Cleaning dishes or outdoor surfaces can be tedious. You often scrub by hand, get your hands wet, and end up holding the sponge and hose separately. It takes two hands and gets awkward. You waste water when rinsing leftover soap. You wish there were an easier way to clean without the hassle.
Enter The Scrubbie, a universal sponge attachment that connects to garden hoses, kitchen sink sprayers, or faucet pull-downs. With this, you hold one tool that sprays water and scrubs at once. It frees one hand, cuts down on water usage, and makes cleaning faster and simpler.
Founders Matt Hosey, Jeff Dakin, and Tyler Kessler pitched their idea on Shark Tank Season 12. They asked for $100,000 for 10 percent equity. Though they didn’t land a deal, the Scrubbie continued growing. This article covers their pitch, what happened on the show, and how the product evolved afterward.
The Scrubbie Net Worth Shark Tank Update 2025
Matt, Jeff, and Tyler were looking for an investment of $100k in exchange for 10% equity in the company. At the time of the episode, they valued their company at $1 million. They did not secure a deal with any of the Sharks. Since there was no investment, the company’s net worth stayed around $1 million. After the show was aired, the company experienced a good boost in exposure. As per my rough estimate, the current net worth of The Scrubbie is around $1.5 million.
Shark(s) name
Offer & Demand
Counteroffer
Accepted?
Daniel Lubetzky
Out
N/A
N/A
Lori Greiner
Out
N/A
N/A
Kevin O’Leary
Out
N/A
N/A
Robert Herjavec
Out
N/A
N/A
Mark Cuban
Out
N/A
N/A
Matt Hosey, Jeff Dakin, and Tyler Kessler Backstory + Their Initial Pitch
The three founders, calling themselves the “Side Hustle Homies,” started working on the idea after Jeff tried the sponge-on-hose concept at home. They loved the simplicity of one-handed cleaning. They designed a basic attachment that fits most faucets and garden hoses. They created two fasteners to secure it on sprayers and hoses.
They attended the Wichita Women’s Fair in 2019 and 2020 to test the product. They generated $13,000 in 2019 but had zero confirmed revenue by early 2020. Their projections of $320,000 in sales were based on interest at the fair, not actual orders.
They came to the Tank with a starter pack priced at $14.99 and a subscription of three replacement sponges for $9.99 every two months. They hoped a Shark would give them funds and advice for scaling up production, achieving stability, and breaking into retail.
Queries + Shark’s Responses, and Final Deal
The Sharks had sharp questions during the pitch.
Mark Cuban led with skepticism. He asked why they had so few verified sales after two years. They admitted the $13,000 number from 2019, but only vague projected interest for 2020. Mark noted this as a red flag. He said they needed far more traction. He chose to leave.
Lori Greiner pointed out the similarities between The Scrubbie name, product design, and Scrub Daddy’s branding, one of her investments. She saw a copycat risk and feared a lawsuit. The founders denied copying. Lori verbalized concern and also got out.
Kevin O’Leary asked whether Lori would pursue legal claims. She didn’t answer directly. Kevin said he was not impressed by their preparation or the low sales. He left next.
Daniel Lubetzky also exited. He felt the founders didn’t hustle enough and weren’t proactive with marketing or sales.
Robert Herjavec agreed. He felt the founders lacked hustle and asked a few questions. With that, there was no deal on air.
What Went Wrong With The Scrubbie On Shark Tank?
The Scrubbie failed to win a Shark’s investment. The main issue was low, uncertain sales. Their 2019 result of $13,000 looked weak next to an ask of $100,000 for 10 percent. Without clear revenue and traction, the Sharks saw too much risk.
Branding also hurt them. Lori saw similarities in name and packaging to Scrub Daddy. That raised concerns about originality and confused customers. The founders had no long-term revenue record or proven distribution. This made the Sharks uneasy.
In short, despite a clever idea, they couldn’t show Shark Tank enough proof that mass consumers would buy it regularly.
Product Availability
After the show, the founders improved their product and branding. They updated their logo slightly to avoid confusion with Scrub Daddy. They launched The Scrubbie 2.0 with a more durable sponge and refined fit.
The Scrubbie now sells as a starter kit, including the attachment and two sponges for around $24.99. Replacement sponge packs cost $7.99, with a subscription option offering better rates. A smaller Mini model is also available.
The attachment clicks onto pull-down sprayers, sink faucets, or garden hoses within seconds, no tools needed. It’s marketed for both indoor dishwashing and outdoor cleaning tasks. Their online store ships internationally, and the item is listed on Amazon at current price ranges.
What Happened To The Scrubbie After Shark Tank?
Despite no deal, the Scrubbie gained momentum after the episode aired in April 2021. They reported over 70,000 website visitors during the broadcast. The spike in traffic led to orders, though exact sales numbers remain undisclosed.
In 2023, they released the Scrubbie 2.0 for pre-order. That version boasts better durability and ease of use. The subscription refill program also remains, with growing adoption among loyal customers.
As of late 2023, the net worth of the company was reported to be around $1 million. The co-founders continue full-time jobs, running The Scrubbie on the side. They also have not shut down social media, they maintain activity on TikTok and Instagram, despite paused Facebook and Twitter.
They’ve declined buyout offers and licensing deals. They prefer to own the company independently and build gradually.
Conclusion
The Scrubbie offered a simple but clever tool, a one-handed sponge cleaning attached to a sprayer. Founders Matt, Jeff, and Tyler showed creativity and grit, but they lacked proof of product-market fit when they pitched to the Sharks. Low sales numbers and branding missteps held them back from receiving an offer.
Instead of giving up, they retreated, improved the design, clarified branding, and launched The Scrubbie 2.0 with softer branding choices and stronger durability. Their post-show exposure brought traffic and sales, and subscriptions for refills help with recurring income. The company’s modest $1 million valuation shows promise, not failure.
Their story shows that Shark Tank is not the only path to success. With persistence, improvements, and slow brand building, startups can still grow. The Scrubbie continues connecting hoses and sponges,and now, it connects ideas to real-world progress with resilience.
Hey, I’m Amna Habib, an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Shark Tank has always been one of my favorite TV shows because it offers a unique glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship. The way entrepreneurs present innovative solutions to everyday problems aligns with my academic interests and fuels my curiosity about business strategies. Each pitch showcases creativity and strategic decision-making, which I find both insightful and inspiring. Watching the show has deepened my passion for business and motivated me to explore the world of entrepreneurship even further. Beyond business and writing, I love food, shopping, and spending time with my friends and family.
