a developer and consultant.
3M is a US multinational operating in the fields of industry, worker safety, healthcare, and consumer goods. The minnesota-based conglomerate produces more than 60,000 products, including adhesives, abrasives, and personal protective equipment.
Four years after the sale of the buffing pad company, Krause founded Scrub Daddy—best known for its polymer sponges the shape of a smiley face that change texture in water.
While the Scrub Daddy brand was originally used to promote its cleaning sponges, Krause argues that his company actually produces more than 100 products, including dual-sided sponges, scouring pads, sink organisers, soap dispensers, household erasers, dish wands, grill brushes, dusting cloths, mops, and cleaning paste.
More than 100 products in portfolio
This, he adds, include the patents covering toilet cleaning systems that 3M has allegedly infringed.
Krause achieved notable success after he appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank to pitch his Scrub Daddy sponge, which led to 42,000 sponge sales seven minutes after the episode aired.
To date, Scrub Daddy is considered one of the most successful products in the show’s history and the startup accrued $220 million in sales in 2023.
In March 2023, Scrub Daddy entered a partnership with global consumer goods company Unilever, allowing the company to enter international markets with co-branded products.
The lawsuit was brought by Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders on behalf of Scrub Daddy.
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